LBJ Memorial sculpture by Harold Vogel

PARK OVERVIEW

The Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac marks a favorite spot of President Johnson. He and his wife Claudia (aka Lady Bird) would often stop here to relax and look out over the Potomac River before returning to the hustle and bustle of Washington. The memorial is located at the southern end of Lady Bird Johnson Park, which is an entire island in the Potomac River and was called Columbia Island up until 1968. While it is a stone’s throw from the coast of Virginia, the island is within the Washington, D. C. border. There are some short trails and picnic tables in the park, but as far as the memorial is concerned, all you can do is look at it, or maybe sit for a while just as the Johnsons used to do. There are benches around the memorial.

LBJ Memorial sculpture

Picnic tables and paved trail near the LBJ Memorial

The LBJ Memorial is fifteen acres in size and includes a meadow and a grove of white pines and dogwoods. It was designed by landscape architect Meade Palmer. The sculpture—if you want to call it that—is by Harold Vogel. It is a roughly chiseled block of pink granite that is symbolic of Johnson’s rough and dynamic personality. Quarried only 35 miles from his ranch in Texas, it is situated on a granite plaza and has a clear view of Washington.

LBJ Memorial and a view of the Washington Memorial

There are four quotes from the President engraved into stone tablets and placed around the plaza.

Quote from President Johnson

For National Park enthusiasts who are trying to see as many parks as possible, the LBJ Memorial Grove on the Potomac is one of the 400+ National Park units. It was dedicated on April 6, 1976.

Lady Bird Johnson Park is one of the many sub units of George Washington Memorial Parkway, which itself is one of the 400+ parks in the system.

GETTING THERE

The LBJ Memorial Grove can be reached by vehicle, bike, or on foot. I personally arrived on foot, taking the paved Mount Vernon Trail from the Arlington Cemetery Metro, a 1.8-mile, one-way hike (the trail also allows bikers). The memorial itself is only a mile from Arlington, but between it and the trail is George Washington Memorial Parkway, a major highway. Thus, you must walk all the way to the south end of the island, go under the Parkway via a tunnel, and then walk a third of the way back towards Arlington Cemetery to reach the memorial, an extra .8 mile, one way.

The Mount Vernon Trail, which is part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, runs right along the Potomac River all the way to Mount Vernon in the south, and if you head north it connects to other National Scenic Trail segments, and you can hike to Pittsburgh. The terrain through Lady Bird Johnson Park is mainly out in the open and exposed to the sun.

Mount Vernon Trail runs along the Potomac River

You can also reach the memorial by vehicle, but only from the southbound lane of George Washington Memorial Parkway. Follow the signs to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, which will take you to a large parking lot for the Columbia Island Marina. For the shortest walk to the LBJ Memorial, drive all the way to the far end of the parking lot (the opposite end from the marina). You will find a paved path that leads through the woods to the memorial, a tenth of a mile away.

End of the Columbia Marina parking lot

Paved path through the woods from the parking lot to the LBJ Memorial

There is also a parking lot in Virginia right next to the Pentagon, and a wooden footbridge leads from it to Lady Bird Johnson Park. However, the parking lot may be for Pentagon employees, so just stick to the marina parking lot on the island.

Footbridge to the parking lot near the Pentagon

OPERATING HOURS

The LBJ Memorial Grove on the Potomac is open daily from 6 AM to 10 PM.

FEES

There are no fees to enter the memorial or Lady Bird Johnson Park.

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