Rock Creek Park:
DC's Wilderness Surprise

It was raining. Not a heavy downpour impossible to ignore, but a gentle shower that barely penetrated the umbrella of leaves overhead. A cardinal swooped past, brilliant red against the dark green and shadows. Movement off the trail caught our attention - two deer stopped their grazing to watch us, then carefully stepped deeper into the forest.

It was hard to believe that we weren't hiking on a mountain in the Blue Ridge, but were barely five miles from the White House, inside Washington's city limits on a trail in Rock Creek Park.

Rock Creek is the oldest urban park in the National Park system, and with 2,000 acres, it's one of the largest. The site came into government hands in the 1800s, when planners were searching for the perfect location for the Presidential residence. It was considered too remote and rural, but in a display of forward thinking, the planners realized that eventually the capital would grow large enough that a natural park within the city limits would be an asset.

The park borders Rock Creek starting in Georgetown, with the bulk of it spreading outward from the National Zoo to the Maryland line. Much of it is a forest of towering tulip poplar, oak, and hickory trees, laced with trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There are meadows blanketed with tall grasses and wildflowers, picnic areas, ball fields, and tennis courts.

The focal point for organized activities is the Nature Center and Planetarium off Glover Road. The rangers host a huge calendar of events every month, including guided bike tours and nature strolls, and history lectures at the Pierce Mill - an old grist mill on the grounds - and Old Stone House, the oldest structure in the city. There's another series for kids: Creature Feature - where the kids get to feed the animals in the Nature Center, and the Snake Talk featuring Houdina, the park's resident corn snake. The Carter Barron Amphitheater hosts a schedule of mostly free concerts throughout the summer.

On weekends, parts of Beach Drive through the park are closed to motorized traffic, surrendering it to walkers, bikers, dog-walkers (leashed pets are allowed), and in-line skaters.

Not to mention the occasional deer.
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