fort foote park

Partial reconstructed, not much is left of the earthworks but one of the giant cannons did survive. Smaller fort, more of a relay station.

152 years ago, Fort Foote stood upon Rozier's bluff, it's massive 15-inch Rodman Cannons ready to send Rebel sailors to a watery grave. Today there is no garrison-- no conflict-- only the remnants of a 19th century feat of engineering solemnly watched over by two of its original 20,000lb Rodman Cannons.At one time a point of defense, a military prison, a proving ground, and an officer training school, the Fort Foote of today serves as a living window to our past. Nestled back in a Ft. Washington neighborhood, today's Ft. Foote is a quiet getaway with a great view of the Potomac River. Locals walk their dogs here, kids climb on the cannons-- others sit by the river and ponder the mysteries of the beltway.This fort has several interesting parts to it. 1) The humongous cannons are original to the fort (152 years overlooking the river!!). 2) Down by the river, a wharf house is still intact, though full of graffiti. 3) Lots of neat pictures to take!There is limited parking, and I can see this place getting crowded on nice days. That said, we had a really great experience going mid-morning and taking in everything to see. Great views and lots to learn. The bottom line: Great for people interested in history, picture takers, and quick hikers. Located 10 minute from Alexandria!

My husband and I hiked this park yesterday. Yes, it is not well maintained, yet I found that to be one of it's charms. I loved the two huge cannons, largest used in the civil way. I loved the remains of the fort. The bricks and mortor and the small tunnel were interesting.. The view from the bluff was astonishingly beautiful. We walked down to the site of the dock for the fort and marvelled at the 300+ soldiers it took to get the cannon up to their present site. We then walked a somewhat longer path along the bluffs and eventually down to the sandy beach about a 1/2 mile up river from the dock site. We saw two bald eagles up close, who repeatedly flew above us. Knowing how bald eagles mate for life, it was surprisingly touching to see them together. The view up the river, of the ferris wheel and the beltway bridge was interesting. We also saw 5 deer in the field by the parking lot. In all we walked two miles and encountered only one other person walking a dog.I would recommend this park to anyone who is a birder or a history/civil war buff, or to anyone looking to get away from it all with a walk in the woods..

This park is not taken care of. Not much to see and it is run down. To bad no took care of the history here. The only good thing is you don't have to pay to get in.

We walked a total of 2 miles on the different paths. There is 2 canons which are neat, and a great view of the Potomac and the National Harbor. We saw deer, a turtle, and a lot of sea snails. Nice walk for something to do, but we did not see the actual fort.

A number of forts were hastily built in 1861 around Washington to protect the Capital from Confederate troops. Fort Foote is one of them, set to the north of Fort Washington with a full view of the Potomac from a well-positioned bluff. A bit disappointing to visit, there is a short trail through the old fort with the only attraction being some very large cannon that were designed to warn enemy ships of potential danger. A longer trail leads to the another bluff for a decent view of the river. Minimal picnic grounds.