Rock Creek Park · DC
Western Ridge Trail (Moderate)
Live · updated
Today
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Today's best: hiking
Much of the upper level of the park is closed to rehabilitate the grass. Fountains and the reflecting pool are open but may be turned off or drained occasionally while adjustments to the water levels and further improvements occur. We expect the reflecting pool to be drained during the week of June 8 for additional work. Visit the Meridian Hill Park page for more information.
From May 12 to June 8, Piney Branch Parkway will be closed for DC Water's work on the Piney Branch Tunnel Project.
The Nature Center and Planetarium building is closed until further notice due to continued remediation. Check the park's calendar for changes to ranger programs and locations.
Out of an abundance of caution, Fort Totten Park will remain closed east of Fort Totten Drive, south of Gallatin Street/Metropolitan Branch Trail and north of Brookland Ave NE/Farragut St. due to the investigation involving two WWI-era munitions found.
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Trail running
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Dog walking
Park closure — trail is inaccessible today.
Score breakdown
- · 79°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.32 mi
- Elevation gain
- 78 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- easy
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.9371, -77.0514 — DC.
Park
Part of Rock Creek Park (official site →).
Park advisories
For visitor safety, the southern end of the Glover Archbold Trail is under an emergency closure until further notice due to aerial hazards. Please follow the posted detour along Foxhall Rd. / 44th St. NW / P St. NW.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Western Ridge Trail (Moderate)?
Western Ridge Trail (Moderate) is a 0.32-mile route with 78 feet of elevation gain — easy — gentle grades, generally suitable for families and beginners with normal fitness. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Western Ridge Trail (Moderate)?
Western Ridge Trail (Moderate) is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Western Ridge Trail (Moderate), and where do closure alerts come from?
Western Ridge Trail (Moderate) is in Rock Creek Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.