Fort Hunt Picnic Areas

8999 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, Virginia, United States
The entrance sign for Fort Hunt Park with historic Non-Commissioned Officer’s Quarters building in the background
Area C-2 Picnic Area at Fort Hunt Park shelter wide view
Remains of Battery Mount Vernon built in 1898
Picnic Area B at Fort Hunt Park shelter
Area A Picnic Shelter at Fort Hunt Park shelter wide view

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly Pet Friendly

About Fort Hunt Picnic Areas

Fort Hunt Park provides six picnic rental areas: Area A, Area B, Areas C1, C2, C3, and Area D. Picnic pavilions are in Area A, B, C-2 and D. Areas C-1 and C-3 are open areas with picnic tables only. Only Picnic Area A has electricity and amplified sound allowed. If you plan to grill, you must bring in your own grill. A fire extinguisher is required for grilling.  If you have a large group and wish to cater food and beverage, please contact [email protected] to obtain a special use permit. If you plan to bring in and prepare your own food and beverage, no catering request is necessary. See the Need to Know section under Food and Beverage for more information.Some types of activities (e.g. organized runs or races, weddings, etc.) may also require a special use permit. Please contact [email protected] for more information.Fort Hunt Park is located only two miles from Mount Vernon, the historical home of George Washington, and is a local favorite for picnicking and recreation. This picnic area has transformed tremendously over time, from George Washington's farmland to a Spanish-American War fort to a top secret intelligence camp during World War II. The rich history of this area is still being discovered and shared with the public.

Seasonal information

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
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Oct
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Dec
Currently open - Apr 1 to Oct 31

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly Pet friendly
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
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Reviews

60 reviews

Summary

AI generated

Fort Hunt Picnic Areas received overwhelmingly positive reviews, highlighting the cleanliness and spaciousness of the facilities, as well as the friendly and helpful service provided by Park Ranger Daniel. Visitors appreciated the well-maintained amenities, including accessible bathrooms and ample trash receptacles, making it an ideal venue for family reunions, church picnics, and other large gatherings. Overall, attendees expressed satisfaction with their experiences and plan to return in the future.

Based on guest feedback

4.8

Overall rating

Based on 60 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 85.0% (51)
4 stars 11.7% (7)
3 stars 1.7% (1)
2 stars 0.0% (0)
1 star 1.7% (1)

Showing 60 reviews

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Kimberly W

July 11, 2023

We reserved Pavilion B for our family reunion and it was a grand experience. The park is spacious and the next and the spot was adjacent to the restroom for our elderly. Wish we could have had a moon bounce for the kids but other than that, it was a great place.

Helpful

Rachel C

July 23, 2023

We had a wonderful time. The pavilion and open space were perfect for our needs, well kept up and convenient. And I have to give lots of credit to the team I worked with to coordinate - so friendly, helpful and accommodating. Thank you!

Helpful

Tylynn W

July 26, 2023

Truly disappointed! The tables in the section are very old, and some tables had holes in them. Then to find out once I set the section up the restroom were closed. Then to be offered section A, however the section had not been cleaned.

Helpful

Gail K

August 13, 2023

The park person emailed me and visited me to see if I needed anything. He was very helpful!

Helpful

Shadonna H

August 20, 2023

Other than the older gentleman park ranger(he was kind of rude), that we came in contact with at the end of our event, everything was phenomenal. The space was enormous and the park was quiet/peaceful.

Helpful

Tom M

August 28, 2023

Super easy to reserve space. Ranger contacted in advance to make sure we were good to go and clear as to terms. Ranger Daniel Blier met us on-site day of to make sure all was smooth. Super nice person to deal with. Space was clean. Highly recommend Ft Hunt Park!

Helpful

Gregory S

November 9, 2023

Very easy to reserve. Rules were straightforward. Great for picnics and potluck-style events.

Helpful

Candace J

April 17, 2024

There was a lot of planning for an event with 600 people. The park rangers were very helpful, professional, and easy to work with. Parking was a concern, however the park rangers were quick to help find solutions for all our guests. Facility was clean, bathrooms were stocked and had running water. Our event was a huge success.

Helpful

Jennifer C

May 6, 2024

Many of the picnic tables were falling apart

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Roland G

May 13, 2024

Site was clean and ready for us to setup upon arrival. The Pavilion had plenty of space for our event of over 400 people even though the weather didn't cooperate.

