Regional / Recreational Park Picnic Shelters
Guidelines and fees
Shelters are available for rental between April 1 and October 31. Applications to rent regional/recreational picnic shelters are accepted by the Park Permits office between January-October for use within the same calendar year.
Rental of a shelter between a November and March require approval of the park manager, but note that many facilities may not be available.
- To rent regional/recreation picnic shelter, two-thirds of all participants must be residents of Montgomery or Prince George’s County, Maryland.
- Parking at all locations is first come, first served, and lots are shared by all users of the park, including shelter renters, ballfield renters, and the community.
- Permanent restrooms and porta-johns are available April – October only. Permanent restrooms require a key to access; the key must be picked up and returned to the same Park Permit office by the renter. Keys may be picked up one or two workdays prior to use and returned within two days after use.
- Catering is allowed at only at designated picnic shelters.
- Only charcoal fires in grills are permitted. Users are responsible to clean and remove used coal from the grill; all fires must be extinguished after use. Gas grills, wood burning fires, and generators are prohibited.
- Persons renting a shelter must be 21 years or older.
- Maximum capacities of shelters are enforced, and the number of persons stated is the maximum number allowed in attendance at any time, either in or around the picnic shelter. Reserve more than one shelter or a shelter large enough to accommodate your anticipated group size.
- Both the rental fee and security deposit are required to make a reservation.
- Facility requests must be made at least 72 office hours in advance of your requested date. Requests submitted with less than 72 hours will not be processed, and there will be no refund of submitted application fees.
- Moonbounces and other large-scale game and recreation equipment require advance prior approval from the park manager and must include liability insurance. Contact the Park Permit office for details on obtaining permission to have a game equipment on park property.
- Pony rides and dunking booths are not permitted.
- Bus permits are required for buses and 18 passenger vans; these vehicles are only allowed Monday-Friday. Bus Permits are issued through the Park Permit Office.
- Picnic shelter reservations are valid between the hours of 9am-8pm, or sunset whichever comes first during the rental season.
Alcohol policy
Trash removal
Additional rules
Adjacent ballfields
Fees
Reservation confirmation
Cancellations
Making Reservation Requests
Park Permits Offices
Directions
Alcohol Policy
Alcohol is not permitted at regional/recreational park picnic shelters.
Trash Removal
Trash cans are available at all sites, however, renters are responsible for removing all excess trash and recyclables from Park property for proper disposal/recycling which does not fit into provided containers. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of the security deposit.
Additional Rules
Renters of M-NCPPC Park facilities are responsible for following M-NCPPC Rules and Regulations.
Adjacent Ballfields
Many regional/recreational park picnic shelters have adjacent ballfields, which are permitted ONLY for official league games by submitting an application and are not available for picnic related activities. Fields are charged on a per game basis. Please contact the permit office for details.
Fees
- Large Picnic Shelters at Black Hill Regional Park (Shelters A, B, C, I, and J) $200 per shelter
- All Other Regional/Recreational Shelters $125 per shelter
- $150 refundable security deposit per shelter is required to reserve a regional/recreational picnic shelter. Security deposits refunds are issued following completion of the park inspection. Credit cards refunds are processed the following week. Refunds by check may take up to 4-6 weeks. Security deposits may be retained for damage to the site, leaving trash, not cleaning the grill or not following M-NCPPC Park Rules and Regulations. To avoid forfeiting the deposit, leave the area in a clean and tidy condition.
- $48 reservation change fee, which must be made writing at least 7 days in advance of the original rental date.
Reservation Confirmation
A reservation request is not finalized until confirmed by the Park Permit office. Confirmations are made from the Park Permit office by email, or you may contact the office directly by calling 301-495-2525. Please do not finalize plans until you receive a confirmation from the Park Permit office.
Cancellations
Once a reservation is made, the rental fee is non-refundable, regardless of weather; the rental is for rain or shine use. An additional $48 fee is charged to change your reservation, and requests to change a reservation must be submitted in writing to the Park Permit Office at least one week prior to date of use.
Making Reservation Requests
All reservations and permits are processed through the Park Permit Office. Prior to selecting and reserving a facility, it is recommended that you visit it in advance. After a reservation is made, there are no refunds, and changes to reservations require a $48 fee.
Reservations can be made in person at the two Park Permit Offices or online. Both the non-refundable fee and security deposit are required when making the reservation.
Download Picnic Shelter Applications. Completed applications, payments for facilities and security deposits should be taken to the Park Permits Office. Reservation requests being paid by a check must be received at least two weeks in advance. Reservation requests submitted online require a credit card payment.
Park Permit Offices
Parkside Headquarters
9500 Brunett Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
301-495-2525
Fax: 301-495-2484
Office Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Monday-Friday)
Upcounty Government Center
12900 Middlebrook Road - Room 1500
Germantown, MD 20874
301-495-2480
Office Hours: 8:30 AM - 4 PM (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Directions
Parkside Headquarters
From I-495, take the Colesville Road South exit, which is exit 30B, off of the beltway and stay in your right-hand lane. Turn right at the second light onto Sligo Creek Parkway. Take the first right turn, which is Brunett Avenue. The first left turn after turning onto Brunett Avenue is the driveway leading up to our building.
Upcounty Government Center
Take I-270 North to the Route 118 West exit. Follow Route 118 to Middlebrook Road, which will be the third traffic light. Turn right onto Middlebrook Road. Make the first left turn by the Exxon Gas Station. The building and parking lot will be on your left. The Department of Parks Permit Office is located on the first floor, Room 1500.
