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We do not provide braille or large print publications at this time. There are no films, videos, or audio presentations in the Visitor’s Center. Below we have listed directions to some of the main attractions of the park for your convenience. If you are in need of assistance or have questions about the park that are not covered in the accessibility guide, please call the park office at 202 692-6080.
NPS ParkingOur parking lot features standard parking spaces and an accessible aisle with two 14' wide van-accessible parking spaces on either side (four total) of the aisle with plenty of space to accommodate a van equipped with a wheelchair lift. These spaces are marked in blue and white with the ADA accessible parking symbol clearly visible on the pavement. The accessible aisle ends in a curb ramp that allows access to the Garden Trail which leads into the main areas of the park, and is also the path to the visitor’s center. The parking lot is paved, well-maintained, and on an even grade. There are also reflective, flexible poles around the curb of the parking lot, and two reflective, flexible poles denoting the park entrance and curb ramp.
NPS Garden TrailEntrance to the ParkThe Visitor's Center and the rest of the park is accessible via the Garden Trail, which begins at the parking lot in a 42'' wide curb ramp. The trail is surfaced with pea gravel, which has been well-worn and does not shift underfoot. It is no less than 4.5' wide throughout its 150 meters and has a rating of Beginner by the US Park Services standard. The path is free from larger obstacles, but is vulnerable to flooding during and after periods of heavy rain. The trail is made of pea gravel but well worn. There is a park map and directory about ten feet past the curb ramp and to the right. There is an old, out of use water fountain structure about ten feet and to the left of the curb ramp entrance. Trash cans and a bin for recycling are about fifteen feet past the curb ramp entrance.
NPS Inside the Visitor's CenterThe Visitor's Center can be reached via a wheelchair-accessible ramp leading up to the Visitor's Center complex. The entrance to the ramp is at the front of the visitor’s center, to the left of the stairs. It is 5.6' wide and 13' long with an incline of 5%. The ramp includes three 90° turns, but with plenty of room to navigate and guide rails on either side. For our guests who may need seating to rest, there are two backed benches at the top of the ramp. There is also seating inside of the Visitor's Center itself. The door to the Visitor's Center has a low turn-weight door handle of less than 5lbs, and the doorway is 30" wide with a slight threshold. There is also a rubber mesh mat in front of the door. No other obstacles or obstructions are on the ramp or on the landing. There are also two sets of stairs at the front of the Visitor’s center. Each set of stairs has a small 2’ by 3’ landing, and then three steps up to the deck. The inside of the Visitor's Center is carpeted except for in the junior ranger station which has a tile floor, and four seats around a table.
NPS Information Desk and BookstoreThe information desk is located in the gift shop, on the left-hand side of the Visitor's Center. Once you enter the visitor’s center, take a left, walk straight for five feet, and then take a right through a doorway. The information desk is to the left, and of a single height, that of a half-door; with no lower wheelchair-accessible portion. Please request assistance as needed.Two wheelchairs are accessible for use- please request one here or call ahead of your visit to request one. There is also a gift shop and bookstore located inside the Visitor's Center, with materials about and relating to the wildlife found in and around the park, and information about the history of the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. There are also gifts here, and all purchases go on to continue to support the park. The bookstore is navigable in a wheelchair.
NPS Tactile ExhibitsVisit our touch table, featuring a rotating exhibit of furs, dried lotus pods, feathers, animal skulls, and other natural finds from our park! This tactile exhibit can give insight into the kinds of flora and fauna that exist in the park. Please use the provided hand sanitizer before and after interacting with the touch table collection.
NPS RestroomsWe have publicly available restrooms located directly next to the Visitor's Center, and directly in front of the landing of the accessible ramp. The restrooms are gender-segregated and feature wide-clearance doors. The doors do not require more than five pounds of exertion to twist open and push, and they both swing inward.The Men's restroom is directly to the left of the water fountain and has one Wheelchair-accessible stall and two standing urinals, as well as one accessible height sink.The Women's restroom is to the left of the men’s restroom, has one Wheelchair-accessible stall and 2 standard stalls, as well as one accessible height sink, and one standard height sink.
NPS Drinking Water AccessThere is a drinking fountain with an attached water bottle refill station as well as a pet bowl provided for guests and their pets. It is located in between the entrance to the Visitor's Center and the restrooms, accessible via the accessibility ramp that leads to the Visitor's Center complex. The landing space in front of the water fountain is 64'' x 68'' which allows plenty of room to maneuver.
NPS Picnic AreaThe Picnic Area can be found directly next to the Visitor's Center, and features 30 picnic tables that are spread out with plenty of space in between, and are not on raised pedestals. Please be cautious when navigating through the picnic tables though as they are not arranged in any particular order and are scattered about the picnic area space. While picnic tables cannot be considered "wheelchair-accessible tables'', most picnic tables have clear space on either end.Guests may want to note that there are no grills available for use.Restrooms may be found directly next to the Visitor's Center and can be accessed via the accessibility ramp that leads to the Visitor's Center complex.A drinking fountain is also located between the entrances to the Visitor's Center and the restrooms, accessible via the same accessibility ramp that leads to the Visitor Center and restrooms. The path landing space in front of the water fountain measures 64'' x 68''.
