Fort Washington Park
Built to defend the river approach to Washington, DC, Fort Washington has stood sentry for over 200 years. As technologies advanced, so did Fort Washington from the brick and stone of the 19th century to the concrete and steel of the 20th century.
About under an hour from Washington and 1 hours from Baltimore by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Fort Washington Park | Daily · 6:00AM - 10:00PM |
| Fort Washington Historic Fort | Varies by day ▾
|
| Fort Washington Park Gated Areas | Daily · 7:00AM - 10:00PM |
Fort Washington Historic Fort: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Closed |
Fort Washington Park Gated Areas: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 7:00AM - 10:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year’s Day | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Fort Washington Park Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Built in the 1820s, this bright yellow building was once the home of Fort Washington's commander. Today, it serves as the Visitor Center for Fort Washington Park. Inside you will find the park bookstore, a small museum, and two restrooms.
Explore
Things to do
- Junior Ranger Programs at National Capital Parks - East30-90 Minutes
Become a Junior Ranger at parks across National Capital Parks – East! Explore, complete a booklet, and earn badges and certificates along the way!
Opens on the Park Service site - Collect all the National Capital Parks - East Passport Stamps5-10 Minutes
Start your stamp collection and celebrate every park you visit! Explore historic sites and scenic parks managed by National Capital Parks - East and collect a unique stamp at each one.
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch an Artillery Demonstration at Fort Washington Park15-90 Minutes
Ever wonder how Civil War cannons were fired? Visit the park the first Sunday of every month from May to November to watch the Fort Washington Guard demonstrate and explain the procedures used during the muzzle-loading era of American Artillery.
Opens on the Park Service site - Birding at Fort Washington Park
Come for the history, stay for the birds. Fort Washington Park has a diverse array of bird species spread among its distinct ecosystems.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycle Smallwood State Park to Oxon Cove Park1-2 Days
The on-road bicycling route between Smallwood State Park and Oxon Cove Park makes connections with parks and historic sites.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Fort Tour10/1411:00 AM · runs through Jan 31 · freeCheck in at the Visitor Center!
- Fort Washington Victorian Dance Society10/2412:00 PM · free
- Fort Washington by Candlelight10/3106:00 PM · free
- Artillery Demonstration11/0101:00 PM · freeInside the historic fort
- Shoreline Cleanup at Fort Washington Park11/1409:30 AM · runs through Dec 12 · free13551 Fort Washington Rd Fort Washington, Maryland 20744
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 23× · Red Fox 15× · Greater Yellowlegs 8× · Barred Owl 8× · Osprey 8× · Belted Kingfisher 7× · Lesser Yellowlegs 5× · Peregrine Falcon 5×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 141 birds, 10 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsHAWK · OSPREY · bald eagle · barred owl · black vulture · broad-winged hawk · eastern screech-owl · great horned owl · kestrel · peregrine falcon · sharp-shinned hawk · turkey vulture
Waterfowl & wadersCOOT · Cormorant · DUCK · Great Egret · Grebe · Merganser · Northern Pintail · american black duck · bufflehead · canada goose · common loon · common merganser · great blue heron · greater scaup · grebe · hooded merganser · lesser scaup · ruddy duck · swan · wood duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsGULL · Gull · caspian tern · forster's tern · great black-backed gull · greater yellowlegs · laughing gull · spotted sandpiper
Gamebirds & dovesDOVE · Turkey
WoodpeckersFLICKER · SAPSUCKER · WOODPECKER · downy woodpecker · hairy woodpecker · pileated woodpecker · red-bellied woodpecker
Hummingbirds & swiftschimney swift · ruby-throated hummingbird
Also on the checklistBLUEBIRD · CARDINAL · CROW · FINCH · KINGLET · MOCKINGBIRD · NUTHATCH · SPARROW · Sparrow · Thrush · WARBLER · Warbler · acadian flycatcher · american crow · american goldfinch · american redstart · american robin · barn swallow · bay-breasted warbler · belted kingfisher · black-and-white warbler · black-throated blue warbler · black-throated green warbler · blackburnian warbler · blackpoll warbler · blue grosbeak · blue jay · blue-gray gnatcatcher · brown creeper · brown thrasher · brown-headed cowbird · canada warbler · carolina wren · cedar waxwing · cerulean warbler · chestnut-sided warbler · chipping sparrow · common grackle · common yellowthroat · dark-eyed junco · eastern kingbird · eastern phoebe · eastern wood-pewee · european starling · gadwall · golden-crowned kinglet · gray catbird · great crested flycatcher · hermit thrush · hooded warbler · house sparrow · house wren · indigo bunting · kentucky warbler · louisiana waterthrush · magnolia warbler · nashville warbler · northern oriole · northern parula · northern rough-winged swallow · northern waterthrush · orchard oriole · ovenbird · palm warbler · pine warbler · prothonotary warbler · red-eyed vireo · red-winged blackbird · rose-breasted grosbeak · rufous-sided towhee · savannah sparrow · scarlet tanager · song sparrow · swainson's thrush · tennessee warbler · tree swallow · veery · warbling vireo · white-eyed vireo · winter wren · yellow warbler · yellow-billed cuckoo · yellow-breasted chat · yellow-throated vireo · yellow-throated warbler
Small mammalsBEAVER · eastern gray squirrel · white-footed mouse
PredatorsFOX · RACCOON
Hoofed mammalsDEER
BatsBAT · Bat
Also on the checklistWOODCHUCK · opossum
Activities
Activity guides for this park Fishing in the national parks
Weather & climate
Summers are generally hot and humid, with daytime highs frequently above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Please carry water while participating in physical activity and be prepared to take shelter from lightning. Winters are generally cold, with nighttime lows frequently near freezing and occasional snowfall. Weather during spring and fall is generally moderate, but can change quickly.
Questions people ask
Does Fort Washington charge an entrance fee?
No. Fort Washington is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Fort Washington?
Standard hours are 6:00AM - 10:00PM, every day.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Fort Washington?
502,171 recreation visits in 2025, number 113 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Fort Washington?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Fort Washington established?
1808. It covers about 0.5 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Fort Washington?
Summers are generally hot and humid, with daytime highs frequently above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Please carry water while participating in physical activity and be prepared to take shelter from lightning.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
