With 8,513 acres of park land, D.C. residents seemingly have better access to green space than most people in the U.S. According to the Trust for Public Land, 96 percent of residents live within a half-mile of a park.

For some, that includes some of the city’s marquee spots like the National Mall, Dupont Circle, and Rock Creek, Malcolm X/Meridian Hill, Fort Dupont and Yards parks. But others are served by smaller pocket, triangle and circle parks, with the quality varying.

Part of the issue, as the City Paper explained a few years ago, is confusion over ownership of the land. The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation manages 360 properties, 229 of which are triangle parks. The National Park Service controls vast swaths of land in D.C., including dozens of triangle parks on Capitol Hill alone. If not in a prominent location, some of the best small parks in D.C. are the ones with community support. There’s a fair chance your favorite pocket park may be left off this list, so please leave it in the comments.

Courtesy Southwest Duck Pond.

SOUTHWEST DUCK POND: The Southwest Duck Pond is a labor of love for the community it serves. Through a partnership with DPR, Neighbors of Southwest Duck Pond brought the park back to life and helps maintain it. Created from the remnants of the Town Center West Park, it is now the site of a large pond with fountains, a playground and farm stand. While not legally, it’s a park that truly belongs to the people who use it.

The Southwest Duck Pond is located at 6th and I streets SW.

ANNA J. COOPER CIRCLE: Named for a groundbreaking African American scholar and educator, Anna J. Cooper Circle is located in LeDroit Park, where she lived until her death at age 105. Her nearby home is now occupied by a family. The traffic circle, while not extraordinary, is home to mature trees and several benches in one of the most charming neighborhoods in D.C.

Anna J. Cooper Circle is located at 3rd and T streets NW.

Photo by Iamjomo.

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY MEMORIAL PARK: This Georgetown park is small, but it’s location is unbeatable. Overlooking the Potomac at the Key Bridge, the park is anchored by a terrace and surrounded by flowers. There’s also a small bust of Francis Scott Key, who lived near the park in the early 19th century, and an American flag representing the year he wrote the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Francis Scott Key Memorial Park is located at 34th and M streets NW.

KHALIL GIBRAN MEMORIAL: With the many grand embassies nearby, it’s forgivable to miss the Khalil Gibran Memorial on Massachusetts Avenue NW inside the heavily-wooded Woodland-Normanstone Terrace Park. It’s a lush site, with a memorial garden and engraved benches. Perfect for an afternoon of contemplation.

The Khalil Gibran Memorial is located at 3050 Massachusetts Avenue NW.

Photo by Ranpuba.

CANAL PARK: With the stunning, Anacostia River adjacent Yards Park nearby, Canal Park may seem unnecessary, but it in fact serves as a perfect complement. Carved out on a sliver of land in the Navy Yard neighborhood, the park has year-round features, including fountains and an ice skating rink. It also hosts outdoor movies and events.

Canal Park is located at 1100 New Jersey Avenue SE.

LAMONT PARK: While there isn’t any grass in this Mount Pleasant park, the triangle of paved land serves as a community hub, hosting a farmers market and outdoor movie nights.

Lamont Park is located at 3258 Mt Pleasant Street NW.

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW MEMORIAL: With many triangle and circle parks in D.C. hosting statues of great men and women, it’s hard to choose just one. We’ll highlight the triangle park where the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument is located primarily for its location. It’s a traffic-riddled, noisy intersection, which makes the small park even more of an oasis.

The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Memorial is located at M Street and Connecticut Avenue NW.

CRISPUS ATTUCKS PARK: Otherwise known as “that secret park in Bloomingdale,” according to your friend who probably moved to D.C. in the last year or two and won’t shut up about it. I kid, I kid. But seriously, Crispus Attucks Park, tucked away behind a few alleys in between row houses in Bloomingdale, isn’t so secret because everyone seems to know about it. Still, it’s one of the best, most serene parks in the middle of the city. Perfect for an afternoon picnic, or just a quiet spot to read a book, it’s big enough that you can spread out without fear of intruding on someone else’s personal space. — Matt Cohen

Crispus Attucks Park is located between the 2000 blocks of First and North Capitol Streets NW.

Courtesy Friends of French Street Park.

FRENCH STREET PARK: If you asked me what Shaw is best at, it’s the micro-sized pocket parks situated throughout the neighborhood. Right down the street from me is Westminster Park, which has a nice playground and is well-kept, but I’m partial to the tiny gated French Street Park. It’s got a few benches and some lush green and floral, but it’s a relatively quiet park, which makes it nice as an afternoon reading spot. Which is, after all, what pocket parks are for. — Matt Cohen

French Street Park is located at French and 10th Street NW.

CASTLE GARDEN AT HEURICH HOUSE MUSEUM: While the Heurich House Museum is privately owned, with admission costing $5, the Castle Garden is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. It’s secluded spot in a busy neighborhood, with benches and shade for office workers looking for an outdoor lunch spot.

The Heurich House Museum is located at 1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW.

LOVEJOY PARK: Serving the Near Northeast and Hill East neighborhoods, there’s nothing exceptional about Lovejoy Park. Its simplicity — green space, a playground, benches — is what makes it a great neighborhood space, and one worth duplicating around the city.

Lovejoy Park is located at 12th and E streets NE.