Greenbelt Park is a place of contrast where land once covered with virgin forest became farmland, then a proposed housing development, and now serves as an alluring refuge within an ever-growing sea of development. In 1875, the land was denuded, with farmhouses, fencelines, and dirt paths crisscrossing the landscape, and tobacco, corn, and grain growing where maples and elms now tower. Although a few hints of that era survive, the area is now dominated by nature, and its trees, underbrush, and wildlife tell the story of nature’s recovery and show that when left alone, nature will heal itself. Only twelve miles from downtown Washington, it offers wilderness, wildlife, and solitude, has become an urban oasis as the surrounding population has grown from about 3,000 to more than 20,000 over the past 60 years, and serves as a refuge for both people and wildlife. Park staff and volunteers work at reforestation, wildlife management, improving water quality, and bringing greater awareness to visitors. The park includes a 174-site campground open year-round, three picnic areas, and nature and bridle trails, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway links it with downtown Washington twelve miles south. Dedicated in 1954, the parkway, a unit of the National Park Service, is the historic gateway to the Nation’s Capital for visitors arriving from the eastern seaboard.