Fort Washington Park
Fort Washington, located near the community of Fort Washington, Maryland, was for many decades the only defensive fort protecting Washington, D.C. The original fort, overlooking the Potomac River, was completed in 1809, and was begun as Fort Warburton, but renamed in 1808. The site is in the hands of the United States Army. 502K visitors came in 2025.
A national park site inside Fort Washington
July is the busiest month
July averages about 58,819 visitors, 3.9 times January. When to go ↓
Mount Vernon is the nearest base
Mount Vernon is 4 miles west, with 7 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best month: Oct
October is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 69°. When to go ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 47 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Established in 1808
Fort Washington Park dates from 1808 and is run by United States Army and National Park Service. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Below are monthly visits and typical highs at Fort Washington Park.
Fort Washington Park
Fort Washington, located near the community of Fort Washington, Maryland, was for many decades the only defensive fort protecting Washington, D.C. The original fort, overlooking the Potomac River, was completed in 1809, and was begun as Fort Warburton, but renamed in 1808. During the War of 1812, the fort was destroyed by its own garrison during a British advance.
The current historic fort—maintained by the National Park Service—was initially constructed in 1824. It is a stone structure with a good cannon shot down the Potomac River. The fort was extensively remodeled in the 1840s and 1890s. The Fort was turned over to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1946 after its last military personnel departed.
- Type
- National park site
- Established
- 1808
- Area
- 341 acres
- Run by
- United States Army · National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966)
- Wikipedia readers
- 6.6K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/fowa
Practical information
Towns to stay in near Fort Washington Park
Places to stay start in Washington (247) and Alexandria (44).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3Arlington National Cemetery
- 4United States Triumphal Arch
- 5Smithsonian Institution
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- 8Northwest Stadium
Washington
693,645 people
13 mi north of Fort Washington Park Visitor Center · 13 mi to the park
Alexandria
160,662 people
8 mi north of Fort Washington Park Visitor Center · 8 mi to the park
Arlington
236,254 people
12 mi north of Fort Washington Park Visitor Center · 12 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Washington | in town | — | 1 1 hotel | 25,134 | $480K | — |
| Washington | 13 mi north | 20 min | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Alexandria | 8 mi north | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Arlington | 12 mi north | 20 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| National Harbor | 5 mi north | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| Waldorf | 9 mi southeast | 15 min | 13 12 hotels · 1 motel | 82,943 | $408K | — |
| Springfield | 9 mi northwest | 15 min | 13 13 hotels | 31,154 | $640K | — |
| Belle Haven | 5 mi north | 5 min | 8 5 hotels · 3 motels | 6,570 | $689K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Nearby, too
All of these are within 17 miles.
Big draw113 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw212 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw312 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw412 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw512 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw612 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw711 mi LandmarkTomb of the Unknown Soldier
Big draw816 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest StadiumPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Arlington National Cemetery, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0
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Visitor numbers: 502,171 in 2025
Here are the yearly counts from 2016 to 2025.
Fort Washington Park, answered
Is Fort Washington Park in Fort Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Fort Washington, MD. The address is 13551 Fort Washington Road, Fort Washington, MD 20744.
When is the best time to visit Fort Washington Park?
October, with a high of 69°. July is the busiest month (about 58,819 visitors).
How many people visit Fort Washington Park each year?
502,171 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 636,276, set in 2021.
How far is Fort Washington Park from Baltimore?
About 47 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Fort Washington Park?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 10 miles away.
Where should I stay near Fort Washington Park?
Washington (13 mi, 247 places to stay), Alexandria (8 mi, 44 places to stay) and Arlington (12 mi, 58 places to stay).
Tips for visiting, from Fort Washington
Be the first to share a tip in Fort Washington’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.