Nervous in Cabin John Park . . .

[Anonymous]

Recent transplant to Cabin John from urban Silver Spring and went to Cabin John Park (the big playground, mini train etc) for the first time on Sunday. I'm a SAHM so I thought it would be a great place to take my walking 1 y.o. this morning b/c we're always up early and it's nice play outside before it gets to hot.

Arrived at 8am and the only other person there was someone sleeping in their car. A few other cars drove in, all lone adults, all parked in different places, and didn't leave their vehicles. A couple adults leave the bathroom together (they were in there before I arrived). Park Police drives in and I decide, it's now been 30 mins, to listen to my gut that's something is just not right and I leave. Park Police have semi-blocked the exit b/c they are questioning some guy (that I hadn't noticed before).

Anyway, I found all of this very, very strange. It's not that I felt unsafe exactly; just weirded-out. And I'm not saying catching a few zzzs in the park in your car makes you a bad person! But the fact that NO ONE else was there with their kids at what is a rather fabulous playground makes me think that others have experienced this -- firsthand or secondhand. I imagine going back later in the morning is fine so will try again some other day. Thoughts anyone?

[Anonymous]

try going at 9 a.m. it's shaded so it doesn't get too hot in the summer.

[Anonymous]

I think any large park/wooded area can be a bit scary at night/early morning. Homeless people have to sleep somewhere (which I am guessing is what was going on).

Just go back at 10 am. We went at around 10:30 on a Friday and there were lots of people - I would have never, ever thought to be scared.

[Anonymous]

Many people meet there to go running and wait in their cars for their running partners to show up. Look at the police reports online for that area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think any large park/wooded area can be a bit scary at night/early morning. Homeless people have to sleep somewhere (which I am guessing is what was going on).

Just go back at 10 am. We went at around 10:30 on a Friday and there were lots of people - I would have never, ever thought to be scared.

I agree. We were there for the first time a couple of weeks ago at about 10:30 and it was packed with families. We did the train ride and played on the playground and had a great time. I don't know if I would feel comfortable there so early either....it is just such a big, wooded place. If I was the only one there with my children, I would probably be a little weirded out, too. So just go a bit later - it is a great park!

[Anonymous]

I agree with all the other PPs. You got there too early. Try again around 10:00 and you will feel way more comfortable.

[Anonymous]

I always wonder what goes on at the parks at night because the bathrooms are absolutely disgusting by 10 am. My kids love Cabin John and the shade is great. I agree with others that you should go at 10 am. Another park that is very good for the younger set but has less shade is Hadley Park over on Falls Road.

[Anonymous]

There are definitely guys meeting guys at Cabin John, and I have seen the interactions with my own eyeballs. This is total conjecture, but I do believe they are there to hook up, based on their behavior that, again, I've witnessed more than once with my own eyeballs.

(usually I see this over on the dog park side, though).

But this doesn't bother me in the least. These guys don't care a whit about you or your child. Let's assume only for the sake of discussion they met on Craig's List to facilitate an anonymous sex encounter in a secluded place in the woods. How does this affect my Lab -OR- my preschooler, who are in the dog enclosure or tot lot, respectively?

[Anonymous]

It definitely sounds like their are guys hooking up for sex in the bathrooms there. I know it goes on in the bathrooms in Rock Creek Park as well. Sounds like you'll be fine if you go later in the day.

[Anonymous]

We frequent Cabin John often and were just there this past Sunday at 10 a.m. for playground and then first train ride. Never had a problem there.

[Anonymous]

Sunday isn't the same as Tues., though, in terms of who is at the park in the early hours.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is a rough place - you should move back to Silver Spring, or Wheaton.

[Anonymous]

That's why I kept a potty in the ca-ar (melody fades out)....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda is a rough place - you should move back to Silver Spring, or Wheaton.

[Anonymous]

I have seen this while walking my dog at parks all over the DC area- the tell tale sign is multiple cars sitting in a parking lot with a single male driver. I always assume they are meeting other men for sex in either the bathrooms or the woods. I see it most commonly around 5 pm at night, or 8 or so in the morning- probably because the men are married and stopping to meet some CL hook-up on the way home from or to work. Honestly, I think it is mostly middle-aged married dudes. It is pretty pathetic. Out gay men can meet each other in bars and clubs and don't need to rely on the clandestine park hook-up. The closer the park is to a commuter route the more common it is.