Rock Creek Park

Step inside DC’s oldest home! Every Saturday and Sunday in May, a park ranger will lead tours of the Old Stone House at 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm.

Travel back to the 1700s with us to explore what daily life was like, meet the stories of early residents, and experience a quieter side of Georgetown hidden behind stone walls.

If you could spend one day in the 1700s, what would you want to try first?

NPS Photo / Emily Collins

Are you more of a leader or a team player? This is your chance to be part of the action!

Join us at 12:30 pm on May 9 at the Nature Center or May 23 at Fort Stevens to step into Civil War camp life and try real soldier drills led by a ranger. You’ll practice marching, moving as a team, and learning how soldiers trained to work together.

NPS Photo / Jordan Land

At Battleground National Cemetery, history comes to life in a place where stories are told through stone.

Join a ranger at 10 am, 11 am, and 3 pm every Saturday and Sunday in May for a walk to explore Civil War monuments, discover the symbols they hold, and learn about the people they honor. It’s a family-friendly activity to introduce kids to history while spending time outdoors. As part of Freedom 250, this program invites visitors of all ages to think about how we remember the past and why those stories still matter today.

NPS / Katy Cain

Thank you to everyone who came to the Old Stone House for our Junior Rangers Rise! event on April 18 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary! We had an amazing day learning, exploring, and celebrating our parks and community. We hope you enjoyed the historic demonstrations, crafts, and activities!

Check out our other 250th-related programs and events at go.nps.gov/ROCR-250events

NPS Photos / Michelle Edwards

We’re roping you into a day of history! If you stop by the Old Stone House on April 18 for "Junior Rangers Rise! Caring for Parks, Caring for the Future," you’ll be able to meet a real rope maker!

Watch as he twists fiber together to create massive lengths of rope and learn more about this historic trade. You can also watch a fiber artist create yarn from wool using a spinning wheel, make your own tricorn hat, and take a tour of the Old Stone House.

Did you know Rock Creek Park has rope history too? If you visit Montrose Park, you can see where Richard Parrot constructed a “rope walk” in 1804. Parrot had fiber mills along Rock Creek and added ropemaking to his businesses. The rope walk provided a long, flat, and even surface to twist and spin the fibers together to create rope. With so many ships and merchants coming into the port of Georgetown, ropes were definitely in demand!

To learn more about the events for Rock Creek Park’s Junior Ranger Day, visit https://go.nps.gov/ROCR-250events

Image information: B. Keith shows how rope was made historically. Photo courtesy of B. Keith.

Rock Creek Park will be celebrating America’s 250th anniversary all year long!

We invite visitors to join us on April 18, from 10 am to 1 pm, at the Old Stone House for Junior Rangers Rise! Caring for Parks, Caring for the Future.

As part of the Freedom 250 initiative, this event encourages young people and families to explore how the ideals of freedom, civic participation, and shared responsibility continue to shape our parks and communities today. Participate in hands-on activities, ranger-led programs, and interactive experiences to discover how you can help parks and their stories thrive for the next 250 years!

For specific times and details of programs visit go.nps.gov/ROCR-250events

We can’t wait to see you in the park!

Image information: NPS Photo; a living history program at the Old Stone House, undated

Reminder! This Saturday, April 11, will be a scenic driving day on Beach Drive.

From 11 am to 4 pm, the entire length of Beach Drive will be open to motor vehicles. Park rangers and Rock Creek Conservancy staff will be at Picnic Grove 6 hosting family-friendly activities.

Visitors planning to walk or bike in the park on April 11, should plan alternate routes for their recreation.

Learn more about Driving Days at go.nps.gov/ROCRDrivingDays.

NPS / K. Graczyk

The Nature Center and Planetarium building is closed until further notice due to continued remediation.

Many ranger-guided programs and hikes starting outside of the Nature Center will proceed as planned. Visit go.nps.gov/ROCRcalendar to see details about ranger programs and locations.

NPS Photo

On March 31, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into legislation the Emergency Conservation Work Act, which would lead to the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was arguably one of the most successful programs of the New Deal. Nearly 500,000 young men would create infrastructure and replant forests that we still use today.

CCC crew members worked in Rock Creek Park from 1933 to 1942, and you can still see many of their contributions including:
• stone retaining walls along the creek
• two miles of bridle trails
• footbridges
• a restored Peirce Mill
• an extension of Bingham Drive NW

These men were paid one dollar a day, with 75% of their monthly earnings being sent back to their families, which kept many people from starving during the hardships of the Great Depression. Their story at Rock Creek Park is similar to CCC crews at many national parks and national forests.

Do you have a family member who was in the CCC? We’d love to hear about it!

Photo information: Civilian Conservation Corps reconstruction underway, 1936 "Fort Stevens, September 16, 1936." NPS / MRCE