Outdoors · Washington
Share Washington, DC parks, trails & bike paths
About 17% of Washington is conserved land, roughly 7,575 acres. There are about 118 miles of mapped trails, and the biggest networks are in Rock Creek Park (29.5 mi), U.S. National Arboretum (5.6 mi), and National Mall (5.2 mi).
Conserved land, trails, parks and bike routes in Washington, measured from OpenStreetMap and USGS data.
At a glance
Share Washington outdoors
Conserved land
17%
7,575 of 43,524 acres
Trails
118 mi
1.7 mi per sq mi · 97 on conserved land
Parks & preserves
237
11 conserved acres per 1,000 residents
Bike routes
246.0 mi
83.4 mi lanes · 118.7 mi off-road paths
Conserved land is a share of the whole town area. Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
🏖️ Fishing Shore 🏖️ Unnamed beach 🏖️ Unnamed beach 🏊 Banneker Pool 🏊 Fort Stanton Pool 🏊 Hearst Pool 🏊 Jelleff Pool 🏊 Kelly Miller Pool 🏊 McLean Gardens Swimming Pool 🏊 Park View Children's Pool 🏊 Splash Park 🏊 The Reeves Aquatic Center 🏊 Unnamed public pool in Oxon Run Pool 🏊 Unnamed public pool 🛝 10th Street Park 🛝 Associates for Renewal in Education playground 🛝 Big Kids Playground 🛝 Brentwood Playground 🛝 Bruce Monroe at Park View Playground 🛝 Bunker Hill Elementary School Playground 🛝 Burleith Tot Lot 🛝 Chevy Chase Playground 🛝 Congress Heights Playground 🛝 Florida Avenue Playground 🛝 Forest Hills Playground 🛝 Foxhall Playground 🛝 Garfield Playground 🛝 Garfield Playground 🛝 H.D. Cooke Playground 🛝 H.D. Cooke Playground 🛝 Happy Hollow Playground 🛝 Howard Playground 🛝 Little Kids Playground 🛝 Lovejoy Playground 🛝 Macomb Playground 🛝 Magic Ground 🛝 Marie Reed Playground 🛝 Mary McLeod Bethune PCS Playground 🛝 Michigan Park Community Playground 🛝 NCRC Playground 🛝 New York Avenue Playground 🛝 Newark Park Playground 🛝 Noyes Playground 🛝 Palisades Playground 🛝 Palisades Splash Park 🛝 Park View Children's Park 🛝 Payne Playground 🛝 PenFed Kids Fun Zone 🛝 Petworth Playground 🛝 Playground at the Parks DC 🛝 Powell Playground 🛝 Redskin's Play:60 Playbround 🛝 Reservoir Park Playground 🛝 Ridge Playground 🛝 Riggs LaSalle Playground 🛝 Stead Park Playground 🛝 Volta Street Playground 🛝 Wegmans Wonderplace 🛝 Westminster Playground 🛝 White House Playground 🛝 Woodley Playground 🛝 Unnamed playground 🛝 Unnamed playground 🛝 Unnamed playground 🐕 Bark and Go Dog Park 🐕 Belmont Road Park 🐕 Bruce Monroe Community Park Dog Run 🐕 Bundy Dog Park 🐕 Chevy Chase Dog Park 🐕 Columbia Heights Dog Park 🐕 Dog Daze Social Club 🐕 Dog Run 🐕 Eckington Dog Park 🐕 Guy Mason Recreation Center Dog Park 🐕 Langdon Dog Park 🐕 Lansburgh Dog Park 🐕 Newark Street Dog Park 🐕 Quebec House Dog Park 🐕 S Street Dog Park 🐕 Shaw Dog Park 🐕 Takoma Dog Park 🐕 Upshur Dog Park 🐕 Walter Pierce Park Dog Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park in Virginia Avenue Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park in Hardy Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park in Whitehaven Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park in Francis Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park in LeDroit Park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🐕 Unnamed dog park 🛶 Unnamed boat launch 🛶 Unnamed boat launch 🛶 Unnamed boat launch in Boathouse Row 🛶 Unnamed boat launch in Anacostia Park, Section E 💧 Unnamed waterfall in World War II Memorial 💧 Unnamed waterfall in World War II Memorial 💧 Unnamed waterfall in World War II Memorial 💧 Unnamed waterfall in World War II Memorial 💧 Unnamed waterfall in The Yards Park 🔭 Elephant Overlook 🔭 Elephant Overlook 🔭 Old Post Office Tower 🔭 Overlook 🔭 Panda Overlook 🔭 Rock Creek view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in Washington Monument Grounds 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in The White House and President's Park 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in Rock Creek Park 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in U.S. National Arboretum 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in U.S. National Arboretum 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view 🔭 Unnamed scenic view in Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens ⛰️ Point Reno ⛰️ Mount Alto ⛰️ Camp Hill ⛰️ Good Hope Hill ⛰️ Mount Hamilton ⛰️ Bunker Hill ⛰️ Lees Hill ⛰️ Round Hill ⛰️ Hoover Hill ⛰️ Mount Saint Sepulchre ⛰️ Georgetown Heights ⛰️ Barnard Hill ⛰️ Bald Eagle Hill ⛰️ Jackson Hill ⛰️ Linnean Hill ⛰️ Hickey Hill ⛰️ Peters Hill 🧺 Fletcher's Cove 🧺 Julia Ward Howe Memorial 🧺 Picnic Grove 1 🧺 Picnic Grove 10 🧺 Picnic Grove 13 🧺 Picnic Grove 14 🧺 Picnic Grove 15 🧺 Picnic Grove 17 🧺 Picnic Grove 18 🧺 Picnic Grove 19 🧺 Picnic Grove 2 South 🧺 Picnic Grove 2 South 🧺 Picnic Grove 22 🧺 Picnic Grove 23 🧺 Picnic Grove 24 🧺 Picnic Grove 28 🧺 Picnic Grove 29 🧺 Picnic Grove 3 🧺 Picnic Grove 5 🧺 Picnic Grove 6 🧺 Picnic Grove 7 🧺 Picnic Grove 8 🧺 Picnic Grove 9 🧺 Picnic site for Rose park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in Washington Monument Grounds 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in East Potomac Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in East Potomac Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in East Potomac Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in Rock Creek Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in Rock Creek Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in Rock Creek Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in Rock Creek Park 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in U.S. National Arboretum 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in U.S. National Arboretum 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in U.S. National Arboretum 🧺 Unnamed picnic area in U.S. National Arboretum 🌱 Bunker Hill Elementary School Rain Garden 🌱 Cleveland Park Community Garden 🌱 East Capitol Urban Farm 🌱 Hilton Garden 🌱 Langley Forest Garden 🌱 Lovejoy Garden 🌱 Rock Creek Garden 🌱 Twin Oaks Garden 🌱 Whittier Garden 🌱 Unnamed community garden 🌱 Unnamed community garden in Newark Community Gardens 🌱 Unnamed community garden in Newark Community Gardens 🌱 Unnamed community garden 🌱 Unnamed community garden in LeDroit Park 🌱 Unnamed community garden in Harry Thomas Senior Recreation Center 🌱 Unnamed community garden in Turkey Thicket 🌱 Unnamed community garden in Fort Stevens Recreation Center 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Show all of Washington
Places to walk
Parks & preserves with trails
Ranked by mapped trail miles. Directions go to the nearest marked trailhead or public parking.
1 Rock Creek Park Managed by National Park Service
1,761 acres29.5 mi of trail
Valley Trail Western Ridge Trail Pinehurst Branch Trail Holly Trail White Horse Trail
🐕 Dogs usually limitedNational parks restrict dogs on most trails. Check posted rules
2 U.S. National Arboretum Park
448 acres5.6 mi of trail
🐕 Dog rules not recorded
3 National Mall Managed by National Park Service
166 acres5.2 mi of trail
🐕 Dogs usually limitedNational parks restrict dogs on most trails. Check posted rules
4 Glover-Archbold Park Managed by National Park Service
236 acres4.8 mi of trail
Glover-Archbold Trail Wesley Heights Trail Whitehaven Trail
🐕 Dogs usually limitedNational parks restrict dogs on most trails. Check posted rules
376 acres4.7 mi of trail
Hiker Biker Trail Garden Passage Trail Turkey Trail Swanson Trail Gonif Trail
🐕 Dog rules not recorded
6 Theodore Roosevelt Island Nature preserve
91 acres3.5 mi of trail
🐕 Dog rules not recorded
7 Fort Circle Park Nature preserve
360 acres3.2 mi of trail
Hiker Biker Trail Museum Foot Trail
🐕 Dog rules not recorded
8 Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway Park
177 acres2.7 mi of trail
🐕 Dog rules not recorded
All 237 parks & preserves
Showing 1–10 of 237 parks & preserves
🌲 Rock Creek Park 1,761 acres · 29.5 mi of trail · National Park Service
🌳 U.S. National Arboretum 448 acres · 5.6 mi of trail
🌳 National Mall 166 acres · 5.2 mi of trail · National Park Service
🌲 Glover-Archbold Park 236 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · National Park Service
🌳 Fort Dupont Park 376 acres · 4.7 mi of trail
🌲 Theodore Roosevelt Island 91 acres · 3.5 mi of trail
🌲 Fort Circle Park 360 acres · 3.2 mi of trail
🌳 Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway 177 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
🌲 Battery Kemble Park 59 acres · 2 mi of trail · National Park Service
🌳 Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens 326 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · National Park Service
Things to do
Beaches, playgrounds, falls & more
Pick a kind of place for the list, directions, or pins on the map above.
