Rock Creek

Park District of Columbia

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North bound Ramp Closed, Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway to Massachusetts Avenue, NW

On June 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the northbound ramp from the Rock Creek & Potomac Parkway to Massachusetts Avenue, NW (Waterside Drive) will be closed for work on traffic loop detectors. More »

Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Lane Closures and Construction Update Spring 2013

Construction work on Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway at Waterside Drive continues. There will be lane closures between rush hours to accommodate work. More »

Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium

Nature Center and Planetarium

5200 Glover Road, NW

Open 9:00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Closed most federal holidays.

The Rock Creek Park Nature Center serves as the park's visitor center and offers hiking information, brochures and maps, a bookstore, exhibits on area plants and animals, and a planetarium. Many of the park's ranger-led programs start or take place at the Nature Center.

The facility includes a children's Discovery Room offering environmental education books and games and a "Discover Rock Creek" bilingual (Spanish and English) exhibit geared for middle school audiences. The Nature Center also includes live turtles, fish, snakes, an active beehive, a bird observation deck, and "water-wise" garden.

A one-half mile self-guiding interpretive trail, the Woodland Trail, begins behind the Nature Center, while a one-fourth mile wheelchair-accessible Edge of the Woods trail begins right out the front door. The Nature Center is wheelchair-accessible.

If you are an educator and would like to schedule a curriculum-based environmental education program at the Nature Center, click on the "For Teachers" link.

For planetarium information, click on the "planetarium" link at left.