Rock Creek Park
Managed by National Park Service
1,761 acres29.5 mi of trail
Valley TrailWestern Ridge TrailPinehurst Branch TrailHolly Trail+1
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: Ralf Roletschek - Infos über Fahrräder auf fahrradmonteur.de Wikis in der Ausbildung · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Washington
19% of Washington’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 118 miles of mapped trail cross Washington, 1.9 per square mile of land. 19% of Washington’s land is conserved, about 7,575 acres.
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
19%
7,575 acres · of 61.1 sq mi of land
Trails
118 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,869 ac
7.2 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
246 mi
83 mi lanes · 120 mi paths
Highest peak
404 ft
Point Reno
Lakes & rivers
35
3 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Washington?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild19% of the land is conserved; a typical District of Columbia town, 19%.A trail town1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 93% of U.S. towns.Parks close to homeVirtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park.History along the way654 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Washington have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Washington is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Washington’s overall grade.
Conserved land19% of the land · typical DC town 19% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (118 mi) · DC 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land7.2 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,869 acres) · DC 7 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · DC 100% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 90%
LessMore
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Washington ranks #72 on Outdoors.
Water is 11% of Washington’s area (7 of 68 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 17%.
Park acres per resident are where Washington trails most U.S. towns: 7.2 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 693,645 people share 4,869 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Rock Creek Park, with 29.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
U.S. National Arboretum
Park
448 acres5.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
National Mall
Managed by National Park Service
166 acres5.1 mi of trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lot
Glover-Archbold Park
Managed by National Park Service
236 acres4.8 mi of trail
Glover-Archbold TrailWesley Heights TrailWhitehaven Trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Fort Dupont Park
Park
376 acres4.7 mi of trail
Hiker Biker TrailGarden Passage TrailTurkey TrailSwanson Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Theodore Roosevelt Island
Nature preserve
91 acres3.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fort Circle Park
Nature preserve
360 acres3.2 mi of trail
Hiker Biker TrailMuseum Foot Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway
Park
177 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 237 parks & preserves
Rock Creek Park1,761 acres · 29.5 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsU.S. National Arboretum448 acres · 5.6 mi of trail
DirectionsNational Mall166 acres · 5.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsGlover-Archbold Park236 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsFort Dupont Park376 acres · 4.7 mi of trail
DirectionsTheodore Roosevelt Island91 acres · 3.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Circle Park360 acres · 3.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRock Creek & Potomac Parkway177 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBattery Kemble Park59 acres · 2 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsKingman and Heritage Islands44 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region
DirectionsKenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens326 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsReservation 63045 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsWhitehaven Park35 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsDumbarton Oaks Park31 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsTregaron Conservancy14 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Tregaron Conservancy
DirectionsWest Potomac Park216 acres · 1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsPotomac Palisades Parkway51 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Totten Park44 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsSoapstone Valley22 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsPinehurst Parkway21 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsFort Mahan Park37 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMontrose Park15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBenning Stoddert13 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsUnion Square12 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Lincoln Recreation Center16 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWesley Heights Park15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
The Yards Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsThe White House and President's Park70 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsKlingle Valley Park15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsRandall9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBenning Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Bunker Hill Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsChuck Brown Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsNewark Community Gardens3 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSherman Circle2 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
