Rock Creek Park · DC
White Horse Trail
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
- · 80°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.
- − 42 min of daylight — You need at least 48 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.44 mi
- Elevation gain
- 159 ft
- Surface
- gravel
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.9588, -77.0452 — 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 White Horse Trail?
White Horse Trail is a 0.44-mile route with 159 feet of elevation gain. 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 White Horse Trail?
White Horse Trail is crushed gravel or compacted aggregate — drains quickly, stays passable in wet weather. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages White Horse Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
White Horse Trail 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.