The Great Urban Outdoors

The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books,” said Theodore Roosevelt. Our 26th president — probably the most well-rounded in our nation’s history — was fond of leading long cross-country walks, which TR called “scrambles.” One of his favorites places to do so was Rock Creek Park, where he spent many Sundays with his family.

Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, Rock Creek Park is a prime example of “the great urban outdoors,” which at first sounds like a jarring contradiction: cement meets gardens, high rises and traffic meet bucolic expanses, nightlife and noise meet the stillness of nature.

But here in Washington, and in other progressive-minded cities, the contradiction evaporates. According to a current trend in urban planning, city life at its best is not only livable but walkable. The pleasures of being outdoors, both active and contemplative, can still be had in the fast-paced, helter-skelter environment of a great American city.

All the qualities of city life, pluses and minuses, are tempered by nature and the natural. Parks let us forget about parking woes; the peaceful gurgling of creeks, rivers and fountains slow us in our hurries; the great cemeteries provide quiet contemplation of our history and ourselves.

Because of its historic nature, neighborhood life and extensive parkland, treescape and plantings, the District of Columbia is at the forefront of this green urban vision. It is a city where nature and urban energy meet without conflict, an engagement full of opportunities for everyone, from the most urbane to the least, residents and visitors alike.

More than ever, this is a city for the energetic. Runners are everywhere. Charity marathons and races have become part of the landscape. And, spurred by Capital Bikeshare, the newly emergent bicycle culture is spreading across the city.

For the second year in a row, Washington was recently named the fittest city in the country by the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual American Fitness Index report. (Teddy would be proud.) For residents of the District and the surrounding metropolitan areas, the title can be taken in stride, quite literally. Home to a plethora of parks and recreation centers, the nation’s capital is an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal dwelling place, bursting with opportunities for its inhabitants to walk, run, bike, hike, swim, boat, paddle and play.

Compiled below is a short list of D.C.’s outdoor gems. Some you may be familiar with; others you may wish to explore for the very first time. Either way, as the summer solstice (June 21) fast approaches, the timing couldn’t be better to get out and about.

Rock Creek Park

As mentioned above, Rock Creek Park is celebrating its quasquicentennial this year. With over 32 miles of trails, the possibilities are virtually endless in this storied city treasure, a favorite of Mayor Muriel Bowser. If you plan on hiking, strap on a pair of comfortable shoes, grab your water bottle and start with one of the two primary trails: the green-blazed Western Ridge Trail, which parallels the western side of the park, or the blue-blazed Valley Trail, which parallels Rock Creek and Beach Drive.

If biking is more your speed, a popular paved path begins just north of Peirce Mill and follows the creek all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. For the horseback rider, 13 miles of dirt-and-gravel bridle paths crisscross the park. Riding lessons and guided trail rides are available at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center.

Prefer tennis, golf or boating? The Rock Creek Tennis Center, located at 16th and Kennedy streets is open year-round and has more than two-dozen courts. The Thompson Boat Center rents kayaks, canoes, small sailboats, rowing shells and bicycles. Rock Creek Park Golf Course, an 18-hole public course with clubhouse, can be reached from 16th Street and Rittenhouse Street. Round out nine holes with an Arnold Palmer or two: picnicking — while perhaps not the most active way to enjoy the park — is a great way to spend a leisurely afternoon. Picnic grove reservations are required and visitors may choose between full- and half-day rentals. Finally, Rock Creek Park boasts the National Park Service’s only planetarium, located within the Nature Center. Free tickets are available at the Nature Center front desk up to one half-hour prior to showtimes.

Glover-Archbold Park

Familiar to many Georgetown residents, Glover-Archbold Park offers close to six miles of tranquil trails along the Potomac River and the C&O Canal, making it a popular loop for the archetypical DC fitness enthusiast: the runner. No matter your preferred gait, though, the narrow stream-valley park runs from Canal Street in Georgetown to Wisconsin Avenue in Friendship Heights, making it a great destination for joggers, hikers and birdwatchers. If you’re not entering on foot from Georgetown, there are several locations in the park that are easy walking distance from Metro bus stops. The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove is located along the course of the park’s trails on Canal Road, so it’s possible to make a pit-stop along your trek for some canoeing, kayaking, rowing or fishing on the Potomac. Your canine friends are welcome, but leave your bike at home; the park’s trails are marked as open to foot-traffic only.

Georgetown Waterfront Park

Perhaps the quintessential outdoor spot during the summer months, Georgetown Waterfront Park curves along 10 acres of the Potomac, offering expansive views of Key Bridge and the Kennedy Center, with the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in the distance. Joggers, cyclists, skaters and walkers flock to this fitness mecca on sunny days.

Whether your aim is to grab a bite of seafood with a view at one of the waterfront restaurants, or people-watch from one of the park benches dotted along its borders, or partake in one of the free outdoor community fitness classes offered by the Georgetown Business Improvement District, the Park has something for everyone. Georgetown studios and stores leading free, twice-weekly classes this summer include CrossFit Key Bridge, Barre3 Georgetown, CorePower Yoga, Down Dog Yoga, Georgetown Yoga, Yoga Del Sol, Fitness Together Georgetown and Key Bridge Boathouse (see below). The tubular water fountain is a hotspot for children, letting revelers run through its rainbow-shaped waterspouts, and putting the old-school backyard sprinkler to shame.

Meridian Hill Park

An administrative unit of Rock Creek Park, Meridian Hill Park hosts 12 acres of statues, the only memorial to U.S. President James Buchanan in the city, the largest cascading fountain in North America, and on Sunday afternoons, its very own drum circle, attracting local participants exhibiting all levels of “drum-circle expertise.” Bordered by 16th, 15th, W and Euclid streets near the neighborhoods of Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan, the park’s beautiful landscape is modeled on an aristocratic Italian garden. In 1994, it was designated a National Historic Landmark, as “an outstanding accomplishment of early 20th century Neoclassicist park design in the United States.” Wayside exhibits interpret its unique story and history. A mobile phone tour is also available, downloadable via the National Park Service website.

Key Bridge Boathouse

While not technically a park, this friendly neighborhood facility at the end of Water Street on the banks of the Potomac could not be omitted. Boasting “all paddling, no politics,” the Key Bridge Boathouse offers canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and yoga, both on the paddleboards — yes, yoga on a paddleboard — and on the dock. Take to the river in your watercraft of choice and paddle toward the Kennedy Center, Theodore Roosevelt Island — named for the Scrambler-in-Chief — or Fletcher’s Cove. Classes are offered for all activities. (Please note: having taken a plunge in the Potomac herself, this writer recommends an introductory class for those activities you haven’t tried before.) Luckily, life vests are a requirement, so you can enjoy your activity of choice safely and worry-free. Insider tip: for early risers, the Key Bridge Boathouse offers free community paddle sessions on Fridays at 7 a.m.