Fort Circle Parks & Rock Creek Park

Active, Parks and Environment

Fort Circle Parks

While today the Fort Circle Parks are largely unknown and generally neglected, the overarching fact is that they are, indeed, still here. The views from the former hilltop fortifications are spectacular. Equally impressive are the views of them, from nearly every part of the District of Columbia.

Although never completed, starting in the 1930s the federal government acquired substantial amounts of the land for the proposed Fort Circle Drive. Together, the fortifications and linking parklands create a magnificent curtain of green, a natural backdrop that softens the edges of our national capital. They provide respite and recreation for neighborhoods throughout the city. And they contain treasure troves of nature and history that can enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike.

 

Rock Creek Park

Since its creation in 1890, Rock Creek Park was envisioned as a natural preserve to which Washingtonians could retreat to escape the hustle, bustle, heat, noise, and glare of the downtown, and to appreciate the natural beauty of the Creek, the forest that it supports, and the countless species of plants and animals that have established habitat in the Park.

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