Roosevelt island and the trail along the river north towards chain bridge. Also Kingman Island on the other side

Anacostia river walk, C&O canal towpath

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capitol crescent trail

Seneca Creek State Park, Wheaton Regional Park in MoCo

Greenbelt Park in PG

Washington & Old Dominion Trail in VA

Kingman island

Rock Creek Park is vast, and changes every day. There’s a world to explore in your backyard.

Kennilworth Aquatic Garden, Dumbarton Oaks

This is really the best answer. An absolutely oasis of nature, practically right through the middle of the District — and Rock Creek’s size is really vast.

Try the network of trails north of Military Road. It’s hard to believe you are in the city. The Western Ridge Trail is the main artery and there are tons of little trails that stem from it. The other main River trail runs adjacent Rock Creek and it’s also nice, but more frequently used.

The towpath is a personal favorite. You barely have to leave Georgetown and it feels like a different world. Lots of turtles and herons and other wildlife in the canal, too.

Wheaton Regional park (a short walk from the Glenmont metro) has some nice hiking trails near(ish) a metro, especially on the east side (near the Brookside Nature Center).

If you're up for a hike, you can go from there to the NW Branch trail by crossing Kemp Mill Road and doing the 3 mile hike south to Burnt Mills. The west side of the river is a hiking / biking trail, while the east side of the river is a hiking-only trail (the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail).

From Burnt Mills, you can keep following the NW Branch, crossing Colesville Road to head south some more.

The whole anacostia trail!!!

Scientists Cliffs, I believe the town is Port Republic MD

Check out lake needwood in Rockville, you can walk from the shady grove metro (20 mins ish)

Point of rocks is not far.

How would you get there without a car?

Came here to add there’s a group of bald eagles that fish at lock 6, and confirming the herons, absolutely love watching them fish near snake island.

Came here to say this

Also accessible from Rock Creek Park bike trail.

Got a bike? PG County has tons of green areas all accessible by bike trails that connect with the Anacostia River Trail and NW including Lake Artemesia and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, as well as smaller parks closer in. Just turn on Google Maps bike overlay and look at all the green spaces and how they connect. If you want a comprehensive introduction, sign up for WABA's Cider Ride which is happening next week.

Of course you can walk these trails too, though it'll be harder to reach some of the farther-out areas.

Teddy Roosevelt Island is very nice and woodsy, with a reflecting pool in the middle. It's a short walk or shorter bike ride from Georgetown to Arlington. You get to it from a footpath from the bike trail that runs along the VA side of the river, not too far from Key Bridge. Bikes needed to be locked up before you could go onto the island last time I checked.

Enid Haupt Garden

Any suggestions for someone who constantly gets lost and is intimidated by the vastness lol

The major trails match up reasonably well on Google maps. You could also walk in the farther north parts of the park where it's more one winding trail and less a vast forest -- just pick where you want to enter the trail and where you want to exit.

There's a bunch of parks throughout the metro area that are somewhat escapes to nature to varying degrees. Glover Archibald Park, the parks/reservoir just north of Sibley Hospital, Jones Point, and Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve are all places I've gotten to without a car or bike.

I am a big fan of the CityMapper app, and never get lost any more. I ride my bicycle through the park an average of 50 miles a week, which means I frequently try new trails for variety and it has never steered me wrong, and finds the tiniest trails, almost deer paths, to get me from Point A to Point B. No matter where you are, it can lead you back to civilization, or at least to the closest street/metro station. As for vastness, you can start small by getting yourself to Peirce Mill or Veirs Mill (MoCo, but in the Rock Creek watershed), which has many simple trails nearby. And for a simple hike, again in MoCo, hie thee to Lake Needwood. The trail around it is, I think, 3 miles, and will give you a breath of fresh air and many gorgeous views of the lake.

(Side note: I have traveled to multiple US and European cities, and CityMapper has been available in each. Thank goodness, because I always used to get lost!)

Yeah Bladensburg Waterfront Park is really nice and easy to get to.

Lol! Reading comprehension is always an issue in threads like this

Stay by the zoo

So true

Shhh Don't give away my spot

Having grown up here I have always lived close to some really nice wooded areas. My goodness are you in the right place

You specified NO CAR but I promise folks will ignore that and recommend places that require you to have a car anyway.

Fort Mahan park, fort Slocum park

I grew up in Vienna with access to a car. Love it here so it’s why I moved back but my access to the places I used to go is limited. Finding my new way in the city proper

This app is incredible. Thank you!!

I’ll probably get downvoted but I really love cemeteries & love Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown. It’s huge, there’s lots of green space & it’s so peaceful. It’s just simply very lovely. Checkout the reviews & pics on Google.

Dunno why you’d get downvoted as long as you’re respectful in the cemetery. I like them too. The hours make it hard to get in though and it’s always locked up

Nice

The Potomac Heritage Trail along the west side of the Potomac is something different. I always drive up GWMP to access, but I think you could access from walking across Key Bridge. Also if your up for biking up the C&O, the Billy Goat trails on the eastern side of Potomac offer a lot of great sceneries

Soapstone Valley Trail. It's short, on Google maps, and accessible via the Van Ness stop.

Closed currently I believe?