Picnic Area #7 at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D. C.

LOCATION
Picnic Area #7 is located on Beach Drive in the central section of Rock Creek Park. See the Picnic Areas web page for an interactive location map.

PARKING
The picnic area has its own parking lot that can hold 60-70 vehicles. It can be reserved for group picnics, but if your group is coming by bus, you must reserve either Picnic Area #1 or #24, as these are the only picnic areas with parking lots that can accommodate buses.

AMENITIES
Picnic Area #7 is on a long strip of land situated along Rock Creek. It would take five minutes to walk from one end to the other. Tables appear to be randomly placed on the field—some right along the road—so if you are here for a group picnic, be prepared to carry the tables to a central location. In all, I counted eight tables, five in the general area of the grill and three along the road at the far end of the field.

There is a single grill, but it was installed at the bottom of a hill in what amounts to a flood area, so expect to be grilling while standing in mud if your picnic is held shortly after a rain storm.

Picnic Area #7 at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D. C.

Other than a large parking lot and a grill, the reservable Picnic Area #7 is no better than most of the first come, first served picnic areas at Rock Creek Park. There is no covered pavilion and no restroom. If you want to host a picnic, the better choices are Picnic Areas #1, #6, #10, #13, and #24. Stay away from this one and #8 and #9, which are pretty much the same.

Picnic Area #7 can accommodate 75 guests. It is not handicap accessible.

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.

RESERVATIONS
If you plan on hosting a group picnic at Rock Creek Park, Picnic Area #7 must be reserved in advance from May 1^st through November 31^st. Reservations can be made for a half day from either 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM or from 3 PM to 7 PM, or for a full day by reserving both time slots. The current fee is $65 per time slot. Reservations can be made online up to one year in advance at www.recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777.  Other picnic areas that can be reserved are #1, #6, #8, #9, #10, #13, and #24.

All tables are taken on a first come, first served bases the rest of the year. For complete picnic area rules, see the National Park Service’s official Rules and Regulations web page for Rock Creek Park.

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