Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Tours
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Carl Sandburg and his family lived in North Carolina from 1945 – 1967. Their home reflects the family’s lifestyle and Carl Sandburg’s work ethic, and includes his library of more than 10,000 books. Visitors are able to tour all levels of the home while learning about Carl Sandburg’s contribution to American literature. During his career, he was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes, two for poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. Carl Sandburg was celebrated as a “Poet of the People”. The house tour reveals his career as a poet, writer, journalist, biographer, and social activist. His wife, Lilian, was a renowned breeder of champion dairy goats.
NOTICE: No Reservations needed for FEE FREE days: April 20, June 8, June 15, June 19, Aug 4, Sept 28, Oct 19 & 20, Nov 11 (tours go out at 11:00, 12:00, 1;00, 2:00, 3:00)
NOTICE: ARRIVE AT THE PARK AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF YOUR TOUR.
- It is a 15 minute walk or shuttle from your car to the Sandburg Home. Check-in is 15 minutes before the start of your tour in the ground floor visitor center/park store of the Sandburg Home.
* Example: If you reserve a tour at 1:00 pm, you should plan to arrive by 12:30 pm. - There are two parking lots to use when you arrive. The Main Parking lot is a 0.7 mile mostly uphill walk to the home, the Hikers Parking lot is a 0.4 mile mostly level walk to the home. Learn more about parking and access at https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/parking.htm.
- Access to the historically furnished rooms of the Sandburg Home is available by guided tour only. Tour schedules vary by season.
- Park Phone: 828-693-4178
Carl Sandburg and his family lived in North Carolina from 1945 – 1967. Their home reflects the family’s lifestyle and Carl Sandburg’s work ethic, and includes his library of more than 10,000 books. Visitors are able to tour all levels of the home while learning about Carl Sandburg’s contribution to American literature. During his career, he was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes, two for poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. Carl Sandburg was celebrated as a “Poet of the People”. The house tour reveals his career as a poet, writer, journalist, biographer, and social activist. His wife, Lilian, was a renowned breeder of champion dairy goats.
NOTICE: No Reservations needed for FEE FREE days: April 20, June 8, June 15, June 19, Aug 4, Sept 28, Oct 19 & 20, Nov 11 (tours go out at 11:00, 12:00, 1;00, 2:00, 3:00)
NOTICE: ARRIVE AT THE PARK AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF YOUR TOUR.
- It is a 15 minute walk or shuttle from your car to the Sandburg Home. Check-in is 15 minutes before the start of your tour in the ground floor visitor center/park store of the Sandburg Home.
* Example: If you reserve a tour at 1:00 pm, you should plan to arrive by 12:30 pm. - There are two parking lots to use when you arrive. The Main Parking lot is a 0.7 mile mostly uphill walk to the home, the Hikers Parking lot is a 0.4 mile mostly level walk to the home. Learn more about parking and access at https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/parking.htm.
- Access to the historically furnished rooms of the Sandburg Home is available by guided tour only. Tour schedules vary by season.
- Park Phone: 828-693-4178
Notifications and Alerts
A significant weather event has impacted this location; please do not visit this location until it is deemed safe. Please continue to monitor this location’s facility page on Recreation.gov for status updates or visit the agency’s website for details. Keep in mind, local personnel may be attending to this urgent situation and not available to provide updates immediately. Please be patient as conditions are assessed and closures are implemented.
- A location closure has been issued, and the facility is closed at this time. Reservation-holders will receive an email with additional information. Please check back for location closure updates.
Need to Know
- Tour Arrival
NOTICE: DUE TO IMPACTS FROM HURRICANE HELENE THE PARK IS CLOSED UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE!
ARRIVE AT THE PARK 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF YOUR TOUR.
It is a 15 minute walk or shuttle from your car to the Sandburg Home. Check-in is 15 minutes before the start of your tour in the ground floor visitor center/park store of the Sandburg Home.
* Example: If you reserve a tour at 1:00 pm, you should plan to arrive by 12:30 pm. There are two parking lots to use when you arrive. The main parking lot is a 0.7 mile mostly uphill walk to the home, the hikers' parking lot is a 0.4 mile mostly level walk to the home. The shuttle is Not available from the hikers' lot. Learn more about parking and access at https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/parking.htm.
The free accessible shuttle will transport visitors from the main parking lot, on Little River Road, to the Sandburg Home and farm area.
The shuttle operates 7 days a week. The first pick up in the main parking Lot is at 9:40 a.m. The last drop off in the parking lot is at 4:40 p.m. The shuttle will pick up from the main parking lot every 20 minutes.
Visitors who need the shuttle should gather at the Shuttle Stop sign located in the main parking lot near the accessible parking spaces. Visitors not taking the shuttle must walk 0.5-0.7 miles from designated parking lots to the home.
Access to the historically furnished rooms of the Sandburg Home is available by guided tour only. Tour schedules vary by season.
Customers may modify or cancel an existing reservation at any time through recreation.gov. If you need to cancel the day of your reservation, you may request a refund up to 14 days after through the online reservation system. While the system will not support schedule changes the day off park staff may be able to cancel or modify your reservation, and issue a refund request. If you need to cancel on the day of the tour, you may call 828-693-4178 to let the rangers know.
- Parking Details
There are two parking lots to use. Remember to allow at least 30 minutes to get from any parking area to the Sandburg Home.
The Main Parking Lot is located at 1800 Little River Rd. It is a 0.7 mile mostly uphill walk to the home.
The Hikers' Parking Lot is located at 1928 Little River Rd. It is a 0.4 mile mostly level walk to the home/barn area. The shuttle is NOT available from this lot. Learn more about parking and access at: https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/parking.htm.
A free accessible shuttle will transport visitors from the main parking lot, on Little River Road, to the Sandburg Home and farm area.
The shuttle operates 7 days a week. The first pick up in the main parking Lot is at 9:40 a.m. The last drop off in the parking lot is at 4:40 p.m. The shuttle will pick up from the main parking lot every 20 minutes.
Visitors who need the shuttle should gather at the Shuttle Stop sign located in the main parking lot near the accessible parking spaces.
- Accessibility
There is no visitor parking at the home for tours. An accessible shuttle is offered 7 days a week and loops through the main parking lot every twenty minutes beginning at 9:40 am through 4:20 pm. Visitors not taking the shuttle must walk 0.5-0.7 miles from designated parking lots to the home. Find more accessibility information at https://www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
- Park Information
Visit our website at www.nps.gov/carl. Phone: 828-693-4178
- Season and Tour Availability
The number of tours available each day changes seasonally.
Walk up tours are available only on FEE FREE days: April 20, June 8, June 15, June 19, August 4, Sept 28, Oct 19 & 20, Nov 11 - Photography
Flash photography is not permitted on house tours. Camera tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are prohibited.
- Children
Visitors who use the shuttle may elect to bring their own car seats as needed. The park does provide a chld booster seat, and an Revolve 360 all in one car seat
Child strollers and infant backpack carriers are prohibited on house tours due to visitor and resource safety. Soft front carriers are permitted.
Booking Windows
Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. We suggest booking early as reservations fill quickly.
Changes and Cancellations
Cancellations must be done by 11:59 PM ET the day before your scheduled tour date for a full refund less the non-refundable per-ticket reservation fee.
Refunds will not be given for tours cancelled or modified after midnight ET before the scheduled tour date. If you need to cancel due to an emergency the day of your reservation, please notifiy park staff at 828-693-4178.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
81 Carl Sandburg Lane Flat Rock NC 28731
Phone Number
828-693-4178
