THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
You don’t have to travel far to find spectacular fall color. National parks across the Washington, D.C., region offer countless ways to experience autumn, from mountain trails and Potomac River views to historic battlefields, urban forests and the National Mall.
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The National Park Service is excited to welcome visitors to celebrate National Park Week from Saturday, August 22 through Sunday, August 30, as dozens of sites across the region mark the 2026 theme, “Celebrate America’s Story,” highlighting the 250th anniversary of American independence and recognizing our shared American heritage of national parks.
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The National Park Service invites you to comment on a proposed update to the management plan for the Civil War Defenses of Washington, the historic network of forts, batteries and parkland that protected the nation’s capital during the Civil War.
Official NPS sourceFORT WASHINGTON, Md. — The National Park Service invites the public to commemorate 250 years of the United States Army with a day of historical reenactments, immersive tours, and special presentations highlighting the fort's rich history. Visitors will gain insight into the lives of soldiers who lived and worked at Fort Washington through historical music, reenactors, cannon demonstrations, and more. Celebrate this significant milestone with a variety of activities and history-focused programs that bring the past to life.
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WASHINGTON— Everyone’s invited! The National Park Service is excited to welcome the community back for the 2025 Fort Dupont Park Summer Event Series, one of D.C.’s most cherished summer traditions. Now in its 53rd year, this free, family-friendly concert series brings people of all ages together to enjoy great music in a beautiful, safe and welcoming urban national park.
Official NPS sourceVenison donations from national parks of the National Capital Region in 2025.
Official NPS sourceJoin us as we celebrate the reopening of the Oxon Cove Trail with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 26 at 11:30 a.m.! The National Park Service, the Town of Forest Heights and Potomac Riverkeeper invite you to gather at the bridge along the Oxon Cove Trail — designed to connect the community of Forest Heights to the trail and provide a smoother, more scenic experience for all.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) invites the public to share comments on the development of a Management Plan (Plan) update and a corresponding Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Civil War Defenses of Washington (CWDW) located in the District of Columbia; Fairfax County, Virginia; and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service is improving 12 recreation areas across National Capital Parks – East with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund.
Official NPS sourceOXON HILL, Md. — The National Park Service invites the community to attend the annual Oxon Hill Farm Fall Festival on October 19, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
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The National Park Service is temporarily closing the Visitor Center in Fort Washington Park while the building is rehabilitated and new exhibits are installed. The Visitor Center will be closed from 12:00 am on September 30, 2024, until 11:59 pm on November 9, 2024.
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Join us at the Fort Dupont Park amphitheater on Sept. 7, 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. for the 2024 Fort Dupont Park Summer Event Series! The National Park Service has announced the full lineup for this year’s performances.
Official NPS sourceEight national parks in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia have concluded this year’s annual operations to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer. These parks donated more than 13,000 pounds of venison to local nonprofit organizations that will serve approximately 55,000 meals to families in need.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) will invest more than $1.5 million for improvements to the Oxon Cove Hiker-Biker Trail at Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm in Prince George's County, Md. The project will resurface and rehabilitate the trail and replace a washed-out pedestrian bridge, reconnecting the Forest Heights community with Oxon Cove Park for the first time in years. Work will begin April 22, weather depending, and is expected to be completed by early fall 2024.
Official NPS sourceThis month, the National Park Service (NPS) will host community pop-ups in Northeast and Southeast Washington, D.C., to share proposed plans to improve NPS recreational facilities at the Alabama Avenue playground; Battery Ricketts and Fort Stanton Park; Kenilworth Park; Randle Circle Park, Lanham Estates and Ridge Road picnic areas at Fort Dupont Park; and River Terrace Park at Anacostia Park.
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The National Park Service (NPS) will invest more than $5.6 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for deferred and preventative maintenance on 20 bridges along the Baltimore-Washington and Suitland parkways, and more than 25 other places to improve roads and parking lots at national parks in eastern Washington, D.C., and Maryland. These include repairs in Anacostia Park, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Oxon Hill Farm and Piscataway Park.
Official NPS sourceTo protect and restore native plants and promote healthy and diverse forests, the National Park Service (NPS) will reduce deer populations between January 2 and April 15, 2024, at Fort Dupont, Fort Washington and Greenbelt parks. These national parks in Washington, D.C. and Maryland are managed by National Capital Parks – East.
Official NPS sourceMost forests in eastern United States national parks are at risk due to browsing by overabundant white-tailed deer and crowding by invasive plants, according to a National Park Service (NPS) study published in the journal Ecological Applications.
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