Filene Center Loop picnic area
in Virginia · centroid 12 mi from Washington
In 2012, park staff converted the maintained grass turf (approximately one acre) at the "dimple" near the Filene Center's main gate into a garden meadow of native plants. The main goal of the project was to "demonstrate that Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is serious about natural resource management and was willing to take bold steps to show that it was prepared to be a leader in the community as well as the National Park Service." This meadow of native plants creates habitat for insects, birds and other animals; reduces stormwater runoff; reduces our carbon footprint as a no mow zone; provides educational opportunities for visitors; serves as a model for use of sustainable landscape techniques; it enhances the visitor experience and natural beauty of the park; and it helps maintain the pastoral setting that Mrs. Shouse envisioned.
- States
- Virginia
- Trail type
- trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Washington, DC · 12 mi · ~20 min drive
- Centroid coords
- 38.9372°, -77.2662°
About Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
This trail is inside Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, a national park service unit managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/000/filene-center-loop-picnic-area.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/wotr/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Filene Center Loop picnic area and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
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4 miles from this trail's centroid
Olmsted Island and Overlook Trail
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail
7 miles from this trail's centroid
Information Panel: The Clara Barton Trail
7 miles from this trail's centroid
Muddy Branch Greenway Trail
11 miles from this trail's centroid
Capital Crescent Trail terminus
11 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.