Large field next to the Anacostia Park swimming pool parking lot
See the Park Map for field locations.
Anacostia Park has multi-purpose fields where organizations can host leagues and sports camps and individuals and teams can practice or have pick-up games, but a permit must be obtained ($50 at the time of this writing), and the organization must have liability insurance. In my opinion, most of the fields are a little too shabby for serious league play, and none have fenced boundaries, but they are perfect for team practices. For more information, visit the official Permits and Reservations web page for Anacostia Park.
A large field for soccer, football, rugby, and other field sports is located on either side of the Anacostia Swimming Pool between the 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Bridges, plus there is a soccer field near the Good Hope Road entrance. In all, up to six games can be going on at once. In addition to these large fields are a number of smaller fields where visitors can throw a frisbee, football, or baseball, or kick around a soccer ball.
The park has two baseball / softball fields, one next to the roller skating rink and the other at River Terrace Park at Benning Road. The field near the skating rink is level, but the one at River Terrace Park slopes noticeably towards the first base side (throwing from third to first will be easier since you are throwing downhill). Nothing prohibits playing other sports on these fields, so if nobody is playing baseball, feel free to use them as you wish.
Baseball / softball field near the skating rink at Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C.
Baseball / softball field at River Terrace Park, part of Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C.
Keep in mind that no fields are fenced off, so balls from other games will end up on the wrong field, and players may have to hustle after balls kicked or hit out of bounds. The soccer fields have goals without nets, one field has football goal posts, and the baseball fields have a batter’s box and pitcher’s mound, but players must bring their own bases and mark off the field accordingly.
Small soccer field with goals at Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C.
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Last updated on November 27, 2025
