Record of Determination for Temporary Closure of the Aid Box climbing area at Great Falls Park. Closure is required due to a geological event making most climbing routes no longer accessible.

GWMP
Closure Order # 26-003

Pursuant to 36 CFR Section 1.5, The National Park Service is implementing a temporary closure of the climbing area known as “Aid Box” within Great Falls Park until further notice. On March 17, a geological event known as a topple occurred, rendering the majority of established climbing routes in this area inaccessible. The closure will remain in effect while the National Park Service conducts assessments to determine current and future safety conditions.

This temporary closure is not of a nature, magnitude, and duration that will result in a significant alteration in the public use pattern at Great Falls Park, insofar as this closure is necessary to restore safe public access. Nor will this temporary closure adversely affect the park's natural, aesthetic, scenic or cultural values, require a long-term or significant modification in resource management objectives. Moreover, this closure is not of a highly controversial nature given the need to protect park visitors in this dangerous area. Fences and/or signage, traffic cones and other barriers will mark closed areas.

Given the safety protections necessary in the closed area, less restrictive measures will not suffice. The closures will not adversely affect the park’s natural, aesthetic, or cultural values.

Accordingly, pursuant to 36 CFR Section 1.5(b), publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted. This is consistent with hundreds of past partial and temporary park closures, the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor, and case law. See Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02-1715 (D.D.C. August 29, 2002), plaintiff’s emergency motion for injunction pending appeal denied Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02- 5275 (D.C. Cir. September 9, 2002) (per curiam); Picciotto v. United States, No. 99-2113 (D.D.C. August 6, 1999); Picciotto v. United States, No. 94-1935 (D.D.C. September 9, 1994); Picciotto v. Lujan, No. 90-1261 (D.D.C. May 30, 1990); Picciotto v. Hodel, No. 87-3290 (D.D.C. January 26, 1988); Spiegel v. Babbitt, 855 F.Supp. 402 (D.D.C. 1994), aff'd in part w/o op. 56 F.3d 1531 (D.C. Cir. 1995), reported in full, 1995 US App. Lexis 15200 (D.C. Cir. May 31, 1995).

Pursuant to 36 CFR Section 1.7, notice of this temporary closure will be made through media advisories, fencing and posting of signs at conspicuous locations in the affected park area. Finally, pursuant to 36 CFR Section (1.5), this determination is available to the public upon request.

Signed: Jennifer Madello, March 30, 2026