Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican armies clashed on this coastal prairie in the first major battle of the Mexican-American War, a fight won largely by Major Samuel Ringgold's fast-moving 'flying artillery.' The park tells the story from both nations' perspectives.

Walk the battlefield trail past the actual gun positions and explore the visitor center. For a challenge, walk the full battlefield trail, reading the waysides that reconstruct the artillery duel across the open plain.