Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban park that bisects the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.
A national park site inside Washington
July is the busiest month
July averages about 237,463 visitors, 2.3 times December. When to go ↓
Best months: Apr and Oct
April and October are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 67–69°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Washington
Rock Creek Park is inside Washington, which has 247 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 33 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Established in 1897
Rock Creek Park dates from 1897 and is run by United States Army Corps of Engineers 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
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban park that bisects the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. Created by Act of Congress in 1890, the park comprises 1,754 acres (2.74 mi2, 7.10 km2), generally along Rock Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River.
More than two million people visit the park each year, many to use recreation facilities such as its golf course; hiking, biking, and equestrian trails; tennis center; nature center; playgrounds, and picnic facilities.
- Type
- National park site
- Established
- 1897
- Area
- 1,755 acres
- Elevation
- 210 ft
- Run by
- United States Army Corps of Engineers · National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1991) · District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (1964)
- Wikipedia readers
- 31K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/rocr
Before you go
Where to stay near Rock Creek Park
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3Arlington National Cemetery
- 4United States Triumphal Arch
- 5Smithsonian Institution
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Ford's Theatre
- 8National Mall
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | in town | — | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Bethesda | 4 mi northwest | 5 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Alexandria | 10 mi south | 15 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Tysons | 10 mi west | 15 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| College Park | 7 mi east | 10 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| North Bethesda | 6 mi northwest | 10 min | 13 13 hotels | 49,677 | $732K | — |
| Silver Spring | 3 mi northeast | 5 min | 8 7 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 81,462 | $643K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Rock Creek Park
Other well-known places within 6 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw14 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw24 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw35 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw45 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw55 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw64 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw74 mi National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a year
Big draw85 mi National park siteNational MallPhoto 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 · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mall: Raul654 at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Michael Shields at e, CC BY-SA 3.0
1,865,048 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2017).
Visiting Rock Creek Park
Is Rock Creek Park in Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Washington, DC. The address is 5200 Glover Road NW, Washington, DC 20015.
When is the best time to visit Rock Creek Park?
April and October, with highs of 67–69°. July is the busiest month (about 237,463 visitors).
How many people visit Rock Creek Park each year?
1,865,048 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 2,483,788, set in 2017.
How far is Rock Creek Park from Baltimore?
About 33 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Rock Creek Park?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 7 miles away.
Where should I stay near Rock Creek Park?
Washington (in town, 247 places to stay), Arlington (6 mi, 58 places to stay) and Bethesda (4 mi, 26 places to stay).
Tips from people in Washington
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in 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.