About Fort Necessity National Battlefield
The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Weather varies considerably within each season. Be prepared with layered clothing. Precipitation is common throughout the year. Spring: Temperatures usually range from 25°F to 70°F. On average, May is the wettest month. Summer: Temperatures usually range from 50°F to 80°F. July is the warmest month. Fall: Temperatures usually range from…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Pennsylvania. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
Entrance to Fort Necessity National Battlefield is allowed from sunrise until sunset. The park visitor center and Mount Washington Tavern museum have specific hours. Please see the listing for each facility.
Activities
Current Alerts
Jumonville Glen, Mount Washington Tavern, and the Picnic Area are OPEN until October 31st. Jumonville Glen and the Picnic Area are open daily sunrise to sunset, and Mount Washington Tavern is open every day 10 am to 4 pm.
The pavilions in the CCC Camp Picnic Area are closed for the immediate future for restoration work.
Getting There
The main unit of the park is located 11 miles east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania on U.S. Highway 40. The visitor center, reconstructed Fort Necessity, Mount Washington Tavern and picnic area are located in the main unit of the park.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Hike the Fort Necessity Trails
Fort Necessity National Battlefield has five miles of hiking trails to explore. You can walk to the battlefield and back…
Fort Necessity Junior Ranger
Come to the park, watch the movie, visit Fort Necessity, and complete the Junior Ranger Activity Book to earn a…
Take a Self-guided Battlefield Tour
Self-guided tours of Fort Necessity National Battlefield can be accessed using your mobile device.
Watch Road of Necessity in the Visitor Center
The twenty-minute orientation film Road of Necessity takes viewer along the path from Washington's first trip over the Alleghenies to…
Historic Weapons Demonstrations
Black powder weapons demonstrations are given daily throughout the summer at Fort Necessity as staffing permits.
Visitor Centers
Fort Necessity/National Road Interpretive and Education Center
The exhibits an programs at The Fort Necessity/National Road Interpretive and Education Center immerse visitors and students in the diverse cultures and customs of mid-eighteenth…
Mount Washington Tavern
The Mount Washington Tavern is a museum that focuses on travel and life along the National Road in the early 1800s, when it was a…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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