Rock Creek Park
- Washington, DC
photo: Tony DeYoung/NPS
Rock Creek Park and Potomac Parkway in Washington, D.C., is a 1,754-acre urban oasis, authorized in 1890 as the nation’s third national park. It offers recreation, wildlife, and rich history, with Civil War fortifications, mills, colonial houses, and a planetarium. The Parkway, built from 1923 to 1936, connects the Lincoln Memorial to Rock Creek Park and serves as a major commuter route. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it features reversible lanes during rush hours for traffic management.