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.
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. Visitors must navigate over the threshold to enter. The ranger station is entirely low-pile carpeted.
Information Desk
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The information desk is located directly to the right after you enter through the entrance.
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The desk is almost 5 feet tall.
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There is a rear exit located across from the bathroom.
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Greenbelt Park offers a 13-page visitor information brochure in braille at the information desk. Visitors must ask the ranger behind the desk for a brochure.
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Please enjoy our closed captioned and audio described video, "Greenbelt Park: A Hidden Jewel."
Restroom
There is one single-use restroom with a toilet and sink in the ranger station directly across from the exit door. 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.
Exhibits
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There are no films, videos, or audio in the ranger station.
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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 two flags and an information page discussing the history of the American flag. Further back near the restroom is a tall poster discussing Gladys Noon Spellman’s scenic memorial. To the right of the bathroom is another poster displaying the history of Greenbelt. Lastly, there is an exhibit titled "Quirky Quercus" that allows visitors to visually examine the park's leaves in glass frames.
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There are 5 animal skins that visitors are welcome to touch in between the junior ranger table and flags. There are also 2 taxidermy beavers, 1 taxidermy raccoon, 1 taxidermy squirrel, 1 taxidermy coyote, and 2 taxidermy foxes in a case.
This campground is for scouts, youth, and organized groups only.
Path
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When campers drive into the campground, they will pass a campground host station and trash bin to the left. Further down the road, there are signs with information on campfire programs, volunteer programs, maps, and Greenbelt Park.
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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.
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The campground follows a loop around 22 campsites and a comfort station with bathrooms and showers.
Campsites
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Visitors can go online to recreation.gov to find exact measurements of campsites.
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Each campsite has a parking pad, grill, picnic table, and room for tenting.
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Campsites can be anywhere from 20-100 feet from each other.
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The step from the parking pad to the ground can be uneven and varies from each campsite.
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The RV/trailer maximum length is 35 feet.
Comfort station
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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.
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The bathroom is split by sex. Each restroom has 1 standard stall and 1 wheelchair-accessible stall. The sink is positioned at a wheelchair-accessible level.
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Each bathroom has one shower. There are two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads and one 38-inch-wide bench across the room from these. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Water
There are two yard hydrants, 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 off 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.
Picnic tables
The path to a picnic table varies at each campsite.
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.
Path
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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.
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The campground follows a loop around 34 campsites and two comfort stations.
Campsites
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Visitors can go online to recreation.gov to find exact measurements of campsites.
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Each campsite has a parking pad, grill, picnic table, and room for tenting.
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Campsites can be anywhere from 20-100 feet from each other.
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The step from the parking pad to the ground can be uneven and varies from each campsite.
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The RV/trailer maximum length is 35 feet.
Comfort station (with shower)
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This comfort station is located near the back of the campground. The bathrooms are split by sex. 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.
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Each bathroom has one shower. There are two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads and one 38-inch bench across the room from these. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Comfort station (without shower)
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The comfort station is located near the entrance/exit of the campground. The pathway to get to the comfort station is paved and has cracks.
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The bathrooms are split by sex. 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.
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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.
Campfire circle
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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.
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Facing the programming, to the left is a campfire circle with four benches and a 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.
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Campfire programs have a large screen and overhead lights. Many times, campfire programs are supported by props and the large fire pit. Please view Campfire Programs to discover what programs are available.
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The movies shown are DVDs provided by the Greenbelt Theater and do not have closed/open captions or audio descriptions.
Water
There are two yard hydrants, 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 off 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.
Picnic tables
The path to a picnic table varies at each campsite.
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.
Other
Sites 68 and 69 have accessible parking. The picnic table in each site is concrete.
Path
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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.
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The campground follows a small loop around 19 campsites, one comfort station, and one dump station.
Campsites
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Visitors can go online to recreation.gov to find exact measurements of campsites.
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Each campsite has a parking pad, grill, picnic table, and room for tenting.
