Skip to content
The Green Adventures
Find my parkMapGreat Smoky MountainsZionYellowstoneSee all: ParksCaliforniaAlaskaUtahSee all: By stateNational monumentsSeashores and lakeshoresAll 412 Park Service sitesSee all: All sitesWhich park should I visit?Pass calculatorCampground finderSee all: Trip toolsAnnual pass 2026International visitorsFree days 2026See all: Fees and passes

Park Service site · District of Columbia

Theodore Roosevelt Island

Park Service site in District of Columbia. No entrance fee. 2 hikes listed.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypePark Service site
StateDistrict of Columbia
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkShenandoah (74 mi)
Closest airportDCA (3 mi)
A bronze statue of Theodore Roosevelt standing and pointing.
Theodore Roosevelt memorial plaza on Theodore Roosevelt Island. Photo: NPS

Theodore Roosevelt Island is a park service site run by the National Park Service in District of Columbia.

In the park service’s words

In the 1930s, landscape architects transformed Mason’s Island from neglected, overgrown farmland into Theodore Roosevelt Island, a memorial to America’s 26th president. They conceived a “real forest” designed to mimic the natural forest that once covered the island. Today miles of trails through wooded uplands and swampy bottomlands honor the legacy of a great outdoorsman and conservationist.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

  • Multi-Park Loop: Park your car and stretch your legs! Visit four different National Parks in Washington, DC and begin logging miles on seven different National Historic or National Scenic trails!
  • Silver Line - DC Metro (1 to 2 Days): Step off the Silver Line to take a walk on Theodore Roosevelt Island, or sight see from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Each of the parks listed here are 1 mile or less from each metro stop (about a 20 minute walk) or a 10 minute bus ride away.
  • Discover Theodore Roosevelt Island (1 to 3 Hours): Theodore Roosevelt Island is a memorial that honors the legacy of a great outdoorsman and conservationist. Learn about America’s 26th president, and the diverse human and natural history of the island.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Daily, 6:00AM - 10:00PM. The park is open every day from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Getting there

By Car: accessible from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, after Roosevelt Bridge, exit sign, turn right into the parking lot. Please note: park in a designated parking space, US Park Police regularly tickets drivers who park on the grass. By Metro: exit Rosslyn Metro station, walk toward Key Bridge, take short connecting trail downhill from the downstream side of the bridge, across the parkway, and into the parking lot for the island. By Bike: Mount Vernon Trail north end

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) Washington, DC No road route 3 Large hub
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Dulles, VA No road route 21 Large hub
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Baltimore, MD No road route 29 Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Weather

Outdoor trails and memorial plaza subject to weather for Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Shenandoah, about 74 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Theodore Roosevelt Island?

No entrance fee.

Where is Theodore Roosevelt Island?

In District of Columbia. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, about 3 miles away.

More sites nearby

Bronze statue of African American Civil War soldiers. Other Park Service sitesAfrican American Civil War Memorial Park Service site in District of Columbia. No entrance fee. An outdoor view of the Anchorage center, with trees and flowering shrubs in front of the building. Other Park Service sitesAlaska Public Lands Park Service site in Alaska. No entrance fee. View of the Alcatraz Lighthouse and Island from the water Other Park Service sitesAlcatraz Island Park Service site in California. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed. Group of people around a Russian cross in tall grass Other Park Service sitesAleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area National Historic Area in Alaska. No entrance fee. Large lawn in front of the memorial. Other Park Service sitesAmerican Memorial Park Park in Northern Mariana Islands. No entrance fee. Aerial view of Anacostia Drive and the playground Other Park Service sitesAnacostia Park Park in District of Columbia. No entrance fee.