Picnic Area #2B at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D. C.
LOCATION
Picnic Area #2 at Rock Creek Park is located on both sides of Rock Creek and basically functions as two separate picnic areas. Picnic Area 2A (my designation) is near the intersection of Beach Drive and Broad Branch Road. Picnic Area 2B (my designation) is at the south end of Beach Drive near the intersection with Tilden Street and Park Road. See the Picnic Areas web page for an interactive location map.
PARKING
Each of these picnic areas has its own parking lot. The lot for 2A holds approximately 20 vehicles and the 2B lot holds approximately 30 vehicles.
AMENITIES
Picnic Area #2 is the largest of all picnic areas at Rock Creek Park as far as acreage goes, though most of the land is not being used. The picnic area stretches from Tilden Street to Broad Branch Road, which are a quarter mile apart.
During my recent visit (August 2021), construction was going on at a small section of 2A. There were no picnic tables, but I got the feeling that this was not due to the construction. Most of the area wasn’t even affected, and any existing tables in the work area could have easily been moved out of the way. The National Park Service has shown no intentions of maintaining these free picnic areas (vs. the ones you can reserve for a fee), so once the existing tables are broken or stolen, that’s probably the end of the picnic area. There are no grills at 2A, that is for sure. You are welcome to bring your own personal grill to any of the picnic areas at Rock Creek Park.
There are two picnic tables at 2B, both right along Rock Creek. There are no grills. Most people park here when visiting Peirce Mill.
NOTE: Table and grill count may vary due to theft, breakage, or the addition of new tables and grills. If you plan on hosting a group picnic, be sure to stop by and check out the facility in advance to make sure it will fit your needs. You are allowed to bring your own grill. Used charcoal must be disposed of in the trash cans, not dumped onto the ground.
RESERVATIONS
No reservations are accepted. All tables are taken on a first come, first served basis. If you wish to reserve a picnic area for a large group at Rock Creek Park, try Picnic Areas #1, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #13, or #24.
For complete picnic area rules, see the National Park Service’s official Rules and Regulations web page for Rock Creek Park.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on January 11, 2022
