#280 – Walk the Labyrinth at Barton Park

Tucked beneath a canopy of mature oaks, cypresses, and pines at 2401 10th St. N. in Arlington’s Barton Park, this seven-circuit stone labyrinth is one of the most quietly remarkable spots in the entire county — and one most Arlingtonians don’t know exists. The labyrinth has a moving history: it was originally constructed in 2001 as part of a healing garden at the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, a clinic that served the LGBTQ+ community during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When the clinic closed in 2009, dedicated volunteers painstakingly numbered each stone, lifted them from the earth, and stored them in a county warehouse for years rather than let them be lost.

In 2013, the Clarendon Courthouse Civic Association worked with Arlington County to reconstruct the labyrinth exactly as it had stood at the clinic, installing it at Barton Park as a permanent public installation. The classic 37-foot labyrinth was funded in part by the TKF Foundation and features three central boulders arranged in a triangle — representing both the gay pride triangle and the Holy Trinity — that serve as a resting point and symbolic anchor. The park is a three-acre contemplative space that also overlooks the Barton Street Community Garden. It is open from sunrise to a half hour after sunset, admission is free, and it is always open to the public. The park is accessible on foot from the Virginia Square Metro station (Orange/Silver lines). Visit arlingtonva.us for more.