Telegraph Pavilion is currently closed for construction through February 2025. The access road to the pavilion and the entire picnic area are closed to visitors while construction is underway. Please obey posted signage for closures and detours. When complete, the project will improve accessibility for all park visitors.
Telegraph Pavilion is a great place for larger groups and organizations to have a picnic or gathering.
Completed in May 2002, the Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion is a thirty foot by twenty foot roof-covered porous brick pad with twelve picnic tables (six of them wheelchair accessible), six cooking grills and electric outlets. A few child-size tables are staged nearby. The structure is adjacent to a comfort station with food-service sinks and flush toilets. Wheelchair access to the pavilion is simple from one of the area's 73 parking spaces. There are approximately twenty additional picnic tables scattered throughout the adjoining woods of Telegraph Road Picnic Area. Most of the tables have a grill nearby. A short path leads to spacious William's Ballfield (available first come, first served), which is suitable for softball, volleyball, frisbee and other activities. Nearby, the Crossing trail leads deeper into the forest.
Fees & Reservations
Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion and comfort stations are closed for the season from November through Mid-April. The pavilion may be reserved for $80 per day on Recreation.gov. When not reserved, it is available without charge on a first come, first served basis from 9:00 a.m. to dusk. The park entrance fee is also required. Built with funds provided by park fees, the Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion is a good example of how the National Park Service uses fee money.
Alcohol is permitted at Telegraph Picnic Pavilion only when:
- A rental permit is obtained, and
- If the group renting the pavilion contains 50 or more people, they must obtain an ABC license from the state of Virginia. (Groups less than 50 people no longer need an ABC license.)
Consumption of alcohol without a rental permit and a valid banquet license is strictly prohibited in the Telegraph Picnic Area, including the pavilion.
For more information, please e-mail the park visitor center, or call at 703-221-7181.
Emergencies & Security
Report all emergencies to a park ranger. The park visitor center is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The visitor center phone number is 703-221-7181. For a law enforcement concern, please contact a park ranger or call Park Dispatch at 866-677-6677. Report lost and found items to a park ranger or at the visitor center.
Be a good steward of the park: Practice eco -friendly picnicking.
- Don’t use lighter fluid; it releases Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Light your charcoal with fire starters for greater efficiency.
- Utilize lump charcoal as opposed to briquettes.
- Use reusable dishes rather than disposable dishes.
- Use washable napkins rather than paper.
- After the barbecue, recycle and compost what you can including charcoal ashes.