East Potomac Park329 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsFort Stanton Park63 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsConstitution Gardens37 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsFort Chaplin Park35 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLangdon Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBattery Ricketts11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsUpper Senate Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDupont Circle2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsGrant Circle2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsOxon Run Park113 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMarvin Gaye Park53 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFort Reno Park33 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsNormanstone Parkway28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBoathouse Row21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPalisades Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJefferson Memorial13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
Banneker Recreation Center13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDwight A. Moseley Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUpshur Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLincoln Memorial7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
Benjamin Banneker Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLower Senate Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLinnean Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn F Kennedy Recreation Center3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUniversity Mall3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Marshall Place Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDakota Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSpring Valley Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · DC Parks
DirectionsUnion Station Plaza2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBartholdi Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJoseph Cole Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEleanor Holmes Norton Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · District Wharf Community Association
DirectionsWhitehaven Parkway Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsShepherd Parkway142 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLady Bird Johnson Park131 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsWashington Monument Grounds92 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsBroad Branch22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsTakoma Community Center19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBeach Parkway15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsMeridian Hill/Malcolm X Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsLittle Forest Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsLincoln Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsHearst Recreation Center7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDeanwood6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFrancis Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNational Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJames Creek Marina5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTakoma Recreation Center5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Harry Thomas Senior Recreation Center4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCongress Heights Recreation Center4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDwight D. Eisenhower Memorial4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
Stanton Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsNorth Michigan Park Recreation Center3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsArboretum Recreation Center3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · DC DPR
DirectionsWangari Gardens3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBuzzard Point Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
W Street Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Rose Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
New York Avenue/Dunbar Recreation Center2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMitchell Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThompson's Boat Center2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCobb Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDiamond Teague Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHancock Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Brentwood Recreation Center2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Center Park, Southwest Duck Pond1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRobert Latham Owen Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
7th and N St Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNational Mall and Memorial Parks356 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsAnacostia Park, Section C111 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsOxon Run Parkway98 acres
DirectionsAnacostia Park, Section E63 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsAnacostia Park Section D51 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsAnacostia Park, Section F49 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsPope Branch Park43 acres
DirectionsBarnard Hill Park25 acres
DirectionsBald Eagle Hill24 acres
DirectionsFort Slocum Park20 acres
DirectionsHillcrest18 acres
