Montgomery Parks announces programming and operating hours for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (MLK Day) holiday.
Join an MLK Day of Service Weed Warrior or park cleanup event:
- Weed Warrior events: Volunteer events at various locations from Friday, January 12 through Monday, January 15. Registration required.
- Park Cleanups: Volunteer at a cleanup hosted by Montgomery Parks or join a local watershed group cleanup event.
Open Parkways schedule: The Open Parkways will be extended during the MLK Day holiday. During this time, parkways are open to pedestrians and bicyclists and closed to motor vehicles.
- Beach Drive between Connecticut and Knowles Avenue (2.9 miles)
- Saturday, January 13, at 7 a.m. until Monday, January 15, at 4 p.m.
- Sligo Creek Parkway between Old Carroll Avenue and Piney Branch Road and between Forest Glen Road and University Boulevard West
- Friday, January 12, at 9 a.m. until Monday, January 15, at 4 p.m.
*Please note: Gate closures are intended to be completed by the times listed above. The re-opening of the parkways begins at the times listed above. However, this process may take up to 30 minutes to complete.
Fun activities available during the MLK Day holiday weekend:
- Parks, trails, gardens, nature centers, playgrounds, dog parks, skate parks, outdoor exercise stations, and outdoor tennis/pickleball and basketball courts* are open daily, sunrise to sunset. (*Select outdoor courts are available for rental.)
- The inline hockey rink at Ridge Road Recreational Park and street hockey/futsal rink at Dewey Local Park may be permitted, or are available first come, first served, if not reserved.
- Campfire rings are available for rental at several locations.
- Ice Skating at Cabin John Ice Rink or Wheaton Ice Arena
- Little Bennett Campground
- Brookside Gardens grounds open daily sunrise–4 p.m., Visitor Center open daily 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Conservatory open daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Josiah Henson Museum and Park, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sunday 12-4 p.m., Special hours on MLK Day, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
MLK Day holiday operating hours:
The following facilities will be CLOSED on Monday, January 15, 2024:
- Montgomery Parks Headquarters and Permits Offices
- Montgomery Parks Public Information and Customer Service Office
- All Montgomery Parks Nature Centers (Ground and trails open daily, sunrise to sunset)
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.