Public Use Limits

Public Use Limits are outlined in the Director's Compendium and are meant to maintain the environmental and scenic values of Wolf Trap. Please be respectful of park resources and other park visitors. Click here for Filene Center House Rules.

1. Open fires and/or cooking devices are not permitted within the park at any time.
2. "Tenting", i.e., the pitching of any kind of tents for shelter, including large event tents, is not permitted except by permission of the Director.
3. Organized sports (baseball, soccer, football, croquet, etc.) are not permitted at any time, nor is the erection of sports equipment such as nets, goals, etc. Informal games, such as catch, frisbee, etc., are permitted in the Meadow area.
4. Flying model powered airplanes or model rockets is prohibited.
5. Items such as signs, decorations, and balloons are not to be attached to any park structures or natural features except the third party deck areas. Balloons are permitted as part of pre-performance picnics and events, provided that these events occur outside the Filene Center House. Helium balloons may not be released at any time.
6. Skating, rollerblading, and skateboarding are permitted on the paved parking lots when not in conflict with other park activities. They are prohibited elsewhere in the park, including park roads, paths, the Filene Center and Plaza areas.
7. Bicycles are permitted on park roads and on the paved parking lots when not in conflict with other park activities. They are prohibited in all other areas of the park, including trails, grassy areas, and woods.
8. Cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing are permitted in the park on established trails and grassy areas. Sledding is permitted on grassy areas only. No winter activities of any kind are permitted in the Filene Center House or Plaza areas, or on park roads.
9. Ice skating on the Farm Pond is prohibited for safety reasons.
10. Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the Filene Center House except in designated areas to the right and left of the covered seating area. Smoking is also prohibited in box office and theater entrance lines, within 25 feet of theater entrances, in restrooms and in the Theatre-in-the-Woods.
11. Pets, except for service animals, are prohibited in the Filene Center House, in the Theatre-in-the-Woods, in picnic areas, and in any area of the park being utilized for an authorized event. Where pets are permitted, they must be restrained on a leash of no more than six feet in length. Pet owners/handlers are responsible for removing pet excrement.
12. Swimming, bathing or wading in the park is prohibited, due to safety considerations because of poor water quality.
13. Camping or overnight park use is prohibited.
14. Small scale organized activities by park patrons, such as birthday parties and other celebrations, are allowed on park grounds provided that the Director is notified in advance, that the activities do not conflict with primary park uses, and that the activities comply with all other items in this compendium. Users are expected to provide their own clean-up and carry out all trash, and park in the paved public parking lots. No amplified sound is allowed. Advance notification allows the park staff to ensure that appropriate restrooms are unlocked and other preparations made for visitor safety and assistance. It also ensures that the area to be used for the event will not be in use by another event. (Note: The use of the Filene Center and Meadow Pavilion performance areas, and the terraces and decks are reserved through the Wolf Trap Foundation.)
15. Large scale organized activities are held by permission of the Director and must be coordinated with the park in advance. Most large scale activities are held in conjunction with a theater performance.
16. The use of the device known as the Segway Human Transporter is prohibited at the park, except for use by mobility impaired park visitors.