A 1-Day Itinerary to Visit Fort Washington Park, Maryland in 2022
An important but underappreciated part of American military history, Fort Washington Park in Maryland is well worth a couple of hours of your time. For much of the 19th century, this was the only permanent fortification protecting Washington DC. After WWII, it was transferred to the National Park System. A walk about the site is not only a tour across the well-preserved grounds of the fort, but also a tour across time that shows how American military thinking shifted between the early 19th century and the 20th century.
Keep reading for an overview of how to visit, what to expect, and other tips you should know before you visit Fort Washington Park.
Fort Washington Location and How to Get There
Not far from Washington DC, Fort Washington Park is located on the Maryland shore overlooking the Potomac River. The distance from Fort Washington, MD to Alexandria, VA is about 7 miles as the crow flies.
Fort Washington, MD is in Prince George’s County.
To get there, drive down Fort Washington Road and proceed past the entrance station.
Fort Washington Park Map
Familiarize yourself with the area ahead of time by studying the Fort Washington Park map, courtesy of the National Park Service.
Official map of Fort Washington Park from the National Park Service.
When to Visit
The site opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. daily. Note that the Historic Fort and Fort Washington Visitor Center are closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
If you want to avoid tourist crowds, you’ll have the best chance of enjoying the park in solitude if you visit first thing in the morning or on a weekday. The park tends to be most crowded on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. However, that’s also when you’re most likely to catch reenactors dressed in period costumes from the 19th century.
The weather for Fort Washington, Maryland is most pleasant in the spring and fall.
Fort Washington Parking
There’s a large parking lot at the site. Parking is free of charge. Even though it’s a big lot, it can fill up on weekend afternoons. You’ll have the best chance of getting a desirable space early on a weekend morning or on a weekday.
After you’ve parked, exit the lot. Walk the easy paved trail up a gentle hillside.
Fort Washington Visitor Center
You’ll approach a couple of signs. These provide a map of the area, contact information for park police, and information about volunteer and clean-up opportunities.
Past the signs, you’ll see a large yellow building at the far end of the hill. This is the Fort Washington Visitor Center.
Enter the Visitor Center and pick up a few maps and brochures from the rack to your right in front of the bathrooms. Look to the left and you’ll see the gift shop. The ranger on duty can answer any questions you might have.
At the far end of this floor, there’s a small theater where you can watch a good but somewhat dated 7-minute film about the history of the park. This provides a good introduction to what you’ll see today. Ask the ranger to play the film if it’s not running when you arrive.
If you need to use a restroom, the facilities inside the Visitor Center are excellent and are cleaned regularly.
Take at least a few more minutes here to learn about the history of Fort Washington Park by visiting the on-site museum. It’s located in a single room at the far end of the Visitor Center corridor off to your right.
What is Fort Washington Famous For?
Here’s a brief history of the fort from the 18th century until the mid-20th century.
George Washington recommended that a fort be constructed in this area—at Digges Point, to be precise—in the 1790s. The first complete permanent fort to be located here was called Fort Warburton. Amid growing US-British tensions in the early 19th century, the fort was completed and running by 1809. It was a smaller and less sophisticated version of the Fort Washington that would eventually replace it, and was outfitted with 13 guns.
During the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812, the British destroyed the White House and Capitol. The day after, British naval forces under the command of Rear Admiral George Cockburn advanced along the Potomac River toward Alexandria, Virginia. Capt. Samuel Dyson assumed the six heavily armed British warships would defeat his 45-man garrison at Fort Warburton with ease. Most of the guns at the fort posed no real threat to the warships either. Dyson evacuated the garrison and destroyed the fort to prevent its supplies from falling into British hands. The British captured Alexandria. After the war, Dyson was court-martialed for his decision.
In 1815, Lt. Col. Walker Armistead from the US Army Corps of Engineers took over the rebuilding and expansion of the fort. It was finished in 1824 at a cost of $426,000.
During the 1840s, the fort was expanded dramatically and modernized. It bristled with thirty of the latest 24-pounder guns. The fort we see today is pretty similar to how it looked in the 1840s. In 1861, the fort received additional 24-pounder and 32-pounder guns.
By the early 20th century, Fort Washington’s coastal fortifications improved considerably. As part of the Endicott System, the fort and coast were outfitted with mortars, searchlights, naval mines, and rapid-fire guns, among other improvements.
During World War I, a couple of guns from Fort Washington were shipped to Europe and used in France.
By 1921, Fort Washington lost its coastal defense role and became home to the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry, which was the Honor Guard for Washington DC.
During World War II, the fort served as the home of the Adjutant General’s Officer Candidate School, training service members of the US Army.
Fort Washington was deactivated right after the war concluded. In 1946, it transitioned from a military installation to a park, becoming part of the National Park System.
Tour of Fort Washington Park
Back at the brochures rack, pick up a copy of the good self-guided tour pamphlet if you haven’t already. Exit the Visitor Center, take a look at the plaques outside, and make your way down the path and hill toward the entrance to the historic fort.
Approach the entrance, which has a long drawbridge that could be rapidly withdrawn in the face of enemy attack back in the fort’s heyday. Any invader in the 1840s would also have had to contend with 13 guns mounted on the parapet above.
Proceed into the gatehouse. Inside, you’ll notice two rooms flanking the walkway. One was the guard house, where soldiers on guard duty could hang out until it was time to assume their duties. The other room was the guard room, a jail that could hold up to seven soldiers accused of unruly behavior.
After you exit the gatehouse, you’ll notice a long building off to the left. This was the officers’ quarters, built in 1824 for officers and their families. On weekends, you may see Civil War reenactors in costume sitting here.
Around the middle of the grounds, you’ll see a big 24-pounder cannon. This is the last original gun from 19th century Fort Washington at the park today. It could fire one shot about every five minutes at a target up to a mile away.
At the far end of the grounds off to the left, you’ll see another long building. This was the enlisted barracks, and housed a company (about 100-200) NCOs. The building also once held the fort’s hospital.
The northern and southern ends of the grounds also served as storage areas for gunpowder and ammo.
You can exit the fort and make your way down a hill toward the water battery. This battery had guns situated at a level capable of striking the hulls of enemy ships with their munitions.
En route, you may notice groundhogs running through the grass. There’s a lighthouse by the shoreline. Occasionally, you may see boat tours on the river.
After you’ve finished touring the fort and its immediate surroundings, consider walking down the Fort Washington Waterside Trail. It’s a good and easy hike.
Stay until you’ve had your fill of exploring Fort Washington Park.
Fort Washington, Maryland Hotels
Those planning to stay overnight may want to look into a hotel in Fort Washington, Maryland. These are a few of the good value budget options you can find nearby. Each is within seven miles of the park.
- Premier National Harbor House
- Quality Inn Mount Vernon
- Best Western Plus Mount Vernon – Fort Belvoir
- Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Belvoir Alexandria
- Red Roof Inn PLUS+ Washington DC – Alexandria
If You Have More Time
Of course, seeing Fort Washington Park alone is not likely to fill up your entire day. If you have more time in the area, another place in the area that’s worth checking out is Piscataway Park and the National Colonial Farm. You can get there easily from Fort Washington, as it’s only a few minutes away by car.
Path to the lighthouse and water battery at Fort Washington Park