People of Wolf Trap: Noel E. Firth
Noel E. Firth, a nature lover, a Wolf Trap regular and, as we gratefully acknowledge, one of our most dedicated supporters. Noel was born in... Read More
News & Updates
Behold the Power of Nature!
This is a series of photos taken from March to October 2020 in the area in front of the box office known as the Dimple aka the Circle aka the Bowl.
Wolf Trap Shadows
For practicing shadow-hunters, the days surrounding the winter solstice have a special allure. The low flying sun creates the longest shadows.
Beethoven in the Park
250 years ago, Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most beloved composers of all time entered this world and left an indelible mark on it.
No Organized First Day Hike This Year – 2021
Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, Friends of Wolf Trap will not be organizing or hosting a First Day Hike in 2021. Please enjoy the outdoors... Read More
Lizard photos I
This is the first installment of photos taken from a lizard's perspective.
Lizard photos II.
The second installment of park photographs taken from a lizard perspective. These are a bit more detail oriented.
Covid Summer
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the summer of 2020 was highly unusual. For the first time in the history of the park, the concert season was cancelled.
World Snake Day
Today, July 16, is the World Snake Day, and that is a good opportunity to update what is happening to Wolf Trap's residential watersnakes.
Welcome to Wetlands
Wetlands in the northern part of Wolf Trap have a slightly different feel than the rest of the park. The lush vegetation of this micro-environment exudes the hot and humid atmosphere typically associated with early Summer.
Green, Greener, Greenest
Green happens. Especially in the Spring. Here are couple of photos showing how it happens - blow by blow. Well, almost.
Prophets of Bloom
A small sampler of Wolf Trap's blooming trees and shrubs.
The Ugly Duckling Story
A little photo story about a lost gosling and two concerned parents.
Early Spring Flowers
After a long and colorless winter, everyone welcomes that moment when first colors appear on the still brown-gray ground. It usually comes in early March.
April City Nature Challenge & Park Status
City Nature Challenge Friends of Wolf Trap will not be hosting a City Nature Challenge event this year. However, we encourage you – as safety... Read More
Wolf Trap Mammals
This page will be a repository of mammal photos from the Wolf Trap park (work in progress). For a more comprehensive coverage of our critters, check out the mammal section of the iNaturalist.
Wolf Trap Birds
This page will be a repository of bird photos from the Wolf Trap park (work in progress). For a more comprehensive coverage of our fliers, check out the bird section of the iNaturalist
Wolf Trap Reptiles
This page will be a repository of reptile photos from the Wolf Trap park (work in progress). For a more comprehensive coverage of our crawlers, check out the reptile section of the iNaturalist.
Stump Speech
It is Super Tuesday and that can only mean one thing. The primary season is in full swing and the park is ready.
Gardening for Earth Renewal
Plant NOVA Natives recently published a fascinating article titled – Gardening for Earth Renewal. See below for an excerpt: “How does your garden renew the... Read More
Art & Nature
The dual purpose of Wolf Trap as a national park and a musical venue has its blueprint in the personality of its founder, Catherine Filene Shouse. Both nature and arts have always been an integral part of her life.
Painters in the Park
These days you don't have to be a paintbrush master to create an interesting painting. Software will create it for you from photographs.
Look Up, Look Down
When the Fall hits, there are colors everywhere. Of all the directions you can think of, the two most obvious are straight up and straight down.
Park in Full Fall Colors
If you come to the park in the second half of October, you will witness a true explosion of colors. Foliage in orange, yellow, red, purple... you name it.
Autumn Mood
For those who are tired of green, Autumn provides a welcome relief. The colors of all persuasions dance onto the floor and for a couple of weeks take over.
First Time Campers
Every half year, a group of local 5th and 6th graders gets to spend a weekend in an improvised camp in the park meadow and experience first hand the magic and tranquility of nature.
Up the Creek
In this blog, I will explore the woods upstream the Old Courthouse Spring (that is the smaller of Wolf Trap creeks).
Down the Creek
In this blog, I will explore the woods downstream the Wolf Trap Run (park's main waterway).
As time goes by…
A series of photos of one group of trees along the gazebo path taken over the course of one year. The shots were taken roughly in one month intervals.
