Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a military burial ground on Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, California. The site spreads across a ridge with views of San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, with rows of graves following the contours of the slopes.

The site was established in 1882 as a burial ground after being part of a military post. Over the following decades, soldiers who died in early California conflicts were also interred here, including those who fell at the Battle of San Pasqual in 1846.

The name honors General William Starke Rosecrans, a Civil War officer who later settled in California. Visitors today see gravestones arranged in precise rows across the slopes, reflecting military tradition and discipline.

The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset, with paved paths making it easier to walk the slopes. Visitors should be prepared for wind and sun exposure, as the location sits open to the coast with little shade.

A monument commemorates 66 sailors from the USS Bennington who died in an explosion in San Diego harbor in 1905. The disaster occurred aboard the warship and ranks among the worst peacetime naval tragedies on the Pacific coast.

Location: San Diego

Inception: 1882

Phone: +6195532084

Website: https://cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp

GPS coordinates: 32.68674,-117.24476

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:25