Rock Creek Park

Rock Creek Park Official page of Rock Creek Park, a unit of the National Park Service-- www.nps.gov/rocr

An oasis in our nation's capital, the park offers hiking and biking trails, historical sites and exhibits, nature and planetarium programs and more.

Kidtember rolls on at Rock Creek Park this Saturday, September 19 at 11 am and 1 pm with a puppet making workshop at Pei...
09/16/2026

Kidtember rolls on at Rock Creek Park this Saturday, September 19 at 11 am and 1 pm with a puppet making workshop at Peirce Mill.

Join Beech Tree Puppets for a creative, hands-on workshop that turns everyday recyclable materials into one-of-a-kind singing puppets! Participants will learn basic puppet-building techniques and discover how to bring their characters to life by manipulating the puppet’s mouth to synchronize with singing, speaking, and other vocalizations.

This fun, interactive program encourages creativity, reuse, and imaginative storytelling while introducing participants to the art of puppetry.

Workshop materials will be provided while supplies last.

Photos courtesy Beech Tree Puppets.

Beach Drive will have temporary closures on Saturday, Sept. 12 - Sunday, Sept. 13 for emergency hazardous tree removals,...
09/10/2026

Beach Drive will have temporary closures on Saturday, Sept. 12 - Sunday, Sept. 13 for emergency hazardous tree removals, tree maintenance and vegetation clearance.

Saturday, Sept. 12 & Sunday, Sept. 13: Beach Drive from Rock Creek Parkway to Porter St. NW will be closed to vehicles and bicyclists. The multi-use path will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists. Traffic will be detoured via Cathedral Ave., Shoreham Drive and Porter St.

Sunday, Sept. 13: Beach Drive from Piney Branch Parkway NW to Park Rd./Tilden St. will also close to vehicles and bicyclists from 6:30 AM to 3:30 PM. The multi-use path will remain open. Traffic from Piney Branch Parkway will be diverted to Porter St. NW.

NPS Gallery Photo

Kidtember at Rock Creek Park continues this weekend at Peirce Mill! Come on out on Saturday, September 12th and enjoy Ch...
09/10/2026

Kidtember at Rock Creek Park continues this weekend at Peirce Mill! Come on out on Saturday, September 12th and enjoy Children's Day at Peirce Mill hosted by our partners at Friends of Peirce Mill.

Enjoy special tours of the mill just for kids, then try grinding corn by hand. Play some traditional children’s games –or make your own toys up at the barn.

And at 11:00am, Teatro La Bolsa, a local theater troupe, will present “La gallina y la tortilla de maíz,” a playful re-telling of the classic Little Red Hen story in Spanish and English!

This event will move to Sunday, September 13th in the event that it rains.

Photos: Children enjoying Teatro La Bolsa at previous Children's Days.
Photo Credit: Friends of Peirce Mill/ Bill Mills

Hey, teachers! Now that school is back in session are you looking for educational experiences for your students? Rock Cr...
09/09/2026

Hey, teachers! Now that school is back in session are you looking for educational experiences for your students? Rock Creek Park provides opportunities to bring our capital's urban oasis right to your classroom.

On Wednesdays we offer many of our field trip options as outreach programs. One of our park rangers will come to your classroom with interesting and engaging things to learn. And the best part is that there is no cost involved.

If you're interested in having a National Park Service ranger visit your classroom, head to go.nps.gov/RockCreekEdu to start planning today.

Photos: Rangers visit students at Garfield Elementary School
Photos courtesy Ms. Wallen

We are proud to announce that the Rock Creek Park W**d Warrior Leaders have received the National Capital Region’s 2026 ...
09/04/2026

We are proud to announce that the Rock Creek Park W**d Warrior Leaders have received the National Capital Region’s 2026 Excellence in Volunteerism Team Impact Award. The Excellence in Volunteerism Awards are the highest honor given to volunteers in the National Park Service. Recipients of this award embody the spirit of service, engagement, and stewardship.

Our 35 W**d Warrior Leaders strengthen our volunteer program by leading invasive plant removal events to restore our public lands, educating their fellow volunteers, and engaging with our city’s community. This year, the W**d Warrior Leaders led hundreds of volunteer events that drew thousands of volunteers to the park, and they engaged so many volunteers that Rock Creek Park had more event volunteers than any other unit in the NPS!

Their enthusiasm, dedication, and love for our park makes an immeasurable difference to Rock Creek Park’s resources, staff, and community. We’d like to express our gratitude and admiration for each of these wonderful volunteers and their contributions. Please join us in congratulating our W**d Warrior Leaders!

To learn more about our program and attend a volunteer event, visit go.nps.gov/ROCRvolunteer

To learn more about the Excellence in Volunteerism Awards and the work of volunteers across the park service, visit go.nps.gov/VolunteerAwards.

