Cabin John Regional Park
7777 Democracy Boulevard
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
301-765-8660
Locust Grove Nature Center has recently been designated as the outreach facility for nature center programming at Montgomery County schools. We are excited to be helping local teachers help their students meet Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards. However, this new challenge requires a change in daily availability of staff and reduces the hours we are open to walk-in visitors.
As always, we are committed to offering the surrounding community fun and informative programs and events......just not quite as many. You can view the programs we are offering by clicking on Fall programs below, or pick up a copy of the Nature News available at any of the four County nature centers.
Locust Grove Nature Center is still available for weekend birthday parties, we will continue to offer camps in the summer, and our natural play area, trails and gardens can be explored and enjoyed sunrise to sunset year round.
Our new hours are 9am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday. We are closed the first Sunday of every month.
Current programs
Check out our Winter programs !
NOTE: All programs require registration unless noted otherwise.
Summer camp sign ups are just around the corner!
Take a sneak peek at the camp offerings on January 1 at ParkPASS. Registration opens January 17.
Too early to think about summer? Watch this short video LGNC Film School Camp video to get you in the summer camp mood, or visit us at the White Flint Mall Camp & Summer Program Expo Saturday & Synday, January 28--29, 2012.
Teachers! Nature Everywhere programs for schools are here!
Let us bring nature to you, or bring your students here with our fall Nature Everywhere! programs.
Our exciting fall options include Habitat is Home, Changing Seasons, The Secret Seed, and Fall Guided Hike. We'll also offer all our Fall programs plus Apple Cider Pressing and Native Ways at the Nature Center if you're looking for an exciting field trip.
Interested in using your schoolyard as an outdoor classroom? Let us get you familiar with your local flora and fauna to enrich your students' outdoor time through teacher training with a naturalist. Call 301-765-8660 for more information.
Parents! check out Homeschool Science!
Our Homeschool Science offering for fall is Fall Fundamentals, an exploraiton of the reasons for the seasons.
Adults! We have programs for you too!
Check out our program listings for programs and hikes for adults only.
Welcome nature explorers!
Make sure to visit the Nature Exploration Area. The space is designed to let children engage in free exploration with nature's loose parts. There is a sand pit for digging, logs and blocks for building, tubes for musical exploration, and a pile of pinecones to bring out the inner artist. Carved wooden bears and a snake encourage climbing, and a footbridge crossing an imaginary stream encourages imagination. Let your children freely explore this special space designed just for them while you relax and take in the sights and sounds from a tree trunk chair.
Are Parks important to you?
Check out ParksMatter.org and get involved!
Portraits of Nature photography show
Our annual photography exhibit is on hiatus this year, but you can still enjoy a virtual version of the 2010 show here. Portraits of Nature features local phtographers who specialize in capturing the beauty of the mid-Atlantic region.
Betsy Dotson Memorial Garden
The Betsy Dotson Memorial Garden was created at the bequest of her family to honor a remarkable member of our community. Betsy was a lawyer who lobbied actively and successfully for public institutions. She was also a gardener who delighted in all manner of interesting and unusual plants. She believed strongly in experiential education and established scholarships allowing college students to visit and work with members of Congress. Betsy appreciated the peacefulness of Locust Grove and valued the fact that it was accessible to urban dwellers. In establishing this shade garden, her family hopes that Betsy’s love of nature and education will be shared with park visitors.
Date of last update: March 14, 2011
Montgomery County Department of Parks