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May 2026 (Part 04)

National Zoo and Rock Creek Park

We enjoyed our recent walking tour with DC Design Tours and tour guide Caroline so much that we signed up for another tour a bit later, this time through Rock Creek Park.  The tour was on Memorial Day weekend, and we were in DC as Andy had asked to use the beach house and was there with 10 or more friends.  Unfortunately for them, the weather was pretty poor with a decent of amount of rain.

As the tour met just outside the National Zoo, we arrive a bit early and had a bit of time to wander through the Panda area.  Glad the US and China had reached agreement to send two panda cubs back to the US.  Both were outside.

Loved the red panda.

Our route to Rock Creek Park took us past the Kennedy-Warren Apartments, which we built between 1931-35.  Caroline pointed out this is considered the largest and best example of Art Deco architecture in D.C.  She said it represented a specific style called Aztec Deco, and pointed out the numerous animal motifs in the facade including the elephant stylized rows and the turtle and windmill decorations.

From there, we crossed the street and accessed a small trail down the hill to the Klingle Valley Trail, which connected to Rock Creek.  Shortly after reaching the Rick Creek Trail, we headed up Porter St NW and made out way to the Peirce-Klingle Estate on a hilltop overlooking the area.  A wonderful old stone house.

Back at the creek, we went up river, eventually reaching the Pierce Mill near the Hungary and Czechia embassies.

We eventually wound up on Beach Dr, which is closed to traffic and followed the creak.  We turned around at Boulder Bridge which sits at a pretty big curve in the creek.

Our route ended back at the zoo.  We had a little time to wander and see more animals before needing to get back home.  The two sloth bears we out and near the edge of their paddocks.

The two are separated, but can still see and clearly smell each other.

OK, the baby Asian elephant was adorable.  She was born in February, so was only almost three-months old.

She was pretty active, with her adoptive mom looking on (her mom, a young, new mother had abandoned her), then it was nap time.

The  Sumatran Tiger was pretty active, jumping in and out of the water.

Had to include a picture of the squirrels trying to get to the bird seed at our house.