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Campsites can be anywhere from 20-100 feet from each other.
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The step from the parking pad to the ground can be uneven and varies from each campsite.
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The RV/trailer maximum length is 35 feet.
Comfort station
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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.
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There is a paved ramp leading to each bathroom entrance. The bathrooms are split by sex. 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.
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Each bathroom has one shower. There are two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerheads and one 25-inch-wide bench across the room from these. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Water
There are two yard hydrants, 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 off 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.
Picnic tables
The path to a picnic table varies at each campsite.
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.
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 7-8 feet wide and very steep.
Path
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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.
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The campground follows a small loop around 29 campsites and two comfort stations.
Campsites
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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.
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The step from the parking pad to the ground can be uneven and varies from each campsite.
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The RV/trailer maximum length is 35 feet.
Comfort station (with shower)
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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.
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Restrooms are split by sex 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.
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Each bathroom has one shower. There are two horizontal grab bars under two fixed showerhead and one bench across from these. The bench does not have a back or armrest. There are two hooks next to the bench.
Comfort station (without shower)
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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.
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Restrooms are split by sex 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.
Water
There are two yard hydrants, 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 off 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.
Picnic tables
The path to a picnic table varies at each campsite.
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.
Parking
There is 1 van-accessible space and 4 accessible spaces.
Path
The parking lot is smoothly paved. To access the picnic area, playgrounds, and comfort station there is a paved pathway leading directly from accessible parking. There is a curb surrounding the parking lot. The surface of the picnic areas is firm sand and dirt with potholes, small rocks, grass, and stricks.
Campgrounds
- 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. Along the pathway, there are three signs with information on the park. There is also a sign discussing the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail located in parts of VA, DC, and MD.
- Restrooms are split by sex. 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.
- Each restroom has one standard stall, one wheelchair-accessible stall, and two sinks.
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.
Picnic tables
There is a total of 22 picnic tables scattered throughout the 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. Near the parking lot entrance, there is one picnic table on the grass. To the left of the comfort station and near the first playground are 14 picnic tables placed near each other. To the left of the second playground, there are two picnic tables. To the right of the second playground, there are five picnic tables.
Drinking water
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 picnic areas and about half are placed on a pedestal. Some grills may have a change in level due to erosion.
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 by sex 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.
Picnic tables
There are 37 picnic tables scattered around the picnic area. The surface of the picnic area is firm sand and dirt with sticks, weeds, and small rocks. Some are to the left of the comfort station, some behind, and some hidden by trees.
Grills
There is a total of six grills scattered throughout the picnic areas and about half are placed on a pedestal. Some grills may have a change in level due to erosion.
Drinking water
A functional, portable multi-water spigot is located next to the portable bathrooms. There is a broken drinking fountain in front of the comfort station.
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 by sex.
- 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.
Picnic tables
There is a total of 33 picnic tables in the Laurel picnic area. The surface of the picnic area is firm sand and dirt with sticks, weeds, and small rocks. Two picnic tables are located together at the entrance of the parking lot. 25 tables are located to the left of the comfort station. Six picnic tables are located together near the back of the parking lot.
Grills
There is a total of four grills scattered throughout the picnic areas and about half are placed on a pedestal. Some grills may have a change in level due to erosion.
Drinking water
A functional, portable multi-water spigot is located next to the portable bathrooms. There is a broken drinking fountain located directly in front of the comfort station.
Description
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 2 hours to hike this trail. The trail circles the park with opportunities to connect to Dogwood trail, Azalea trail, and Blueberry trail.
Parking
- There are 2 van-accessible spots with one 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. 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.
- On average, it takes 30-35 minutes to hike this trail.
- 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.
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. 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.
- On average, it takes 16-20 minutes to hike this 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.
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
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The trail is 1.2 miles and loops around the Sweetgum, Laural, 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.
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Potential obstacles include steepness, sharp turns, tree roots, and rocks.
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The surface is firm sand and dirt with small rocks, tree roots, grass, and pebbles.
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