NPS Benches and seatingWe provide seating in the form of benches and picnic tables that can be found throughout the park and trails to allow a place for guests to rest, or just to sit and take in the scenery. Backed benches can be found in most areas, including next to the entrance to the Visitor's Center. Picnic tables are not considered wheelchair-accessible tables. Although, most picnic tables have clear space on either end.
NPS Self-Guided TourThis tour has thirteen "stops". Each stop presents information about the garden and park. It includes historic pictures and facts about the park as well as documented information about native wildlife and conservation efforts. Visitors are welcome to bring binoculars and cameras to use during their visit but are not allowed to take or touch any of the natural resources including lotus seed pods, turtles, plants, fish etc. Braille and larger text publications are not available for this tour. A visit to the park typically lasts two hours during which time you can learn about the history of Kenilworth by reading our exhibits, view the restored marsh and native flora/fauna from our boardwalk, and take a leisurely walk around the Lotus and Water Lily ponds. Visitors are encouraged to explore the park on their own, the main areas with tour stops being the Garden trail leading to the greater Park area, The Ponds trail system running through the Lily and Lotus Ponds, the Boardwalk winding through the tidal marsh, viewing ponds behind the Visitor’s Center, and the Picnic Area, for when you need to take a rest or have a snack. All paths and trails are blind and low vision accessible, but they are not paved and all visitors are encouraged to explore the gardens and park with a buddy. Paths tend to be clearly marked, but paths surrounded by grass and dirt may be more difficult to traverse during or after periods of heavy rainfall, and they may become harder to navigate than usual, as this area is especially vulnerable to flooding. Learn more about the specific blind and low vision accessibility for each trail below.
NPS Garden TrailThe Garden Trail winds along the edges of the marsh giving a beautiful and up close view of some of the wildlife that can be found in the protected areas of the park. Some areas closer to the edges of the marsh may become less accessible after heavy rain or flooding. Visitors with vision impairments should be cautious around the end of the ponds, as there is no railing to designate the edge of the water. The trailhead is connected to the parking lot via a 42'' wide curb ramp directly in front of the accessible aisle. The Garden trail is surfaced with well-worn pea gravel, is 150 meters long, an average of 5' wide (4.5' wide at its most narrow point) and has a downhill slope entering the park, averaging 5% that can increase to up to a 10% slope in certain places. It features several picnic tables off the right side of the trail that provide seating and serve as a rest area for guests. There are also two foot tall wire and plastic board signs with historical information about the park as you enter along the edge of the trail, so please be cautious if you are using a vision support cane.
NPS Ponds TrailThe Ponds Trail is a network trail with a pea gravel and natural grassy dirt surface that weaves through a matrix of different sized Lotus and Water Lily ponds, with a perimeter loop that is ½ mile in length. There is no designated trailhead for this trail, and it has four different entrances that range from the top of the main park area near the end of the Garden Trail, down to the far end of the Picnic Area which is to the right the Visitor's Center. There are information boards throughout the trail that give information on the different types of aquatic plants living there. In addition to the flora, different times of the year bring different species of water birds, migratory birds, and even the occasional muskrat! Guests will also find benches along the trail, approximately every 30 meters, that provide seating for those who wish to take a rest or desire to just sit back and take in the beautiful wildlife and landscapes. Some of these benches are on a pedestal and some are not so please be cautious when approaching them. At the far bottom-corner of the trail system is where the entrance to the Tidal Marsh Boardwalk can be found.
NPS BoardwalkThe Boardwalk extends ¼ mile long, deep into the marshes, and features two raised viewing platforms that give an excellent view of the exciting and diverse quagmire that surrounds them. The entrance and beginning of the Boardwalk can be found at the bottom corner of the far edge of the Ponds Trail. It is constructed of neatly joined wooden planks, no less than 7.24' wide, with a 5% incline along the entire length, except for a small avoidable portion that reaches a 10% incline on approach to the first viewing platform. This portion can be avoided by approaching the platform from the other direction, which is the longer way around. There are handrails for support and guidance surrounding both viewing platforms as well as on both sides of the Boardwalk for the portions that pass through the marsh. Two 20 meter stretches of the Boardwalk cross through an island-like area, for which there are no handrails. For the portions of the Boardwalk Trail that do not have any handrails, there is a two inch rise along the sides to denote the edge of the platform.
NPS River TrailThe River Trail is a 1/4 mile linear trail rated "Easy", that runs alongside the Anacostia river and intersects with the Anacostia River Trail (ART) at its end. The trailhead is located next to the northernmost Ponds Trail entrance, right above the end of the Garden Trail. This dirt trail is an average 5' wide, 4.5' at the most narrow point, and has an incline ranging from 5% - 10%. Since it is a linear trail, guests wishing to walk this trail must walk back the same distance to return to the main park area, making a round-trip 1/2 mile in length. |
Last updated: April 5, 2024