Greenbelt Park is a retreat from the pressures of city life and a refuge for native plants and animals just twelve miles from Washington, D.C.

Long before colonial settlers appeared here, trees and flowers covered these rolling hills and wildlife roamed the woodlands. Algonquin Indians hunted this land in competition with other smaller tribes. A balance existed between the land and its plants, animals, and native people. Then the colonists arrived. Trees fell and forests gave way to farmland. Wildlife retreated to the frontier. For the next 150 years, people cleared the land, plowed the fields, and planted tobacco, corn, and other crops. The rich fertile soil returned high yields.

The people did not give back to the land as much as they took. The land wore out, producing less each season and farming ceased. The land was left bare and defenseless. Erosion caused many scars before nature could slow the process with new growth. Since the early 1900's the land has been recovering.. Today the mixed pine and decidious forest testifies to the land's ability to recover. The land of Greenbelt Park was acquired by the National Park Service in 1950 under Public Law 643.

 Directions 

Plane - National Airport is 17 miles away. There is a Metro subway stop at the airport.

Baltimore-Washington Airport is 21 miles from the park. There is no public transportation available to the park.

Car - Take Exit 23 (Route 201)Kenilworth Avenue South to (Route 193)Greenbelt Road East. The park is a quarter mile on the right. The park address is 6565 Greenbelt Road (Route 193).

Public Transportation - The University of Md/College Park Metro station is a 2.5 mile walk to the campground. The F-6 bus headed toward the New Carrollton Metro station runs on weekdays only. Tell the driver to let you off near Parkdale High School. There is a entrance with parking area. Take the paved trail to the chain linked fence and take a left. The Ranger Station is two hundred yards on your right.

The Greenbelt Metro station is 3 miles from the park. It has a very large parking lot. We recommend that you drive to the Greenbelt Metro instead of driving to Washington, D.C.