Providing opportunities for appropriate public enjoyment is an important part of the National Park Service's mission.

As community-based parks in the Capitol Hill area, they serve as leisure-time recreation facilities. Basic standards of public decorum should apply, and some uses are regulated or prohibited for public safety. See Things To Know Before You Come.

The larger parks, especially Lincoln and Stanton, provide the setting for many special events and First Amendment commemorative activities, which attract thousands of visitors. These kinds of events and gatherings require permits and must adhere to National Park Service Regulations.