Rock Creek Park

This is one of the nation's first federal parks, founded in 1890; twice the acreage of New York's Central Park, it contains historic 18th- and 19th-century structures and more than 20 miles of dirt trails—some frequently visited, some obscure. Since the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, it has been the informal dividing line between the crime-ridden east side and the up-market west side of the District.

It is also nearly the only place in the District where the Masons do not control the metaphysical topography. Magnificent bridges carry the artificial ley lines across the park, but the Rock Creek basin itself rejects such influences, remaining stubbornly grounded in the natural world. As such, though it is not Accorded Neutral Ground, it is a frequent meeting place for members of supernatural factions who would prefer not to be spied on by the city's Masonic overlords.

The park also has a secretive history in the mundane world, places in it having been used as dead-drop sites by two of the most notorious double agents in Cold War history: Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. Gangs are known to use it as neutral turf for non-violent conferences. Something about the park just seems to encourage furtive meetings and whispered confidences.

Like most urban parks, it is not especially safe after dark, but neither is it especially unsafe compared to other DC parks—the 2001 politically-charged murder of Chandra Levy notwithstanding. Interestingly, the man convicted of her murder may soon be retried and potentially set free as new evidence indicates that the most important witness against him lied under oath….