Places to Camp in District of Columbia

The capital of the United States, Washington D.C. is often associated with bureaucracy, politics and museums. And while the city’s very existence is thanks to all that, there’s much more to the capital than national institutions and other official business. Washington D.C. is, in fact, one of the greenest major cities in the U.S. You won’t find any campgrounds in the city, but there is plenty of excellent camping near Washington D.C.

The Potomac River forms D.C.’s border with Virginia, one of the East Coast’s greatest and most historic rivers. Its banks lined with parks, monuments and iconic cherry trees—which bloom spectacularly in spring—the Potomac River area is arguably the city’s most popular destination. There is a network of nice hiking and biking trails, while expansive lawns and gardens invite people to have picnics or sit down with a good book.

In the northeast of the city, the vast United States Arboretum has a huge collection of bonsai trees and many miles of trails. Rock Creek Park, on the other hand, is the green lungs of D.C. More than twice as large as New York City’s Central Park, it offers myriad outdoor activities.

When camping near Washington D.C., you’ll be close to some of the country’s most famous monuments. Most of them lie along the National Mall, including the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. Lovers of culture, history and the arts will find all they could ever want in the various Smithsonian Museums.

This area is also a great base from which to explore the numerous natural and historic sights in Virginia. Great Falls Park with its thundering Potomac River cascades and pleasant nature trails lies just beyond the northern end of the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway, while at its southern terminus, you’ll find George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive are only an hour and a half to the west.

In Maryland, Catoctin Mountain Park offers historic exhibits, amazing views of the easternmost Blue Ridge Mountains and excellent National Park Service-managed camping near Washington D.C.