A lot depends on your walking tolerance. It is easy to start on Cemetery Hill, start walking down the Union line, and be doing a big “oops” when you get to Little Round Top. Ya gotta walk back.
Remember that the park roads basically run along the Union and Confederate lines, while the attacks generally ran at a 90 degree angle to the park tour routes. The unit monuments are mostly placed along the roads (for the convenience of tourists) in the general vicinity of where each unit fought, but they give a much more static feel to the scene than was true historically. For the first and second days’ fighting especially, you should try to visualize a very dynamic environment, with troops advancing, retreating, counterattacking, and wheeling and dealing in all directions to adjust to very fluid, short range tactical situations. Today the monuments sit there in nice, orderly rows. Hah! The Wheatfield, for example, almost defies description. If you want to feel the ground, you really need to walk the attack routes. Walk at least one, just to get the feel of it.
Walking Pickett’s charge is almost irresistible for a first timer, but my favorite walks follow Longstreet’s assault on July 2. Start with John Bell Hood on Confederate Avenue on the southern edge of the battlefield and walk across the open ground into the Rose Woods. You will probably get knocked off line a bit as you enter the woods and descend into the Plum Run defile, but you will work your way through that and emerge somewhere on either side of Devil’s Den, at the foot of Little Round Top. Scramble straight up the slope. You will appreciate why the Confederates couldn’t take it.
Another good one is to walk from the Peach Orchard across the open fields to the Trostle Farm area and then on towards the Union line on lower Cemetery Ridge. Aim for the Pennsylvania Monument, which is the Greek temple style building with the small dome. As you approach it, you will encounter the First Minnesota monument. This is the closest the Confederates got to breaking the Union line on July 2 or 3, and the First Minnesota is why they didn’t.
You will also benefit from scrambling up Culps Hill. Don’t be a sissy and drive to the top. Park at the bottom and walk. Depending on your line, you may find yourself scrambling on all fours and grabbing for branches for support.
There is a lot to learn from getting off the park roads and following the troops. You WILL feel the ground and realize that Meade knew what he was doing when he chose his position.
Don’t neglect the first day. If you have time and are up for another walk, take the trail down to Willoughby Run and work your way upstream towards the Chambersburg Road. See if you can find the old quarry. The troops sure did.
Again, all of the above depends on your walking tolerance. None of the above are loops. Ya gotta hoof it back, though you can take an easier route on the return if you stick to the roads.
Nice insight...