News & Politics

5 Great Places to Sled in Washington

Photo by Flickr user Stephanie Clifford.

Capitol Hill may finally be a sledding zone again, but just in case you don’t want to trudge up there, here are five other great places to sled.

Battery Kemble Park, Palisades
Presumably this is where Frank Larkin, Senate sergeant-at-arms and sleigh-spoiler-in-chief, likes to sleigh in the off-hours. There is a hill, and it is large.

Jamestown Elementary School, Arlington
Behind the school is a long hill. Situate yourself at or near the top of the hill, and push off with your hands.

Fort Bayard Park, American University Park
Everyone else will be at Fort Reno, a few blocks east. Go early, stay warm, create a sledding chain with your friends to spin your way to the bottom, and as always be smart.

Rock Creek Park
Two favorites: off Williamsburg Lane, on the west side of the creek just north of the National Zoo; and in the West End at 23rd and P. But the creek is not for sledding.

Book Hill Park, Georgetown
The hill leads to the street. The sledding leads to the fun.

BONUS: Meridian Hill Park, Columbia Heights
If this really is the snowpocalypse, with Boston-levels of accumulation, this could be the time to see whether those stone steps that lead up the hill are actually sleddable. An industrial-strength cardboard box, along with helmet and appropriate padding, may be necessary.

Harrison Smith

Harrison Smith (@harrisondsmith on Twitter) has contributed to the Washington Post and Chicago magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].