Originally Posted By Dynomite:
The battlefield is much like it was when your great great grandfather was there, it's a hill covered in trees and underbrush with an open field/pasture at the top. Given how they were able to see what was happening in the valley below I'd say the top of the hill isn't as clear as it used to be. There's not much of a view out in the summertime now. If you were to go around the anniversary of the battle in early May you would have a better idea of the visibility they had both on and from the hill.
The trail up is actually pretty steep, they didn't cut in any switchbacks or gentle grades, you get to go straight up the ravines just like the men on both sides had to do. The information signs along the trail need some work as some are flat out in the wrong spot (e.g. the 12th Georgia sign) and stuff like the "You Are Here" markers on the maps are hundreds of yards off. So study up on the battle before you get up there in order to get the most from the experience.

At the top of the first mountain out of Staunton is the Confederate Breastworks Interpretive Site/Fort Edward Johnson. That's where some of the southerners were stationed prior to the battle. On the north side of Rt250 they've rebuilt some of the breastworks and put up info signs. If you have time there's also a Forest Service road (FS-396) that heads south from Rt250 just a couple dozen yards east of the top of the mountain. Take that and you'll find a parking lot after the first corner. You can then hike past the gate about 200 yards and you'll come to a saddle in the ridgeline. If you look on the west side of the ridge both north and south you can still see the straight line trench cuts and follow them around their respective knobs. It's pretty cool to find some relatively untouched American history out in the woods.

Something you could do on your way to or from the battlefield is follow the route of the Parkersburg Turnpike instead of taking Rt250 all the way from Staunton. Rt250 didn't exist during the Civil War and the Parkersburg Turnpike is how the Confederates got from Staunton and West View to McDowell. Rt250 follows the old turnpike route fairly closely when crossing the mountains but is on a completely different route between Staunton and 2 miles west of West Augusta.
Leaving Staunton you'd take 254/West Beverly St/Parkersburg Turnpike. Follow that out through West View to Buffalo Gap. After going through the gap you hang a right on Old Parkersburg Turnpike. About 5 miles of this section is still single lane gravel road that's probably not much different from 164 years ago. Then you tee into 629/Deerfield Valley Rd. Hang a right and go north about a mile and turn left on 716/West Augusta Rd. Follow that on out to Rt250 and continue on west.

ETA - East of Waynesboro, the Blue Ridge Tunnel through Afton mountain was used by Jackson to get his men across as quickly as possible. You can hike through that as well (take flashlights). Doing it from the Afton side is the easiest and do it on a weekday if possible.

Originally Posted By downstatetrapper:
I was doing family research and discovered my great great grandfather from Rockbridge County fought with the 58th Infantry. My father, cousin and I are heading to that area to check out some battles he was in, where he was wounded and where he is buried. I was curious if anyone has recommendations about things to see or places to stay.

I know he mustered in at Staunton and was wounded at the Battle of McDowell and was out a year before rejoining the regiment. Any information would be appreciated.