From the park’s entrance, the ranger station is located off Park Central Road to the right
Parking lots
There is a parking lot in front of and behind the ranger station.
There is one accessible space in the front and back. Both are marked accessible on the actual pavement but have no signs that specify van-accessible parking. Both spots have an access aisle. All markings on the pavement are faded.
Path to the visitor center
Both parking lots are paved and well-maintained. Each parking lot is flat, level, and parking spots have a curb at the top.
There are two wooden pillars near the ranger station’s entrance that leave 39 inches of room to navigate through to reach the entrance. If there is not a ranger’s car parked in the middle of the ranger station, visitors can enter around the pillars.
Ranger station back parking lot
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Access
From the back parking, you must ascend a steep hill to access the entrance. Front parking is adjacent to the ranger station entrance.
Visitors must pull the handle down on the non-assisted front door and open it toward the right, which may require more than 5 pounds of force to open. There is a panic bar on the opposite side of the door to push when exiting. The single door to enter the ranger station is 35 inches wide and visitors must navigate over the threshold to enter. The ranger station is entirely low-pile carpeted.
There is room to navigate around the ranger station in a wheelchair.
Ranger station information desk
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Information Desk
The information desk is located directly to the right after you enter through the entrance.
The desk is almost 5 feet tall. Visitors are welcome to come around the left side of the desk to communicate with a ranger if the desk is too tall.
There are no wheelchairs avaiiable to borrow.
There is a rear exit located across from the bathroom.
Ranger station interior exhibits
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Restroom
There is one, single-use restroom in the ranger station directly across from the exit door with a toliet and sink. From the entrance door, it is about 10 feet in the forward direction and to the right. There is no changing table available.
Water Fountain
The water fountain is next to the bathroom. It is 31 inches from the floor to the underside of the fountain.
Exhibits
To the left of the entrance door is a junior ranger table where visitors can pick up swag and stamp their passports. To the right are taxidermy animals for visitors to touch. Farther right are two flags and an information page discussing the history of the American flag. Nearby is a tall poster discussing Gladys Noon Spellman’s scenic memorial. There is another poster displaying the history of Greenbelt. Lastly, there is an exhibit called "Quirky Quercus", allowing visitors to visually examine the park's leaves in glass frames.
Visitors can go online to recreation.gov to find exact measurements of campsites.
Each campsite has a parking pad, grill, picnic table, and room for tenting.
Campsites can be anywhere from 20-100 feet from each other.
The step from the parking pad to the ground can be uneven and varies from each campsite.
RV/trailer maximum length is 35 feet.
Picnic tables
Tables are not considered wheelchair-accessible tables. Although, most picnic tables have clear space on either end. The path to a picnic table varies at each campsite. It is 35 inches from the ground to the underside of each table end.
Grills
Each grill has a concrete perimeter square that is anywhere from 4-10 inches tall. Some grills may have a change in level due to erosion. Grills are around 4 feet tall and fixed in place.
Yard hydrants are placed throughout each campground.
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Water
There are multiple yard hydrants in each campground, which can be difficult to operate even in the best conditions, located in the inside portion of the loop. The hydrant area can be muddy and wet. Visitors must step 2-3 feet off the paved road to reach the lever located on the right side of the hydrant. The hydrant has a lever that may require more than 5 pounds of force to pull down.
Campground A comfort station
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Campground A
Path
When campers drive into the campground, they will pass a campground host station and trash bin to the left. Farther down the road, there are signs with information on campfire programs, volunteer programs, maps, and Greenbelt Park.
The surface of the road is paved and has cracks and debris. Once campers step off the road, the surface of campsites is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, grass, and sticks.
The campground follows a loop around 22 campsites and a comfort station with bathrooms and showers.
Comfort station
Located in the middle of the campground. There are two paved and mostly level pathways on the left side of the comfort station that are about 16 feet in length. There is a 3-foot perimeter of concrete around the comfort station. The concrete border does not directly blend with the ground, there is a step.
