Baltimore Washington Parkway

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Baltimore Washington Parkway

A beautiful scenic parkway that connects Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland. Official page of the Baltimore Washington Parkway.

This 29-mile highway connects Baltimore, MD and Washington, D.C. The parkway has carried visitors to and from the capital city since 1954. The Baltimore Washington Parkway is a part of the National Park Service.

07/04/2026

Happy Fourth of July and 250th anniversary of our country!

Have a safe and happy holiday from the staff at Greenbelt Park and Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

Photo Credit: Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith

07/03/2026

Greenbelt Park Campground is full for Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th. Thank you to everyone choosing Greenbelt Park Campground for your stay here in Washington, DC! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

07/02/2026

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Due to the extreme heat, Greenbelt Park Ranger Station will remain open as a cooling station for campers and visitors until 8:00 PM today, tomorrow, and Saturday.

Remember to take the heat seriously this week and to continue to hydrate! Remember to follow these tips from the American Red Cross:

- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
- Wear lightweight clothing.
- Limit exposure during hottest parts of the day.
- Use air-conditioned spaces.
- Check on your loved ones and neighbors.

06/27/2026

Reminder! Campfire Program Tonight!

"America 250: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence" - Join Ranger Dave from Thomas Stone National National Historical Site as he discusses the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the signers of the declaration.

Event will be held rain or shine. In the event of rain, please follow campfire signs to the Ranger Station.

Address: 6565 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770 - Follow campfire program signs to the campground and ranger station.

Image: The Maryland Signers of the Declaration - NPS/Harper's Ferry Center

06/25/2026

Reminder! Campfire Program's this Friday and Saturday! Rain or shine! In the event of inclement weather, please park at the Ranger Station parking lot and follow ranger direction. Both programs are at 8:00 PM.

Friday: "Welcome to Washington" - Tips and Tricks of visiting Washington, DC!

Saturday: "America 250: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence" - Join Ranger Dave from Thomas Stone National Historic Site as we discuss the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the men that wrote it.

Photo: Thomas Stone - Smithsonian/National Portrait Gallery

06/17/2026

Join us at Greenbelt Park this Saturday, June 20th for the World of Reptiles with Ranger Turk! This program will shed light on the variety of reptiles that call Greenbelt Park and Maryland home!

This program will include live animal ambassadors! Join Ranger Turk as he describes the ecology and lives of these magnificent animals.

For animal and visitor safety, please follow directions of NPS staff.

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=820742FE-B8CB-6A57-B4B0DFD51D0CDB37

06/16/2026

📍 Not all who wander are lost; in fact, they might be a Trail Ambassador! 📍

In our brand-new volunteer position, you can choose a portion of the Civil War Defenses of Washington Trail to care for and maintain. 👀📝⛏️

The trail winds 6.5 miles through several Civil War-era forts in six sections from which to choose. Trail Ambassadors visit their selected segment at least once a month to check on and improve its conditions. 🥾🚶‍

Pick amongst these trail stretches:

1. Fort Place SE to Marion Barry Avenue SE (~0.6 mile one-way)
2. Marion Barry Avenue SE to Park Drive SE (~1.1 mile one-way)
*Please note: the linked map displays “Good Hope Rd SE”, the former name of Marion Barry Avenue*
3. Branch Avenue SE to Massachusetts Avenue SE (~1 mile one-way)
4. Massachusetts Avenue SE to Ridge Road SE (~1.5 miles one-way)
5. Ridge Road SE to Benning Road NE (~1.1 mile one-way)
6. Benning Road NE/Fort Mahan Park circular trail to Grant Street NE (~1 mile one-way)

See each section’s start, end, and general route with this handy map:
🗺️https://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?mapId=8be3e5bf-585c-4c66-9c00-05b76b17a278

Craving some wanderlust on this sprawling, historical pathway? Apply today to become a Civil War Defenses of Washington Trail Ambassador ▶️ https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volopprecord?listing=a09SJ00000NJkd1YAD

NPS photo

06/12/2026

Join us for a Campfire Program tomorrow on "Beautiful Butterflies!". Campfire starts at 7:45 and the program begins at 8:00 PM.

Program is located at the Greenbelt Park Loop B Campfire Circle - located at 6565 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770. Upon arrival, please follow signs to the campground.

Image: Library of Congress/Carol M. Highsmith

06/10/2026

🗺️ Choose your own adventure as a Trail Ambassador! 🗺️

Volunteer to help care for the Civil War Defenses of Washington Trail—and choose the section you want to work on!

This 6.5‑mile trail connects five Civil War–era forts across southeast/northeast Washington, DC, offering a mix of scenery, history, and outdoor exploration.

As a Trail Ambassador, you’ll select, monitor, and maintain your own trail section. Tasks include trimming overgrown vegetation, removing litter, noting trail conditions, and helping visitors.

Which fort calls to you?

- Fort Stanton, with its original masonry bastions?

- Fort Davis, lined with splendid, towering trees?

- Fort Dupont, home to summer concerts and rolling hills?

- Fort Chaplin, a peaceful green pocket in a busy cityscape?

- Fort Mahan, full of hidden-gem walking paths?

Whichever you choose, you’ll play an important role in conserving the Civil War Defenses of Washington Trail for everyone who enjoys it. Show your fort-itude and apply today: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volopprecord?listing=a09SJ00000NJkd1YAD

Photo: NPS / Conall Rubin-Thomas

06/06/2026

If you look at a black cherry tree (Prunus serotina), you may notice web-like structures typically located where the branches form joints (also referred to as branch crotches). However, these structures are not the workings of a spider but rather an insect during its larval stage. That insect will one day become a moth but the structure is a result of eastern tent caterpillar activity.

Come spring time, eastern tent caterpillars emerge from an egg mass located on a branch of a host tree which is typically a type of cherry or crabapple. With the objective of increasing its size several times over, the eastern tent caterpillar will immediately begin to consume the foliage of the tree. Using silk as a construction material, a tent structure is built where the caterpillars will congregate. As the caterpillars increase in size, they will add layers to their tent to accommodate their growth. The tent also allows for temperature regulation which is an important part of the digestive process and moisture regulation which can help with several molts the caterpillar will go through prior to pupation.

As summer approaches, the eastern tent caterpillar will form a cocoon where it will pupate. After a period of about 2 weeks, it will enter its final life stage as it exits the cocoon as a moth.

As a moth, it is mainly nocturnal and short-lived with its adult life spent mating and, if it is a female, depositing a mass of eggs around the twig of a host tree branch. The eggs will remain dormant until the following spring season where the life cycle will begin anew.

Both the caterpillars and the moths provide invaluable food sources for migratory birds and other animals in the food web.

Photos: NPS / T. Ozerol

Address

Greenbelt, MD
20770

Telephone

+12026905127

Website

https://www.nps.gov/bawa/index.htm

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