Theodore Roosevelt Island Loop

Theodore Roosevelt Island is a wooded national memorial in the Potomac River between Georgetown in Washington, DC and Rosslyn, Virginia. About 2.5 miles (4 km) of trails loop through the island's forest and swamp, with elevation change under 50 ft, making it one of the easiest nature walks in the capital region. The island is reached from a parking lot off the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway, which is signed from the Virginia side and fills quickly on fine weekends. Visitors without a car can take the Metro to Rosslyn on the Blue, Orange or Silver lines and walk about 0.7 miles along the Mount Vernon Trail to the pedestrian footbridge. The National Park Service can be reached at +1-703-289-2500, and no permit or entrance fee is required. Three main trails, the Swamp Trail, Upland Trail and Woods Trail, connect around a central memorial plaza containing a statue of the 26th president, fountains and stone tablets inscribing his principles on nature, manhood, youth and the state. Surfaces include boardwalk over the tidal swamp, packed dirt and gravel, and the plaza is paved. Much of the loop is shaded by mature oak, tulip poplar and maple, and the swamp boardwalk offers views of marsh vegetation and, at times, herons and turtles. A full circuit takes roughly one to one and a half hours at an easy pace. Recommended turnaround is unnecessary because the trails loop back, and the footbridge is never more than a short walk away if hikers wish to leave early. There are no drinking fountains reliably available and no shelter beyond tree cover, so water should be carried. Mosquitoes can be heavy in summer, particularly near the swamp. Views across the river toward the Kennedy Center, Georgetown and the Rosslyn skyline appear from the island's edges.