The bathrooms are split into gender. Each restroom has one standard stall and one wheelchair-accessible stall. The sink is positioned at a wheelchair-accessible level.
Each bathroom has one shower. Each shower has two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads. There is a 38-inch wide bench across from the showerhead. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Comfort station with showers
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Campground B
Path
The surface of the road is paved and has cracks and debris. Once campers step off the road, the surface of the campsites is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, grass, and sticks.
The campground follows a loop around 34 campsites and two comfort stations.
Comfort station with shower
This comfort station is located near the back of the campground. The bathrooms are split into gender. The women’s bathroom has three standard stalls, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks. The men’s bathroom has two standard stalls, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks.
Each bathroom has one shower. Each shower has two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads. There is a 38-inch wide bench across from the showerhead. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Campground B comfort station without showers
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Comfort station without shower
This comfort station is not wheelchair accessible. It is located near the entrance/exit of the campground. The pathway to get to the comfort station is paved and has cracks.
The bathrooms are split into gender. The women’s bathroom has three standard stalls, two sinks, and no wheelchair-accessible stalls. The men’s bathroom has three standard stalls, one urinal, two sinks, and no wheelchair-accessible stall.
There is a single step in front of each bathroom. The step to enter the men’s bathroom is about seven inches tall. The step to enter the women’s bathroom is about five inches tall.
Campground B campfire circle
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Campfire Circle
The paved path to the campfire circle is around 85 feet long and 5-6 feet wide and has cracks that make it slightly uneven. There are lights on either side of the path that are low to the ground to guide the way at night. Once the paved path ends, there is a step to reach the ground. The surface of the ground is firm sand and mud with rocks and grass. It is uneven at times. From there it is only a few feet from seating.
Facing the programming, to the left is a campfire circle with four benches and a non-wheelchair-accessible picnic table facing it. To the right, there are eight benches facing a projector wall. It is about 14 inches from the ground to the topside of each bench, and benches do not have a back or armrest. There is open space to place a wheelchair on either end of each bench.
Campfire programs have a large screen and overhead lights. Many times, campfire programs are supported by props and the large fire pit. Visit Campfire Programs to discover what programs are available.
Campground B accessible parking site
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Accessible Parking Campsites
Sites 68 and 69 have accessible parking. The picnic table in each site is concrete. It is 27 inches from the ground to the underside of the table. There are 11 inches with no bench added onto either end of the table. The small sides of the table are 28 ½ inches wide. The bathrooms near these sites are not wheelchair accessible. Visitors can go to the comfort station, about 200 meters away, near the back of the campground, to find the wheelchair-accessible comfort station.
Campground C comfort station
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Campground C
Path
The surface of the road is paved and has cracks and debris. Once campers step off the road, the surface of the campsites is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, grass, and sticks.
The campground follows a small loop around 19 campsites, one comfort station, and one dump station.
Campground C comfort station inside
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Comfort station
This comfort station is located directly in the middle of the campground. The paved pathway to enter the comfort station is about 47 inches wide and has curbing on either side.
There is a paved ramp leading to each bathroom entrance. The bathrooms are split into gender. The women’s bathroom has three standard stalls, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks. The men’s bathroom has two standard stalls, one urinal, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks.
Each bathroom has one shower. Each shower has two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads. There is a 38-inch wide bench across from the showerhead. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Campground C dump station
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Dump station
The dump station is located north of the campground’s smaller loop, just past campsite 98. It is slightly off-road, and the paved pathway has cracks. The area to dump waste drops down into a hole so be aware of the steepness as you proceed closer to it. Visitors must proceed to the right of the dump station and step up to the lever to pull it downward. Visitors can also step into the dump hole and step on a separate lever to open the hole and let waste go down. The dump hole area is around 4 feet wide and steep.
Campground D shower
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Campground D
Path
The surface of the road is paved and has cracks and debris. Once campers step off the road, the surface of the campsites is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, grass, and sticks.
The campground follows a small loop around 29 campsites and two comfort stations.