Photos: W**d Warriors in action at Rock Creek Park
Photo Credit: Courtesy Rock Creek Conservancy

Looking for something to do this weekend? Starting tomorrow, we have three days of special entertainment for the whole f...
09/02/2026

Looking for something to do this weekend? Starting tomorrow, we have three days of special entertainment for the whole family at Peirce Mill by our guests from Beech Tree Puppets to help kick off Kidtember.

Friday the 4th at 10 AM enjoy "Butterfly Wonder". Meet Inchy the caterpillar, who has just popped out of his egg! He meets new friends, hides from the bird, and eats many leaves before spinning his cocoon and emerging as a beautiful butterfly. Many songs and short dialogues introduce the flowers, animals (a hungry caterpillar in three sizes, a mouse, robin, a bee and of course the butterfly), and the change from daytime to the moon and stars of night. Recommended ages 2-8.

On Saturday the 5th at 10:00 and 11:00 AM experience the classic tale of "Jack and the Beanstalk". Join young Jack as he climbs an enormous beanstalk to a castle in the sky. Discover a hen that lays golden eggs, a gilded harp that sings by itself, and a giant with a hearty appetite. Don’t miss this classic English folktale, brought to life with beautifully hand-crafted puppets and sets, along with heart-warming music.

Finally, on Sunday the 6th at 10:30 and 11:30 AM Beech Tree Puppets present "The Apple Tree". In this show, a woman lives in the countryside with her lively dog, her shy cat and her cuddly sheep. She decides to plant an apple tree so she can make a pie for her Birthday. She is surprised by an unexpected little helper. Warm colors and beautiful singing bring special magic to this 30-min. show. Recommended ages 2-8.

We are excited to have you join us for this special entertainment in the beautiful setting of Rock Creek Park.

Photos courtesy Beech Tree Puppets

Yesterday may have been Junior Ranger Day, but that doesn't mean we stop appreciating our younger visitors. September is...
08/31/2026

Yesterday may have been Junior Ranger Day, but that doesn't mean we stop appreciating our younger visitors. September is Kidtember in Rock Creek Park!

Are you a teacher looking to plan a field trip in the new school year? We've got you covered. Visit go.nps.gov/RockCreekEdu to find out how to get started.

Parents, are you looking for something to do with your kids? From puppet shows and workshops to Children's Day at Peirce Mill, Rock Creek Park has something for you. Head to go.nps.gov/ROCRcalendar to check out all the fun events we have planned.

Photo: Students walking on a path in Rock Creek Park
Photo Credit: NPS/Katy Cain

What an incredible National Park Week! Thank you to everyone who joined us to hike 🥾, paddle 🛶, dance 💃, explore🚶, lear...
08/30/2026

What an incredible National Park Week! Thank you to everyone who joined us to hike 🥾, paddle 🛶, dance 💃, explore🚶, learn🔎, create🎨, and celebrate 🎉 at Rock Creek Park.

From Peirce Mill and Old Stone House to Georgetown Waterfront, Meridian Hill Park, and the Civil War Defenses of Washington, you helped bring our parks to life. We'd love to hear from you!

Share your favorite photos from National Park Week in the comments or tag us in your posts using and .

Thank you for celebrating America's story with us—we can't wait to welcome you back for your next adventure!

National Park Week is ending, but the adventure does not stop here. We explored remarkable national parks within two hou...
08/30/2026

National Park Week is ending, but the adventure does not stop here. We explored remarkable national parks within two hours of Washington, D.C. Together, they protect roaring rivers, mountain forests, historic farms, forts, battlefields, performing arts and monuments honoring democracy, freedom, service and sacrifice.

You could explore them all in two days, but it could take a lifetime to discover every trail, place and story. Return to finish the hike you started. Join a ranger-led program you missed. Share a memorial you love with a new friend. Volunteer to care for a park that inspired you.

These places preserve America’s story, strengthen our communities and belong to all of us. They also need all of us to help them thrive throughout the nation’s next 250 years.

Keep exploring. Keep learning. Keep protecting. https://ow.ly/RUUE50ZFoWW

National Park Week continues with Junior Ranger Day! Next on your tour is Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ...
08/30/2026

National Park Week continues with Junior Ranger Day! Next on your tour is Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, where every junior ranger mission can stretch for 184.5 miles.

This National Junior Ranger Day explore, learn and protect the park as you trek along the historic towpath, see canal locks in action, cross iconic aqueducts on a model canal boat, and discover the stories of canal builders, workers, and communities that lived and worked along the canal's waters and the park staff and volunteers who protect it today. To participate, pick up a book at a visitor center or download a Junior Ranger activity book. Curiosity has no age limit, and grown-ups may report for Junior Ranger duty as well! Whether you’re biking or hiking, fishing or canoeing the C&O Canal has something for everyone. https://ow.ly/mWFB50ZFoC9

Address

5200 Glover Road NW
Washington D.C., DC
20015

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12028956000

Website

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