Cowpens National Battlefield: Battlefield Trail (Blog Hike #281)

Trail: Battlefield Trail

Hike Location: Cowpens National Battlefield

Geographic Location: northwest of Gaffney, SC (35.13689, -81.81849)

Length: 1.2 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: June 2009

Overview: A flat loop hike through a Revolutionary War battlefield.

Battlefield Information: http://www.nps.gov/cowp/index.htm
Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=96148
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: The battlefield is located just off of I-85.  If northbound on I-85, exit onto SR 110 (exit 83) and turn left.  Take SR 110 north 7.5 miles to SR 11.  Turn right on SR 11.  The battlefield entrance is 0.3 miles ahead on the right.  If southbound on I-85, exit onto SR 11 (exit 92) and turn right.  The battlefield entrance is 9.5 miles ahead on the left.  From either direction, park in the large blacktop lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Located in extreme northwest South Carolina, the Cow Pens have been a significant area since the early days of settlement.  Cattle ranchers from the mountains would bring their herds here in the winter to feed on the grassy fields.  Hence, this area earned the name Cow Pens, which has since been contracted to the modern name Cowpens.  But on January 17, 1781, the Cow Pens obtained an even greater significance: the place where the Revolutionary War turned in favor of the Americans.

            Since the Americans and British had fought to a stalemate in the northern theater, the southern theater would determine the outcome of the war.  In 1780, the British under the command of Lord Cornwallis had taken control of most of South Carolina.  They intended to capitalize on this strength and strike north into Virginia.  In the process, a large British force led by Banastre Tarleton was trying to entrap the Americans led by Daniel Morgan, known as “the Old Waggoner” because he made a living by driving mule trains over the Virginia mountains.  Morgan faced a decision: continue to try to elude the faster British, or make a stand.  He chose to make a stand at the Cow Pens, where the grassy area and gentle slope would favor his cavalry.

            The battle lasted less than an hour, but brilliant tactics by Morgan led to a major victory for the Americans.  The British took over 900 casualties compared to only 128 for the Americans.  Months of hard fighting lay ahead, but less than one year later, Cornwallis was forced to surrender at Yorktown, Virginia.

            Thanks to prescribed burns, visitors today see the Cow Pens much the same way Morgan and Tarleton would have seen it.  A Visitor Center contains some interesting exhibits, a film, and a map with lights marking major locations.  A paved tour road allows people to encircle the battlefield by vehicle, but little can be seen from the road itself.  Fortunately, two trails also allow hikers to explore the battlefield.  The 1.8 mile Cowpens Nature Trail features the natural history of the area, while the 1.2 mile Battlefield Trail described here explores the battlefield itself.

Monument in front of Visitor Center

            From the back of the Visitor Center, a sign directs you to head left on an asphalt trail.  At only 0.1 miles, you arrive at the historic Green River Road.  At the time of the battle, this was the main road through the Cow Pens; it led to a ford of the Broad River 6 miles to the northwest.  The British were using this road to march through the upcountry, and Morgan used it to pursue the British after the battle.

            The trail turns right to begin following this historic road, today paved with gravel, as it heads gradually downhill through a grassy field dotted with trees.  Where side trails lead left to parking areas along the tour road, continue straight on the Green River Road.  Numerous interpretive signs are placed at significant points on the battlefield, as are some Revolutionary War-era canons to your right.

Green River Road

            At 0.6 miles, the Battlefield Trail leaves the Green River Road by turning right at a signed intersection onto an asphalt trail.  The road continues southeast, eventually intersecting first the tour road and then SR 11, but it is not easy to use it to form a loop.  Thus, most people should stick with the Battlefield Trail.  Unlike the sunny nature of the road, this leg of the trail stays in the edge of the forest where Morgan’s sharpshooters laid in wait.

            At 0.95 miles, the trail passes the Washington Light Infantry Monument.  Erected in 1856, this monument was the first one to commemorate the battle.  Painted black, the steel monument with concrete base looks like a simple ball atop a post.  It is much less elaborate than the granite monument in front of the Visitor Center. 

Washington Light Infantry Monument

            Past the monument, another 0.25 miles will return you to the back of the Visitor Center, thus ending the hike.  If you did not do so before, you should stop in the Visitor Center to view the exhibits, maps, and film.  If time permits, drive the tour road and hike the nature trail to complete your visit to the Cow Pens.