Cyclists, please note. The Hain’s Point Loop has been closed for use as a staging area during the protests in DC.
The loop is being used as a staging area for several law enforcement agencies and other assets, the spokeperson said. Park Police did not provide specifics as to which agencies were using the area.
The loop was closed to vehicular traffic as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The additional restrictions for cyclists and pedestrians was slipped into the same Record of Determination (ROD) that justifies the restrictions in use related to the pandemic. That ROD was expanded June 3 to include ‘security reasons’ as justification for the closure, said an The National Park Service [NPS] representative.
A spokesperson for the US Park Police said that officers were closing the loop daily during protest events. The golf course is still open, as are West and East Potomac Park, he added. The majority of the loop, a 4.1 mile trail around Hain’s Point, is closed.
There are no fixed hours or dates for the closure, the Parks Police spokesperson said. The situation is fluid based on events, he said, and will likely be used during the daytime hours as long as it is viewed necessary.
“The National Park Service is restricting bike and pedestrian access to Hains Point in addition to the currently restricted vehicle access, for security reasons,” NPS said. “Public access to the golf course will not be affected. The area is being used as a temporary staging area for logistical maintenance and other government vehicles. The gates will be closed and staffed with law enforcement personnel.”
For more information on the Hain’s Point Loop, visit www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/hains-point-loop-trail
The feature image on this story has been updated to show that access is maintained to the East Potomac Golf Course. The story has been updated to include comments received from the National Park Service
