19th century photograph of Union soldiers dressed for battle, standing inside Fort Stevens with several cannons positioned, ready to fire. Most stand on the grass.
Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Civil War Washington Forts: An Interpretive Hike of Civil War Defenses of Washington

Saturday, November 8, 2025

10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Free.
This is an outdoor, 2-mile walking hike over both paved and unpaved paths.
Register

When the Civil War broke out, Washington, D.C. was surrounded by slave-holding states and confederate sympathizers. In the summer of 1861, 68 forts were hastily built to defend this city. These forts remain part of our city today. The 2-mile outdoor hike will take educators from Fort DeRussy to Fort Stevens and Battleground National Cemetery.

Where: Rock Creek Park Nature Center, 5200 Glover Rd NW,
Washington, D.C. 20015. Near the intersection of Military Road and Glover Road.

Parking and Transportation: Free parking is available at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center. A yellow school bus will be provided to transport participants from Fort Stevens back to the Nature Center. Click here for directions and information about public transit options.

What to Bring: Please bring a water bottle, wear good walking/hiking shoes and dress for the weather.

Are You an Educator? Classroom teachers may request a letter certifying 1-hour of Professional Development and a packet of resources to help you transform this program into a field trip for your students!