In 1814, more than 800 Upper Creek Indians lost their lives at the hands of General Andrew Jackson’s army at Horseshoe Bend. It remains the largest loss of American Indian life in any one conflict, and a pivotal moment in the struggle between the United States, the Cherokee, and the Creek.

Horseshoe Bend National Military Park honors the men who fought and died defending land they believed to be rightfully theirs. A 3-mile, one-way Tour Road takes you around the battlefield and along the Tallapoosa River to the sacred spot where 49 U.S. soldiers and 557 Creek warriors died.

Following their devastating loss, the Creeks were forced to sign away 20 million acres—more than half their homeland—in the Treaty of Fort Jackson. Five years later, that land would become America’s 22nd state, Alabama.

For Andrew Jackson, the victory at Horseshoe Bend was another step on the path to the presidency.

Elected in 1829 on the strength of his military prowess, Jackson’s pen proved even mightier than his sword. The Indian Removal Act he signed in 1830 expelled the Creek and Cherokee from all land east of the Mississippi, setting them on the “Trail of Tears” to Oklahoma.

Horseshoe Bend National Military Park includes a visitor center with a film about the battle, picnic areas, the Tour Road, a nature trail, and nearby access to the river via the Miller Bridge Boat Ramp.

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