The Early Storm Gets the Worm
Most of the time, the two major creeks in the Park, the Wolf Trap Run and the Old Courthouse Spring, are lazily meandering through the woods like a pair of stray lambs. But after a decent storm, they can turn into roaring lions.
Mushroom Hike
Summer is the typical growing season for mushrooms, so they became the focus of the August hike under the tutelage of a Maryland Master Naturalist and the President of the Mycological Association of Washington, William Needham.
Wolf Trap: Behind the scenes
If you enjoyed a concert and are curious what is inside that huge wooden construction of the Filene Center, you may consider the Backstage Tour which the park organizes during the off-season.
Wolf Trap in Spring’s clothing
Most people know Wolf Trap from its summer edition. That means the amphitheater in full swing mode and its vicinity teeming with patrons. But the... Read More
The park has a concert season, too. Four, in fact.
Now that the 2019 concert season is upon us, it is time to take a look what are they playing in the park. The answer may surprise you.
Wolf Trap Creek Flood – 07/08/19
These are photos from the flooding of the park after a strong storm on July 8th, 2019.
Summer in the Park – 2019
It’s Summer at Wolf Trap. The birds are chirping (we have an wide variety of birds here!), the deer are wandering about, the panfish are... Read More
March Presentation & Backstage Tour
[metaslider id=7010 cssclass=” alignnormal”] Almost 100 visitors came to the FOWT March Catherine Filene Shouse Presentation and Wolf Trap Backstage Tour event. Thanks to Deputy... Read More
FOWT to Participate in “City Nature Challenge” 2019
This year FOWT is excited to announce we will be hosting and participating in the 2019 City Nature Challenge: The City Nature Challenge is a... Read More
Bluebird Nesting Monitoring Project at Wolf Trap
Bluebird nesting boxes were first placed in Wolf Trap by Jim Ford. In 1995 Dale Thornton took over the task of monitoring and capturing the... Read More
February 2019 Hike Report
[metaslider id=6849 cssclass=” alignnormal”] 62 happy humans + 3 delighted dogs enjoyed a 3 mile rejuvenating and relaxing hike On Sunday, February 3rd, at Wolf... Read More
First Snow at the Park – 2019
Almost a foot of snow fell at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The storm swept over the D.C. area throughout the weekend... Read More
Huge Turnout for 2019 First Day Hike
Over 100 people (with nearly 100 more on the wait-list) and a handful of dogs enjoyed the First Day Hike at Wolf Trap National Park... Read More
Great Online Resource – Explore Natural Communities
See the World as a Naturalist does! Thank you to the National Park Service National Capital Region and NatureServe for making this scientific information available to... Read More
Beautiful (if a bit muddy) December Trail Walk
Edgar Deskin (Certified Professional Horticulturist at Wolf Trap National Park) and members of the Friends of Wolf Trap (FOWT) welcomed 26 hikers and one dog... Read More
Welcome to Our New Site!
Friends of Wolf Trap has published a new website! Welcome, we hope you enjoy your visit! Poke around our pages and let us know if... Read More
First Time Campers Program Recognized in Great Falls Connection
The First Time Campers (FTC) program is recognized and written-up in the October Great Fall Connection: “The ninth edition of the First Time Campers Program... Read More
Mike Moran Receives Phillip Goetkin Award
August 20th, 2018 Friends of Wolf Trap (FOWT) presented Michael Moran (FOWT Board Member, Emeritus) with the Phillip Goetkin Award on August 20th, 2018. Mr. Moran... Read More
Volunteers Join FOWT to Create New Garden
April 26, 2018 Local Apple Store Employees Work with FOWT to Create the Butterfly and Pollinator Garden Mike Moran facilitated getting employees from a local... Read More
February 2018 Event
On February 4, ten people came out to hear Ken Bigley — Deputy Superintendent, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts — present a... Read More
January 2018 Trail Walk
Friends of Wolf Trap led 24 people & 2 dogs on the 3rd annual New Years Day hike that started at 1 PM in 21F... Read More
December 2017 Trail Hike
December 3, 2017 Thirty people ranging from an infant, small children, up to senior citizens participated in the First Sunday hike at Wolf Trap in... Read More
Sustainable Gardening Project
This award-winning project incorporates three locations in the park: the vegetable garden, the raised garden, and the native garden in the promotion of sustainable gardening... Read More