Comfort station with shower
This comfort station is in the middle of the campground loop. One pathway to the comfort station is unpaved with firm sand and dirt. The other pathway is paved and uneven in places.
Restrooms are split into gender. There is a ramp to access each restroom. The women’s restroom has three standard stalls, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks. The men’s restroom has two standard stalls, one urinal, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks.
Each bathroom has one shower. Each shower has two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads. There is a 38-inch wide bench across from the showerhead. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Campground D comfort station exterior
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Comfort station without shower
This comfort station is located at the entrance/exit of the campground loop. There is a trash bin and signage with information on campfire programs, volunteer programs, maps, and Greenbelt Park near the entrance. There are three paths to access the comfort station. One paved pathway is uneven with some changes in level. One pathway is about 54 inches wide. One pathway has rocks, roots, and sticks on the surface.
Restrooms are split into gender and have ramps to access the door. The women’s restroom has an estimated 4-inch-tall step just past the ramp to enter through the door. The women’s restroom has three standard stalls, no wheelchair-accessible stalls, and two sinks. The men’s restroom has two standard stalls, one urinal, no wheelchair-accessible stalls, and two sinks.
Picnic tables
There is a total of 22 picnic tables scattered throughout the Sweetgum picnic area, 37 throughout the Holly picnic area, and 33 throughout the Laurel picnic area. The surface of the picnic area is firm sand and dirt with sticks, weeds, and small rocks. There is room to navigate around the picnic tables.
Drinking water
In the Holly and Laurel picnic areas, there is a functional, multi-water spigot located next to the portable bathrooms. In the Sweetgum picnic area, there is a broken drinking fountain directly behind the comfort station. Please bring your own water.
Grills
There is a total of eight grills scattered throughout the Sweetgum picnic area, six in the Holly picnic area, and four in the Laurel picnic area. In each picnic area, about half are placed on a pedestal. Some grills may have a change in level due to erosion.
Sweetgum picnic area comfort station
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Sweetgum Picnic Area
Parking
There is one van-accessible space and four accessible spaces.
Path
The parking lot is smoothly paved. To access the picnic area, playgrounds, and comfort station, visitors can use the paved pathway leading directly from accessible parking. There is a curb surrounding the parking lot. Once visitors step off the road and over the curb, the surface of the picnic areas is firm sand and dirt with potholes, small rocks, grass, and sticks.
Comfort station
Upon parking lot entry, the comfort station is located on the left. Accessible parking is in front of the comfort station. There is a smooth, paved pathway leading from accessible parking to the comfort station.
Restrooms are split into gender. Each restroom has a ramp with a step at the door to access the entrance. The women’s ramp has a crack in the pavement. The door may require more than 5 pounds of force to open.
Each restroom has one standard stall, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks.
Sweetgum picnic area tables and playground
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Playgrounds
There are two playgrounds located in the Sweetgum Picnic Area. From the parking lot entrance, the first playground is located to the left of the comfort station, slightly hidden in the trees. Visitors can use the paved pathway in front of the comfort station and turn left to walk to the playground. From there, the surface is firm sand and dirt with rocks, weeds, roots, and debris and the playground is past the picnic tables. From the parking lot entrance, the second playground is on the far back right and not surrounded by trees. Visitors must step over a curb and maneuver through the grass to access it. The playground area and the surface between the play equipment are mostly grass.
Holly Picnic Area
Parking
There are five van-accessible parking spots near the entrance of the picnic area.
Path
The parking lot is smoothly paved. To reach the picnic area, there is a paved sidewalk located near the accessible parking spots with signage about Greenbelt Park. The paved sidewalk has cracks and an uneven surface. There is a step from the sidewalk to the picnic tables and grills. The surface of the picnic area is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, grass, and sticks.
Comfort station
The comfort station is located to the right of the picnic area entrance. The paved path takes visitors straight to the bathroom entrances. Bathrooms are split into gender and each bathroom has a ramp to access the entrance door. Two portable bathrooms are located near the pathway entrance from the parking lot and next to the portable multi-water spigot.