Helpful

Location & Directions for Fort Hunt Picnic Areas

8999 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22308 United States

Elevation: 14 ft

Getting There

From Interstate 395, take exit 10B for George Washington Memorial Parkway. Merge onto the parkway and continue for about 12 mi. Turn right onto Fort Hunt Road and continue to the park.

Nearest town

Alexandria, VA - 7.4 mi

About 15 min to downtown

Highway access

Access to Fort Hunt Picnic Areas is via the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which can be reached from Interstate 395 at exit 10B.

Policies & Rules

General

  • Failure to comply with park rules and regulations may result in the cancellation of your reservation and/or legal action. Visit the Fort Hunt-Picnic Areas Reservations page for details and FAQ's.
  • A park ranger will contact you using the phone number and/or email address you provided on recreation.gov to discuss your reservation and park rules. You may also call the park 202-439-7325. If you do not respond to the park's efforts to contact you, your reservation may be cancelled. 
  • You or someone you designate must have the reservation confirmation email with you on site (printed on paper or downloaded to a mobile device) for the entire event.
  • Beer and wine, but no hard liquor, may be brought into the park by personal vehicle for personal consumption onsite through the Fort Hunt Park picnic permit system. It is the responsibility of the permit holder to comply with all state (DC, MD, and VA) alcohol license requirements. Reservation holders (Areas A-D) may have beer and wine from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Hard alcohol is not permitted. Hired caterers that provide or serve alcohol must have an ABC banquet license from the state of Virginia. Money may not be exchanged at Fort Hunt Park under any circumstance (for example, no selling food or tickets, raffles, alcohol, or any items). Grills may be brought into the park for personal use, but require the following: minimum of one Size II Dry Chemical and ABC Rated fire extinguisher is required. Grills must be at least 10 feet away from any structure.
  • Picnic reservations are only valid from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The reservation provides exclusive use of the picnic area but does not give exclusive use of the restrooms in any area.
  • All picnic areas have a maximum capacity. Your group's size may not exceed the maximum capacity of each picnic area, which are as follows: Area A- 600 people / 150 vehiclesArea B- 350 people/ 140 vehiclesArea C1-100 people/ 40 vehiclesArea C2-120 people/ 40 vehiclesArea C3-100 people/ 40 vehiclesArea D-120 people/ 30 vehicles. Please plan to reserve the area that offers adequate parking for the number of vehicles you expect to come to your event or to make other transportation arrangements (e.g., for a shuttle to bring guests to the park). Reservation of more than one picnic area requires a Public Gathering Permit. If you have questions, please contact the park: 202-439-7325.
  • Amplified sound is only allowed in Area A. If park staff feels the music or sound is too loud, a park ranger will ask you to reduce the volume. The Code of Federal Regulations states no audio disturbance can exceed 60 decibels measured on the A-weighted scale at 50 feet from the source.
  • You may only drive on the paved loop road, in parking lots, and in designated loading zones. Vehicles may not occupy loading zones for longer than 10 minutes. You may only park in marked parking spaces. Parking off hard surfaces (i.e. grass or dirt surfaces) is prohibited, and vehicles will be towed.
  • If you have reserved a picnic area, you may only decorate the picnic tables and pavilion in the site you have reserved. You may only tie or tape decorations to the tables and pavilion. You may not attach decorations in a way that will cause permanent damage, such as with nails or staples. Please note that you may not attach decorations to vegetation, or put signs or decorations outside of the area you reserved, such as along the road. No glitter or confetti of any kind is permitted. All picnic decorations must be removed when your reservation expires. Moon bounces or bouncy castles are prohibited under all circumstances.
  • You may not use anything that penetrates the ground, such as wire sign holders, volleyball poles, or tent stakes. You may only use park water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Recreational water use is prohibited.
  • You may not bring firewood, live plants, or live animals (other than pets) into Fort Hunt Park. You must leave the area you use in the same condition that it was when you arrived. If your use of the park causes damage (beyond what is reasonably inherent in its use) you can be held financially liable for that damage. If park staff must clean up an area that you reserved after you leave, you can be held financially liable for associated costs.
  • Smoking is not permitted within 25 feet of any structure. Electrical outlets in area A may only be used with a picnic permit.

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Last updated: October 7, 2026

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Explore Alexandria, VA

Alexandria, Virginia

Population: 156,976

Nearby city: Baltimore, MD

Approx. 46 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 36 ft

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