Is there an entrance fee for George Washington Memorial Parkway?

NPS lists the parkway as a fee-free park with no entrance fee. Confirm on the official park page before a trip.

What is the busiest month at George Washington Memorial Parkway?

In 2025 the busiest month was July with 804,036 recreation visits. The quietest was January with 235,482.

Are dogs allowed at George Washington Memorial Parkway?

NPS lists pets as permitted on several things to do here, including the Mount Vernon Trail walk or bike ride. Where pets are allowed, they must be in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less.

Is the parkway open 24 hours?

NPS says the road is generally open all year, around the clock, and most park sites open at 6 am and close at 10 pm. Check current conditions for closures.

All parks › George Washington Memorial Parkway

George Washington Memorial Parkway: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 6,732,932^[3]
Campgrounds: 1^[4]

George Washington Memorial Parkway is a unit of the National Park System in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for George Washington Memorial Parkway^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the road is generally open all year, around the clock, and asks you to check current conditions for road work and weather closures^[6]. Most park sites open at 6 am and close at 10 pm^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 804,036 recreation visits^[2]. The quietest month was January with 235,482^[2]. NPS describes summers as hot and humid, with scattered afternoon thunderstorms^[7]. Winters are cold with occasional snowfall, and spring and fall are moderate but can change quickly^[7]. The parkway headquarters office keeps weekday hours, 8:15 am to 4:15 pm, and is closed on weekends and holidays^[8].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	235,482
February	317,674
March	517,356
April	610,056
May	706,872
June	716,750
July	804,036
August	749,066
September	629,670
October	578,898
November	490,762
December	376,310

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	6,821,179
2022^[3]	7,397,120
2023^[3]	7,391,260
2024^[3]	6,782,717
2025^[3]	6,732,932

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground here, Fort Hunt Picnic Areas, with 6 sites^[4]. Check Recreation.gov or the official park page for booking details.

Fort Hunt Picnic Areas, 6 sites^[4]

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, where pets are allowed, they must be kept in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less, at all times^[9]. Pets are barred from public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches, with an exception for service animals^[9]. Each park can close more areas to pets, so check the official page^[9].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours can change, so confirm on the official park page before you go^[1].
Check current conditions for road work and weather closures^[6].
Headquarters is closed on weekends and holidays^[8].
In summer, carry water and be ready to take shelter from lightning^[7].
In winter, watch for snowplows and icy spots on roadways^[7].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee for George Washington Memorial Parkway?: NPS lists the parkway as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official park page before a trip.
What is the busiest month at George Washington Memorial Parkway?: In 2025 the busiest month was July with 804,036 recreation visits^[2]. The quietest was January with 235,482^[2].
Are dogs allowed at George Washington Memorial Parkway?: NPS lists pets as permitted on several things to do here, including the Mount Vernon Trail walk or bike ride^[10]. Where pets are allowed, they must be in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less^[9].
Is the parkway open 24 hours?: NPS says the road is generally open all year, around the clock, and most park sites open at 6 am and close at 10 pm^[6]. Check current conditions for closures^[6].

Facts and sources

NPS lists George Washington Memorial Parkway as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 6,821,179, 2022: 7,397,120, 2023: 7,391,260, 2024: 6,782,717, 2025: 6,732,932. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in George Washington Memorial Parkway (list on this page). National Park Service
George Washington Memorial Parkway is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: Memorial Parkway) in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. National Park Service
Operating hours, The George Washington Memorial Parkway: The George Washington Memorial Parkway is generally open year round, 24 hours a day. Check current conditions for information about closures due to road work and inclement weather. Parkway... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for George Washington Memorial Parkway. National Park Service
Operating hours, George Washington Memorial Parkway Headquarters: Parkway headquarters is open Monday through Friday from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm. It is closed on weekends and holidays. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 10 things to do at George Washington Memorial Parkway: Multi-Park Loop, Silver Line - DC Metro, Blue Line - DC Metro, Hike between Scott's Run Nature Preserve and Theodore Roosevelt Island, Take a walk or bike ride on the Mount Vernon Trail,... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.