Laurel picnic area entrance
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Laurel Picnic Area
Parking
There are five van-accessible parking spots near the entrance of the picnic area.
Path
The parking lot is smoothly paved. To reach the picnic area, there is a paved sidewalk located near the accessible parking spots with signage about Greenbelt Park. The sidewalk has cracks and debris. To come off the sidewalk to reach picnic tables and grills, visitors must step down. The surface of the picnic area has weeds, mud, potholes, dirt, sticks, and small rocks.
Comfort station
The paved path takes visitors directly to the comfort station. Bathrooms are split into gender. Two portable bathrooms are located at the edge of the parking lot and next to the portable multi-water spigot. Visitors can walk along the paved parking lot to access the portable bathrooms.
Path to Trailhead
The trail can be accessed from the Sweetgum Picnic Area parking. Visitors must walk down a steep, well-paved road from the parking lot to access the trail entrance.
Description
The trail is 1.2 miles and loops around the Sweetgum, Laurel, and Holly Picnic Areas. A steep drop on a pebble path begins the trail. On average, it takes about 24-27 minutes to hike this trail. The trail has steep sections and hills scattered throughout. This trail is not considered wheelchair accessible.
Potential obstacles include steepness, sharp turns, tree roots, and rocks.
The surface is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, tree roots, grass, and pebbles.
Blueberry trailhead
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Blueberry Trail
Parking
Parking is available at the ranger station. From the ranger station, head Northwest and walk along the paved road. It is estimated to be a 600-foot walk from parking to the trailhead. Directly off the right side of the road is the trailhead sign and entrance. Trailblaze: blue.
Description
The trail is a loop of 0.8 miles. On average, it takes 16-20 minutes to hike this trail. After about 600 feet down a steep hill, visitors can choose to go left or right. Signage was created for visitors to go right. On either path, visitors will reach a halfway point (approximately a quarter mile) and walk a slight part of the perimeter trail. After about 0.1 mi, visitors will get back on the Blueberry trail and loop back around to the trail entrance.
There are multiple elevation changes on this trail at different levels of steepness.
Potential obstacles: thick roots sticking up, sharp turns, narrow trail sections, and large tree trunks blocking the trail.There are two benches on this trail. They are located at 0.2 miles and 0.6 miles. The benches do not have backs or armrests.
The surface of this trail is uneven at times, but it is firm sand and dirt. There are small rocks, water bars, roots, and crushed leaves. Some parts of the trail consist of a boardwalk that one can maneuver around to avoid.
Dogwood trail
Photo: NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
Dogwood trail
Parking
There are 2 van-accessible spots with an accessible aisle located in between.
Van-accessible spots are on either side of the trail entrance. Each parking spot is just steps away from the trail entrance and trailhead signage. The transition from the paved parking lot to the trail is a small step onto firm sand with small rocks.
Description
The trail is a loop of 1.5 miles. On average, it takes 30-35 minutes to hike this trail. The trail makes a figure eight and runs along Park Central Road and the Perimeter Trail. There are three opportunities for visitors to access the Perimeter Trail all located on the west side of the Dogwood Trail. Trailblaze is red.
There are multiple elevation changes on this trail at different levels of steepness.
Potential obstacles: tree roots sticking up, steep cross slope section, sharp turns, and narrow trail sections.
The surface of the trail is firm sand and mud with small rocks, tree roots, grass, crushed leaves, and dirt.
There is a small bench and room next to the bench across the street from the parking lot. Visitors must cross the street and ascend a grassy hill to reach the bench. There is a bench immediately to the left at the entrance of the trail. More benches exist on the trail. None of the benches have backs or armrests.
Perimeter trail
The trailhead beings at the entrance of Greenbelt Park. Parking is available at the Sweet Gum Picnic Area. The trail distance is 5.3 miles, and it is not wheelchair accessible. On average, it takes about two hours to hike this trail. The trail circles the park with opportunities to connect to Dogwood trail, Azalea trail, and Blueberry trail.
