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Rock Creek Park welcomes all visitors with disabilities. As an urban park, there are a variety of locations and experiences for everyone to connect with nature, recreate, and learn about the local plants and animals. 
NPS / Claire Hassler Nature Center and PlanetariumThe Nature Center and Planetarium is closed for repairs. See the alerts page to check its current status. ParkingThere are two accessible parking spaces directly next to the Nature Center.EntranceFrom the accessible parking area, an asphalt ramp leads to the front door. Inside, you’ll find an information desk, a park store, accessible men's and women's restrooms, benches, educational exhibits, and the planetarium.PlanetariumThere are eight steps down to the planetarium. To avoid stairs, ask a ranger for assistance using an exterior entrance to the planetarium at the rear of the building. An asphalt sidewalk and wooden ramp connect the front entrance to this rear entrance.
NPS / Claire Hassler Peirce Mill and BarnParkingThere are two accessible parking spots next to Peirce Barn in the bus turn-out.EntrancePaved walkways connect the accessible parking area to two single-user accessible restrooms, Peirce Barn, Peirce Mill, and a nearby paved trail.Peirce MillThe main door and back door of Peirce Mill are wheelchair-accessible. The upper floors of this historic building can only be reached by climbing steep staircases. Upon request, staff will provide descriptions of the upper levels.
NPS / Claire Hassler Old Stone HouseParkingThere is no designated parking area for the Old Stone House. Street parking and parking garages are available nearby for a fee.Entrance and InteriorThere is a 3.5-inch lip at the front doorway. Inside, a short, steep ramp without railings leads down into the park store in the front room. The hallway between the park store and the museum exhibits in the kitchen is 30 inches wide.From the garden, there is an exterior door into the kitchen that can be unlocked upon request. To reach this door, you follow a dirt path from the sidewalk. There is a two-inch lip where the dirt path meets a brick patio next to the kitchen. The upper floors of the house are only open during tours and events. The only way to reach the second and third floors is by stairs. There are photos of these levels in the museum exhibit for when it is closed or for visitors who are unable to climb stairs. 
NPS Meridian Hill ParkThere is ongoing rehabilitation work at Meridian Hill Park. Check the alerts page for current closures. ParkingThere is no dedicated parking area for Meridian Hill Park. Street parking is available in the nearby neighborhoods.Getting Around the ParkYou can reach the upper plaza of Meridian Hill Park by ramp from the entrance at 15th Street NW and Euclid Street NW. There is an accessible restroom and water fountain at the Lodge House near the middle of the upper lawn closest to 15th street. Only stairs connect the upper and lower plaza within the park. For the lower terrace, there is a new accessible entrance with a ramp at 16th Street NW and W Street NW.
NPS Georgetown Waterfront ParkParkingThere is no designated parking area for the Georgetown Waterfront Park. Street parking and parking garages are available nearby for a fee. Getting Around the ParkThe park is flat and has wide paved paths connecting gardens, a fountain, a labrynth, and overlooks of the Potomac River. There are benches throughout the area. 
NPS / Laurel Brodsky Trails in Rock Creek ParkSee a map displaying all trails in Rock Creek Park.Most trails are unpaved and have varying surface materials. On some trails, you might encounter tree roots, steep sections, wooden steps, and rocky areas. Edge of the Woods TrailThe Edge of the Woods Trail is a quarter-mile paved loop next to the Nature Center. There are several spots where tree roots have broken up the asphalt creating bumps and cracks greater than one inch.A guide rope runs along the trail to help visitors who are blind or have low vision. The guide rope is not continuous and encounters trees and parallels some drop-offs on the asphalt. There are several benches along the trail. American Sign Language (ASL) InterpretationAmerican Sign Language interpretation for ranger-led programs is available at no cost. Please contact us with your request at least two weeks in advance. Audio Description and CaptionsAn audio description of the brochure is available online. Audio description is not available for films and exhibits in the Nature Center and Planetarium.Captions are not currently available for films or presenentations in the planetarium. Service AnimalsService animals are legally permitted anywhere that visitors can go. Service animals are individually trained to perform a specific task that assists a person with a disability. See the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition of a service animal. Emotional support, therapy, companion animals, and service animals-in-training are considered pets under the ADA. Pets are not allowed in indoor spaces.Learn more about visiting Rock Creek Park with a pet. Questions?Please contact us for additional information or for help planning your visit.
Voice: 202-895-6000
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Last updated: July 21, 2026