DirectionsThe Ellipse17 acres
DirectionsSenate Park15 acres
Anacostia Fitness Center13 acres
DirectionsAnacostia Commons North12 acres · DC Department of Parks and Recreation
Kelly Miller Recreation Center11 acres
DirectionsNorth Portal11 acres
DirectionsTurkey Thicket11 acres
DirectionsRidge Road Community Center10 acres
DirectionsLafayette-Pointer Park10 acres
DirectionsFort Davis Park9 acres
DirectionsEmery Park9 acres
DirectionsFort Stevens Recreation Center9 acres · DCDPR
DirectionsGeorgetown Waterfront Park9 acres
DirectionsAnacostia Commons South9 acres · DC Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsTurtle Park9 acres
DirectionsBrightwood Recreation Center9 acres
DirectionsWorld War II Memorial8 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsFrederick Douglass National Historic Site8 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsFletcher-Johnson8 acres
DirectionsGarfield Park7 acres
DirectionsAlger Park7 acres
DirectionsReservoir Park6 acres · Distric of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation
Fort Greble6 acres
DirectionsDouglass Community Center6 acres
DirectionsGuy Mason Recreation Center6 acres
DirectionsBarry Farm Recreational Center6 acres
DirectionsRudolph6 acres
DirectionsDaingerfield Island5 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsThe Spirit of Justice Park5 acres
DirectionsHardy Park5 acres · DC Parks
DirectionsFranklin Square5 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsFort Davis Recreation Center5 acres
DirectionsRiggs LaSalle Park5 acres
DirectionsEdgewood Recreation Center5 acres
DirectionsLansburgh Park5 acres
DirectionsKing-Greenleaf Recreation Center4 acres
DirectionsFort Bayard Park4 acres
DirectionsBald Eagle Recreation Center4 acres
DirectionsWalter Pierce Park4 acres
DirectionsChevy Chase Recreation Center4 acres
Enid A. Haupt Garden4 acres · Smithsonian Gardens
DirectionsOxon Run Pool4 acres
DirectionsSeward Square3 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsBrentwood Park3 acres
DirectionsPowell Recreation Center3 acres
DirectionsKalorama Park3 acres
Mount Vernon Square3 acres
DirectionsThe Rosedale Conservancy3 acres
DirectionsLeDroit Park3 acres
DirectionsThe Yards3 acres
DirectionsShaw Recreation Center3 acres
DirectionsVirginia Avenue Park3 acres
DirectionsJefferson Field3 acres
DirectionsMartin Luther King, Jr. Memorial3 acres · National Park Service
Keene Field3 acres · DC Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLamond3 acres
DirectionsGarrison Park3 acres
DirectionsFreedom Plaza3 acres
DirectionsSouthwest Waterfront Park - East2 acres
DirectionsForest Hills Park2 acres
DirectionsWatkins2 acres
DirectionsStoddert Recreation Center2 acres
DirectionsCanal Park2 acres
DirectionsProvidence Park2 acres · Architect of the Capitol
DirectionsBruce Monroe Park2 acres
DirectionsVolta Park2 acres
DirectionsRandle Highlands2 acres
DirectionsLoomis Park2 acres
DirectionsEric Friedheim Quadrangle2 acres
DirectionsLogan Circle2 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsFriendship Park2 acres
DirectionsSherman Park2 acres
DirectionsJudiciary Square2 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsRawlins Park2 acres
DirectionsWashington Circle Park2 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsVietnam Veterans Memorial2 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsK.C. Lewis Recreation Center2 acres
DirectionsAmidon Field2 acres
DirectionsMcPherson Square2 acres · National Park Service
Alethia Tanner Park2 acres
DirectionsMarion Park2 acres
DirectionsInternational Park2 acres
DirectionsHamilton Park2 acres
Newark Park2 acres
DirectionsMamie Johnson Plaza2 acres · District of Columbia
DirectionsFolger Park1 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsShepherd Field1 acres
DirectionsStead Park Recreation Center1 acres
DirectionsKorean War Veterans Memorial1 acres · National Park Service
Farragut Square1 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsEdward J. Kelly Park1 acres
Carolina Park1 acres
Macomb Recreation Center1 acres
DirectionsAdmiral Leutze Park1 acres
DirectionsBryce Park1 acres
DirectionsHarrison Recreation Center1 acres · District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsNoyes Park1 acres
DirectionsPetworth Recreation Center1 acres
DirectionsKingsman Field1 acres
Galvez Park1 acres
DirectionsGirard Street Park1 acres
DirectionsWest Leutze Park1 acres
DirectionsFlorida Avenue Park1 acres
DirectionsBrookland Green1 acres
DirectionsAdmiral Willard Park1 acres
DirectionsJoy Evans1 acres
DirectionsTown Center Park1 acres
DirectionsPiney Branch Portal1 acres
DirectionsEdward R Murrow Park1 acres
DirectionsLorenzo Allen Park1 acres
DirectionsWard Circle1 acres
DirectionsFrancis Scott Key Memorial1 acres
DirectionsBook Hill Park1 acres
DirectionsIndiana Plaza1 acres
DirectionsFederal Triangle Park1 acres
DirectionsLegacy Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsHillcrest Recreation Center1 acres
DirectionsEarth Day Park1 acres
DirectionsJames Monroe Park1 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsDalecarlia Parkway1 acres
DirectionsDennis Dolinger Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsHobart Twins Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
7,575 conserved acres
19% of Washington’s land. Water is left out: Washington has 61.1 square miles of land and 7.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Washington’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service6,554 ac
Town or city1,079 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land590 ac
Private owners80 ac
Other state land5 ac
County2 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1 ac