Playgrounds in Washington Show all on map
Showing 1–10 of 50 playgrounds
🛝 Associates for Renewal in Education playground
🛝 Big Kids Playground In Hearst Recreation Center
🛝 Brentwood Playground In Brentwood Recreation Center
🛝 Bruce Monroe at Park View Playground
🛝 Bunker Hill Elementary School Playground
🛝 Chevy Chase Playground In Chevy Chase Recreation Center
🛝 Congress Heights Playground In Congress Heights Recreation Center
🛝 Florida Avenue Playground In Florida Avenue Park
333 more unnamed playgrounds are mapped in Washington.
Trails
Named trails
Open to bikes 18.9 mi Horses 12.6 mi Unpaved 86.5 mi
Showing 1–10 of 25 trails
Hiker Biker Trail 5.4 mi Valley Trail 5.2 mi Western Ridge Trail 3.3 mi Glover-Archbold Trail 3.1 mi Palisades Trolley Trail 2.3 mi Pinehurst Branch Trail 1.3 mi Kingman Trail 1.0 mi Battery Kemble Trail 0.9 mi Whitehaven Trail 0.8 mi Soapstone Valley Trail 0.8 mi Water
Lakes & rivers
Showing 1–10 of 35 places
Tap a name for directions.
Who protects the land
7,575 conserved acres
Who manages it, from PAD-US. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service
6,554 ac Other or Unknown Federal Land
590 ac Land trusts & nonprofits
1 ac Conserved doesn't always mean open to visitors. 4 acres are conservation easements, which are usually private land. Public access isn't recorded for 11 of 176 parcels. The places listed above are parks and preserves people visit.
Biking & sports
Bike routes, courts & fields
Painted or protected bike lanes 83.4 mi Off-road bike paths 118.7 mi Shoulders & shared lanes 43.9 mi Palisades Trolley Trail (bike route) 2.3 mi
Courts & fields Tennis 333 Basketball 205 Baseball 107 Soccer 86 Football 35 Golf 21 Pickleball 19 Counts include school and college facilities, which aren't always open to the public.
Public lands
The biggest protected places in Washington
From USGS PAD-US: who manages each one and whether visitors are welcome.
Special Designation Area 5,930 ac Local Park 997 ac Historic or Cultural Area 617 ac Federal Other or Unknown 441 ac Local Recreation Area 303 ac
Showing 1–10 of 15 places
Place 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 Access 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
History
Historic places to visit
Showing 1–10 of 103 places
🏛️ 122nd New York Volunteer Mounment Obelisk
🏛️ 150th Ohio National Guard Monument Stele
🏛️ 25th New York Volunteer Cavelry Monument Statue
🏛️ 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial In Constitution Gardens · Sculpture · 1982
🏛️ 98th Pennsylvania Volunteer Monument Obelisk
🏛️ A Prayer For The Nation In World War II Memorial · Monument
🏛️ A-Moose or Little Bee Tomb
🏛️ Admiral David G Farragut In Farragut Square · Statue
🏛️ African American Civil War Memorial Monument
Nearby
Share Washington and its neighbors
Towns whose outdoors data has been built so far.
Trail talk
Conditions & tips from neighbors
No recent posts about Washington's trails yet. Muddy, icy, a bridge out, where to park: a quick post helps the next person.
Sources: trails, parks, preserves, courts and bike lanes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), map data as of 2026-09-28. Conserved land: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) . Measured against the Census town boundary.
How we measure "Trails" are OpenStreetMap paths, bridleways, public tracks and unpaved footways, plus footways inside a park or preserve or on a named trail route. Sidewalks are left out. Areas are counted on a 40.6-meter grid, so overlapping parcels count once. "Conserved" includes conservation easements, which protect land from development but are usually private property. Trailheads are the nearest marked trailhead, public parking lot or information board within about 150 meters of a preserve. Dog rules come from OpenStreetMap when someone has tagged them; otherwise we show what's typical for the land manager, or say the rules aren't recorded.
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