Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Park Closure Part of Fort Totten Park remains closed for public safety

Out of an abundance of caution, Fort Totten Park will remain closed east of Fort Totten Drive, south of Gallatin Street/Metropolitan Branch Trail and north of Brookland Ave NE/Farragut St. due to the investigation involving two WWI-era munitions found.

Read the full alert

Overview

On forested hills surrounding the nation's capital are the remnants of a complex system of Civil War fortifications. These strategic buttresses transformed the young capital into one of the world's most fortified cities. By 1865, 68 forts and 93 batteries armed with over 800 cannons encircled Washington, DC. Today, you can visit 18 of the original sites now managed by the National Park Service.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Theater
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Road Biking
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Self-Guided Tours - Auto
  • Hiking
  • Living History
  • First Person Interpretation
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Park Film

Plan your visit

Hours

Rock Creek Park sites: The park grounds at Battery Kemble, Battleground National Cemetery, Fort Bayard, Fort Bunker Hill, Fort DeRussy, Fort Reno, Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens, and Fort Totten are managed by Rock Creek Park These sites are open daily from dawn to dusk.

National Capital Parks — East sites: The park grounds at Fort Carroll, Fort Chaplin, Fort Davis, Fort Dupont, Fort Foote, Fort Greble, Fort Mahan, Fort Ricketts, and Fort Stanton are managed by National Capital Parks — East. These sites are open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.

George Washington Memorial Parkway site: The park grounds at Fort Marcy are managed by George Washington Memorial Parkway. This site is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.

Getting there

Directions vary based on your preference of site.

Weather

Check the weather forecast for each individual site for accurate information.

Phone: 202-895-6000

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Park Ranger delivering a program to visitors.
History at Sunset · NPS/S.Phan
Historic image of Fort Totten on layered on modern image.
The Civil War Defenses Then & Now · NPS

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