Parks in the Greater Washington, DC Area

Here are some lesser known national parks in the Washington, DC area:

Anacostia Park

Anacostia Park blankets over a whopping 1200 acres. In fact, within this park are other smaller parks, like Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens and Kenilworth Marsh. Being such an enormous park, there is plenty of room for ballgames, frisbee, picnicking, basketball, tennis, and more. The Anacostia Park Pavilion is 3,300 square feet of open space for roller skating and other special events. There is also a golf course included in this park. The Langston Golf Course offers a full 18 holes as well as a driving range, three marinas, four boat clubs, and a public boat ramp that provides access to the Anacostia River.

Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

This park takes up some 700 acres inside Anacostia Park. This park is the only park service dedicated to the creation and display of aquatic plants. The Gardens began as a hobby of a Civil War veteran and operated for 26 years as a commercial water garden.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park

This cana follows the Potomac River for almost 185 miles, from Washington, DC, to Cumberland, Maryland. The Canal was operational from 1828 to 1924, and was used mostly for hauling coal. There are still details around in Georgetown, like locks, lock houses, and aqueducts, that are made from materiels that were transported through the canal. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy biking and hiking on this trail.

Fort Dupont Park

This park takes up an amazing 376 wooded acres, and that makes it one of the largest parks in Washington, DC. There is almost always some sort of seasonal activity taking place somewhere within the park. These activies range from nature walks to Civil War programs to music. Throughout the park you can see traces of old roadways and other ghosts of the Civil War.

Rock Creek Park

This park is a bit of a hidden treasure in some of the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC. The park is named for the creek that flows through the middle, and visitors can stand on the bridge and stare into it for hours. Visitors can also take a stroll through the park and follow in the footsteps of Piscataway Indians, they can even get a close-up look at the Old Stone House that reminds us of when our nation's capital was young. Pierce Mill is also located within the park as well as other Civil War remnants. Aside from the historical side of Rock Creek Park, there is also plenty of room for soccer, skating, frisbee, horseback riding, and more.