Special Designation Area · 5,930 acLocal Park · 997 acHistoric or Cultural Area · 617 acFederal Other or Unknown · 441 acLocal Recreation Area · 303 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 4 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 11 of 176 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Capital Parks Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 3,866 | Restricted |
| Rock Creek Park Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 1,720 | Restricted |
| Fort Circle Park Local Park | Town or city | 420 | Open |
| National Arboretum Federal Other or Unknown | Other or Unknown Federal Land | 369 | Unknown |
| Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 323 | Restricted |
| National Mall Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 162 | Restricted |
| George Washington Memorial Parkway Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 131 | Restricted |
| Theodore Roosevelt Island Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 100 | Restricted |
| Washington Monument Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 100 | Restricted |
| Captial Grounds Local Park | Other or Unknown Federal Land | 92 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
553 places to go in Washington
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Washington
Fishing Shore
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Washington
Banneker PoolIn Banneker Recreation Center
DirectionsFort Stanton PoolIn Fort Stanton Park
DirectionsHearst PoolIn Hearst Recreation Center
DirectionsJelleff Pool
DirectionsKelly Miller PoolIn Kelly Miller Recreation Center
DirectionsMcLean Gardens Swimming Pool
DirectionsPark View Children's Pool
DirectionsSplash Park
Directions1 more public pool
The Reeves Aquatic Center
DirectionsPlus 2 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Washington
10th Street Park
DirectionsAssociates for Renewal in Education playground
DirectionsBig Kids PlaygroundIn Hearst Recreation Center
DirectionsBrentwood PlaygroundIn Brentwood Recreation Center
DirectionsBruce Monroe at Park View Playground
DirectionsBunker Hill Elementary School Playground
DirectionsBurleith Tot Lot
DirectionsChevy Chase PlaygroundIn Chevy Chase Recreation Center
Directions22 more playgrounds
Congress Heights PlaygroundIn Congress Heights Recreation Center
DirectionsFlorida Avenue PlaygroundIn Florida Avenue Park
DirectionsForest Hills PlaygroundIn Forest Hills Park
DirectionsFoxhall PlaygroundHours: Open 24 hours · In W Street Park
DirectionsGarfield PlaygroundIn Garfield Park
DirectionsGarfield PlaygroundIn Garfield Park
DirectionsH.D. Cooke Playground
DirectionsH.D. Cooke Playground
DirectionsHappy Hollow Playground
DirectionsHoward PlaygroundIn K.C. Lewis Recreation Center
DirectionsLittle Kids PlaygroundIn Hearst Recreation Center
DirectionsLovejoy PlaygroundIn Lovejoy Park
DirectionsMacomb PlaygroundIn Macomb Recreation Center
DirectionsMagic Ground
DirectionsMarie Reed Playground
DirectionsMary McLeod Bethune PCS Playground
DirectionsMichigan Park Community Playground
DirectionsNCRC Playground
DirectionsNew York Avenue Playground
DirectionsNewark Park PlaygroundIn Newark Park
DirectionsNoyes PlaygroundIn Noyes Park
DirectionsPalisades PlaygroundIn Palisades Park
Directions384 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Washington
Bark and Go Dog Park
DirectionsBelmont Road Park
DirectionsBruce Monroe Community Park Dog RunIn Bruce Monroe Park
DirectionsBundy Dog Park
DirectionsChevy Chase Dog Park
DirectionsColumbia Heights Dog Park
DirectionsDog Daze Social Club
DirectionsDog Run
Directions11 more dog parks
Eckington Dog Park
DirectionsGuy Mason Recreation Center Dog ParkIn Guy Mason Recreation Center
DirectionsLangdon Dog ParkIn Langdon Park
DirectionsLansburgh Dog ParkIn Lansburgh Park
DirectionsNewark Street Dog ParkIn Newark Community Gardens
DirectionsQuebec House Dog Park
DirectionsS Street Dog ParkHours: Mon–Fri 7 am – 8 pm; Sat–Sun 8 am – 8 pm
DirectionsShaw Dog ParkIn Shaw Recreation Center
DirectionsTakoma Dog ParkIn Takoma Community Center
DirectionsUpshur Dog ParkIn Upshur Park
DirectionsWalter Pierce Park Dog ParkIn Walter Pierce Park
Directions35 dog parks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Washington
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Washington
5 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Washington
Elephant Overlook
DirectionsElephant Overlook
DirectionsOld Post Office Tower
DirectionsOverlookIn The Yards Park
DirectionsPanda Overlook
DirectionsRock Creek viewIn Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPlus 14 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Washington
Point Reno404 ft elevation · In Fort Reno Park
DirectionsMount Alto351 ft elevation
DirectionsCamp Hill279 ft elevation
DirectionsGood Hope Hill276 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Hamilton236 ft elevation · In U.S. National Arboretum
DirectionsBunker Hill233 ft elevation · In Fort Bunker Hill Park
DirectionsLees Hill207 ft elevation
DirectionsRound Hill200 ft elevation
Directions9 more peaks
Hoover Hill184 ft elevation · In Barnard Hill Park
DirectionsMount Saint Sepulchre184 ft elevation
DirectionsGeorgetown Heights180 ft elevation
DirectionsBarnard Hill177 ft elevation · In Barnard Hill Park
DirectionsBald Eagle Hill167 ft elevation
DirectionsJackson Hill148 ft elevation
DirectionsLinnean Hill144 ft elevation · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsHickey Hill128 ft elevation · In U.S. National Arboretum
DirectionsPeters Hill92 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Washington
Fletcher's Cove
DirectionsJulia Ward Howe Memorial
