Carl Sandburg Home NHS had significant impacts from Hurricane Helene. Please plan accordingly.
Post Helene Status:
NOTICE: Main entrance is closed due to washed out pedestrian bridges.
Currently, the only way to access parking and the park is the Hikers' lot at 1928 Little River Road. Find information and directions on our "Parking" information page. If you need accessibility assistance, visit our "Accessibility" page for more information.
House Tours are not being offered at this time due to limited parking.
Grounds and trails open dawn to dusk; Barn open 10am-3pm everyday.
Visitor Center and Bookstore open Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun 10am-3pm.
Interagency passes can be purchased at Visitor Center.
Half mile walk from Hikers' parking lot to farm and house area.
If you need help accessing the farm and house area, please call the phone number listed in the Hikers' parking lot. Limited options may be available.
Park Grounds, Trails and Parking Lots
Main Parking lot and front lake trail remain closed from Hurricane Helene damage. Hikers' lot at 1928 Little River road has 24 parking spots available.
Please be prepared for your comfort. Check the weather before heading out and wear appropriate comfortable clothing and walking shoes.
Portable toilets are available at the Hikers' lot and at the main restrooms near the historic home. Please note that the main restrooms are closed and there is no water available at this time.
Park film, passport stamps, and Jr. Ranger books are available in the house garage everyday between 10am-3pm.
Historic Goat Barn:
The goat barn is open from 10am-3pm everyday. Visitors are welcome to tour the historic barn and milk house and visit with our goats in the pasture. We have brushes if you would like to help us groom our goats. We also have a small flock of chickens and two barn cats. Please note that no dogs are allowed inside the barn area.
This Spring, the goat barn at Carl Sandburg Home NHS is expecting kids! We have two pregnant does at the goat barn. Ailish, a Saanen, is expecting two kids. Shelby, a Toggenburg, is also expecting two kids. Our baby goat kids will be born in late April, 2025.
Locations:Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Duration:30-40 Minutes
Reservations:Yes
Age:0 and Older
Pets:Yes
Season:Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Time Of Day:Day
Temporarily paused due to impacts from Helene! Sandburg Home tours are available Wednesday to Sunday at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm. Each tour is 30-minutes, with a capacity of 10 people. Advance reservations are available at recreation.gov and are strongly recommended as day-of visit tickets may not be available. (The only way to see the furnished interior of the Sandburg Home is through a guided tour.).
Locations:Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The Visitor Center/Park Store is open Wednesday to Sunday (5 days per week) from 10am to 4pm, inside the Sandburg Home. The online park store is open everyday!
The Park Store and visitor information area is a great place to start your visit! You can find information to plan your visit, get a passport stamp, participate in the Jr Ranger or BARK Ranger programs, and get a schedule of upcoming events. The park store has a wide range of Sandburg books, media, and other items.
Locations:Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Outdoor access to the goats (in the barnyard and pasture) is available from 10am to 4pm daily.
Visitors to Connemara Farms can see dairy goats that are descended from Mrs. Sandburg's famous herd. She raised three breeds of dairy goats; Saanen, Toggenburg, and Nubian. Each breed can be seen in the herd today.
Enjoy the solitude of Connemara. Hike its many trails and take from it the energy to avoid diversions. The park offers 5 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to moderately strenuous.
Locations:Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Discover what makes the farm, fields and forests so unique at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Pick up a TRACK Trail brochure as you enter the park from the main visitor parking lot. The brochures help young visitors discover different aspects of the park as they visit the Sandburg residence, the goat farm, rolling pastures, mountainside woods, miles of hiking trails, lakes and gardens.
Information for Groups
You are strongly encouraged to contact the park if you are visiting with more than 10 people in your group, even if it is just a family visit or a big motorcoach tour. We strive to make your visit the best experience it can be.
Adult Group
For groups of adults of ten or more, please see the Adult Group Reservation page for information about scheduling a visit.
School & Homeschool Groups
Please see our For Teachers section for more information about scheduling school groups.
Summer Camps/Youth Groups
Please visit our ParKids! page for more information on activities available in the Park.
