The full VNMP tour road is now open

Last updated: August 24, 2026

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — The following is an open letter from Bess Mitchell Everette announcing the Vicksburg National Military Park tour road is now fully open to the public.

The roads are open! After six years of closures, Vicksburg National Military Park has restored access to Grant Circle and a section of North Union Avenue. With these roads reopened, the entire 16-mile tour road is now open to visitors for the first time in six years!

These roads were severely damaged by heavy rainfall in early 2020 and had been closed ever since. Thanks to the advocacy of Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park and our supporters, federal funding for the repairs was secured shortly after the damage occurred. Today, we get to celebrate the result: these important roads are open again and ready to serve Park visitors for years to come.

This is exactly the kind of work Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park is proud to champion.

Through advocacy and relationships with our congressional delegation and federal partners, Friends of VNMP worked to make sure Vicksburg National Military Park received the federal attention and funding necessary to address this critical infrastructure need.

The finished project does more than simply put new pavement on the road. The areas were rebuilt to better handle water and stabilize the ground beneath and alongside the roads. These improvements are designed to help prevent the drainage and erosion problems that contributed to the original damage and keep these roads open and usable for years to come.

But here’s the part we want our supporters to take pride in:

You helped make this happen.

Every donation to Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park gives us a stronger voice when we advocate for the Park. Your support helps us build relationships, make the case for needed investment, and stand up
for the long-term preservation and accessibility of this nationally significant place.

When you support Friends of VNMP, you are not simply donating to an organization. You are helping us fight for the resources Vicksburg National Military Park needs.

The reopening of Grant Circle and North Union Avenue is a tangible example of what that advocacy can accomplish.

So, to everyone who has donated, attended an event, sponsored a program, shared our message, or simply stood behind Friends of VNMP: thank you. This is your success, too.

We hope you’ll take a drive through the newly reopened areas and enjoy seeing the results of an effort that began with a damaged road and ultimately resulted in a stronger and more sustainable Park for future generations.

Thank you for helping us make a difference.

Sincerely,

Bess Mitchell Averett

Executive Director

Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park