DirectionsPicnic Grove 1Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 10Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 13Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 14Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 15Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 17Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
Directions16 more picnic areas
Picnic Grove 18Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 19Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 2 SouthHours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 2 SouthHours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 22Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 23Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 24Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 28Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 29Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 3Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 5Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 6Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 7Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 8Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic Grove 9Hours: sunrise-sunset · In Rock Creek Park
DirectionsPicnic site for Rose parkIn Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway
Directions57 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Community gardens in Washington
Bunker Hill Elementary School Rain Garden
DirectionsCleveland Park Community GardenIn Reservation 630
DirectionsEast Capitol Urban Farm
DirectionsHilton Garden
DirectionsLangley Forest Garden
DirectionsLovejoy GardenDC Department of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsRock Creek GardenIn Rock Creek Park
DirectionsTwin Oaks Garden
Directions1 more community garden
Whittier Garden
DirectionsPlus 8 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 35 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 19.8 miHorses · 12.6 miUnpaved · 86.9 mi
Hiker Biker Trail5.4 mi
Valley Trail5.2 mi
Western Ridge Trail3.3 mi
Glover-Archbold Trail3.1 mi
Palisades Trolley Trail2.3 mi
Pinehurst Branch Trail1.3 mi
Kingman Trail1.0 mi
Battery Kemble Trail0.9 mi
Whitehaven Trail0.8 mi
Soapstone Valley Trail0.8 mi
15 more trails
Wesley Heights Trail
0.7 miHolly Trail
0.5 miHeritage Trail
0.5 miPotomac Heritage Trail
0.5 miGarden Passage Trail
0.5 miWhite Horse Trail
0.4 miTurkey Trail
0.4 miChesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail
0.4 miBridle Path
0.4 miNormanstone Trail
0.4 miPiney Branch Trail
0.4 miSwanson Trail
0.4 miMuseum Foot Trail
0.3 miWoodland Trail
0.3 miWestern Ridge Trail (Moderate)
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Bartholdi FountainButt-Millet Memorial FountainCalifornia Sea LionCanal BasinCascade WaterfallCascading WaterfallCogswell Temperance Fountain MemorialConstitution Gardens PondpondCourt of NeptuneDupont Circle FountainFountain FourFrog PondpondGeorgetown ReservoirreservoirGray SealKingman LakereservoirLily PondpondMcMillan ReservoirreservoirNorth Lawn FountainOtter PondpondPresident's Park FountainPuck FountainSouth Lawn FountainSouthwest Duck PondpondTidal BasinreservoirWashington Harbor FountainAnacostia RiverLittle RiverLock 0Lock 1Lock 2Lock 3Lock 4Potomac RiverRock CreekWashington Channel
Biking & sports
246 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
83 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
120 mi
off-road bike paths
43 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Palisades Trolley TrailBike route
2.3 miCourts & fields
333Tennis
206Basketball
107Baseball
86Soccer
35Football
21Golf
19Pickleball
15Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →654 places on the National Register, 74 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Administration Building, Carnegie Institute of WashingtonNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1966
About it642 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Washington: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 44 | 47 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 84 | 89 | 87 | 80 | 69 | 57 | 48 |
| Rain (in) | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 4.6 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Washington →
Next door
Washington and its neighbors
Washington has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Washington118 miArlington36 miAlexandria26 miSilver Spring11 miBrookmont7.1 miBethesda6.4 miTakoma Park1.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 19% | 1.9 | 7 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Washington
Where can I hike in Washington?
The longest trail networks: Rock Creek Park, 29.5 miles; U.S. National Arboretum, 5.6 miles; National Mall, 5.1 miles; Glover-Archbold Park, 4.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Washington is conserved land?
19% of its land, against a typical 19% for a District of Columbia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Washington’s trails?
Rock Creek Park and U.S. National Arboretum don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Washington?
246 miles of bike routes are on the map: 83 of painted or protected lanes, 120 of off-road paths and 43 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Palisades Trolley Trail.
Is there public land near Washington?
35,806 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Washington or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,869 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Washington have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Washington neighbors.
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Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →