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Washington, D.C. · US-0784

LBJ Memorial Grove

Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac National Memorial

A living memorial on the Potomac—and the place where my POTA story began.

National Park ServiceFirst visit · August 9, 2025
Official park website ↗ · New tabPlan a visit ↓Taking a radio? ↓
Wooden entrance sign for the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac
The entrance sign at LBJ Memorial Grove. Photo from the KB2KHL collection.

The practical details

Before you go

Official visitor information checked September 18, 2026. Follow the park’s current guidance when planning your visit.

Getting there

NPS lists entrances from Boundary Channel Drive and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The Mount Vernon Trail also connects with the park. Follow the official directions and posted signs when choosing your approach.

Directions and trail access ↗ · New tab

Admission and parking

No entrance fee or entrance pass is required. Parking and picnic tables are first come, first served.

Fees and passes ↗ · New tab

Paths and accessibility

NPS describes the marina approach as the shortest, flattest walk, with paved paths into the grove. The Boundary Channel footbridge has slopes and weathered wooden decking; review the detailed access information for your needs.

Accessibility and parking details ↗ · New tab

Restrooms and water

NPS lists restrooms beside the Columbia Island Marina parking lot. Its accessibility page currently reports that the drinking fountains are not working. Bring your own water.

Facilities information ↗ · New tab

Hours

The NPS hours page lists 6 a.m.–10 p.m.; its FAQ says daylight hours. Confirm with the park before planning an early or late visit.

Operating hours ↗ · New tab

A memorial, and a place to pause

The National Park Service describes a living memorial with a meadow, white pines, winding paths and a granite monument, with views toward Washington from the lawn. It is a place to walk, sit and spend some time beside the Potomac. About the memorial → · New tab

For me, it also holds a particular place on the timeline: this is where I made my first POTA activation on August 9, 2025.

What my visit felt like

There weren’t many people around during my visit. I found the park peaceful and felt safe there, although it wasn’t silent: I could hear aircraft and traffic, especially near the outer edges of the park.

Those are my impressions from that visit. The experience can vary with the time and day.

A backpack, a scooter and a simple station

I arrived by electric scooter with my gear in a backpack. The trails around the D.C. area made that a practical way for me to get around.

My station went onto a picnic table. The antenna stood on a single ground stake without additional supports, and I attached several ground radials.

The KB2KHL radio station on a picnic table, with the electric scooter and vertical antenna nearby.

The setup from my first visit: the picnic-table station, scooter and antenna. KB2KHL photo.

For radio operators

I found plenty of places to tuck a small station out of the way and enjoy a simple activation. People left my setup alone during my visit. My advice is to keep things compact and give other visitors room to use the park.

The station record lists a Yaesu FT-891, SOTA/POTA 150 antenna, RigExpert AA-650 ZOOM and Powerwerx PWRbox-20 Mini battery. The ground stake and radials describe my setup that day; check current park guidance when planning your own installation.

Would I return?

Yes—and I already have. If I’m in the area, I would happily return. It is a practical place for a simple activation, and being my first POTA park gives it a significance that another spot cannot quite have.

My log includes a return visit on August 18, 2025. Both activation records are linked below.

Leave room for the next visitor

Keep paths and shared tables usable, protect the memorial grounds and pack out what you bring. NPS says there are no trash cans in the park, so plan to take your rubbish with you. Official visitor guidance → · New tab

The story of getting started is already told in I Almost Didn’t Start This. This guide is the practical companion to that first field note.

The radio connection

The signal from here

Details drawn from the KB2KHL activation log, with the complete records one click away.

12contacts on the recorded visit
20m · SSBband and mode
3park-to-park contacts
21m 48sfirst to last contact
August 9, 202512 contacts · 20m SSBOpen activation record →August 18, 202511 contacts · 20m SSBOpen activation record →
From the Field: I Almost Didn’t Start This →Worked KB2KHL? Find your QSL →

Sources & visit notes

Visitor information checked September 18, 2026. Personal observations describe the visit on August 9, 2025 and were confirmed by Jason on September 18, 2026. Photographs are from the KB2KHL collection. Check current alerts with the managing agency before traveling.