One thing people don’t realize prior to visiting Washington, DC is how green the city is.  A ring of Civil War forts encircled the city’s heights, and today the remnants of these forts are connected by a series of ring trails, suitable for hiking and biking.  One trail connects Fort Stanton to Fort Dupont, DC’s largest city park. Fort Stanton is located just across the street from the museum.

Last week I found these young students cleaning the trail for the Student Conservation Association, whose  mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.  They were just in the nick of time too, as a cyclist rounded the bend just as the team was finishing up for the afternoon.

There is a lot to discover East of the River.