I only really knew about the tourist attractions when we first moved to DC. I’d seen some of the monuments before and been to the White House, and I thought that was about it when it came to outside space. Little did I know about Rock Creek Park, or imagine that we would end up living a five minute walk away from it.

It was my husband who suggested that we explore the park one weekend, which in my head, I had built up to be an urban space with a kids’ playground, some paths to walk along and a few trees and benches, somewhat like the great expanse of some of the parks in London.  Having lived in DC before however, my husband knew differently. We drove in, parked in one of the many little free parking lots and headed up onto one of the trails. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Rock Creek is a huge maze of trails full of of beautiful trees, rivers, flowers, birds and stunning nature, and it’s completely hidden from the city!

If you’re looking to be outside in Washington DC, Rock Creek Park is the perfect place as it has it all: running, biking, hiking, paddling, picnicking etc.. It also has bathrooms and my favourite amenity….water fountains! The park has more than 1,700 acres of woodland, 32 miles of trails and many mills, bridges and historical buildings to explore. It extends from DC all the way up into Maryland so there are lots of spots from which to enter.

Although we’ve now lived in DC for over two years, we still can’t believe that such a beautiful and expansive park is hidden within the city. We’ve spent time exploring, hiking and cycling along the trails, and yet despite planning out a new route each time, have only just scratched the surface of what’s out there. It’s perfect for solo hikes, long runs, group walks, family adventures and everything in between. The main road running through the park is now closed off to traffic (it used to be just closed on weekends, but that changed in 2022) so it’s wonderfully car-free and peaceful.

The park is beautiful all year round, but this fall was incredible and we accidentally picked ‘peak weekend’ to head out to the trails. Around every corner was a stunning view and we couldn’t get enough of Mother Nature showing off her vibrant colours.

Rock Creek is managed by the National Park Service and you can find out more information about it here.  You can also start with some of their mapped-out hikes, which have varying lengths and even indicate whether you can bring your dog.