Visitors fees to increase at Antietam National Battlefield

SHARPSBURG, Md. – History buffs will have to dig deeper into their pockets to visit the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland.

National Park Service officials are increasing entrance fees on Jan. 1 to help address deferred maintenance and improve visitor services at the historic site.

The current vehicle fee of $10 will increase to $15, which covers anyone in a vehicle up to a 15-passenger van and is valid for seven days.

The per person fee will increase from $5 to $7, while the motorcycle entrance fee is going from $7 to $10. Additional increases will take effect in January 2020, when an annual pass will cost $35 instead of $30.

Some 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or reported missing after 12 hours of combat in September 1862 in the Battle of Antietam.