History
Welcome to Naval Support Facility Indian Head
Naval Support Facility Indian Head was founded in 1890 as the Navy’s first established presence in southern Maryland. What began many years ago as a gun test facility on the Potomac River has evolved and expanded to include numerous scientific and response-force missions serving all branches of the military – Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines.
Installation Information
Surrounded by the Potomac River and Mattawoman Creek, Naval Support Facility Indian Head is strategically situated less than 30 miles south of the nation’s capital. In addition to its military value, the Indian Head Navy installation makes a significant economic contribution to the local community by serving as one of Charles County, Maryland’s largest employers.
Today’s military community on board Naval Support Facility Indian Head represents a diverse and strategically important mix of research and development activities, alongside operational support programs that are protecting the U.S. homeland from terrorist threats, as well as serving U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army forces deployed worldwide on a daily basis.
Population
Welcome to Naval Support Activity South Potomac
Naval Support Activity South Potomac (NSASP) is a major shore command within Naval District Washington, and serves as the host command for two historic naval installations in the region: Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren, Va. and Naval Support Facility Indian Head, Md. As the host command, we provide base operations support for about two dozen commands and tenant activities, a workforce approaching 10,000, and over 900 base residents between both installations.
Together, Dahlgren and Indian Head represent dynamic and growing naval installations that employ some of the largest concentrations of scientists and engineers in the greater Washington, D.C. area that conduct leading-edge research and development and provide critical operational support to U.S. armed forces.
For more information, visit CNIC Naval Support Activity South Potomac.
Location
Naval Support Facility Indian Head is located less than 30 miles from Washington, D.C. Indian Head covers more than 3,200 acres and is surrounded by the Potomac River, Mattawoman Creek and Chicamuxen Creek in Charles County, Maryland. Due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., the cost of living is slightly higher than other locations.
For more information, please visit https://ndw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NSA-South-Potomac/Installations/NSF-Indian-Head/.
Directions
Indian Head is serviced by three major airports:
- Ronald Regan Washington National Airport (DCA) – 31 miles from the city of Indian Head
- Dulles International Airport in Washington (IAD) – 54 miles from the city of Indian Head
- Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) – 60 miles from the city of Indian Head
There is not a military shuttle or mass transit between the airports and Indian Head. Contact your command to arrange transportation prior to arrival at the airport.
Directions
From Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)
- Take Rt. I-95 W, merge onto MD-295 S (Baltimore-Washington Parkway), merge onto I-495 S to Exit 3 - Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy, approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Virginia – Reagan National Airport (DCA)
- Get on US-1 S/N Henry St. in Alexandria from George Washington Memorial Parkway. Follow signs for I-495E/I-95N toward Baltimore, over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to merge onto Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy, approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Virginia – Dulles Airport (IAD)
- Take I-495 S/Capital Beltway toward Richmond/Alexandria to Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue south on Indian Head Hwy approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Maryland, points north
- Take 495 S (Rockville/Gaithersburg/College Park) to Rt. 210/Indian Head Hwy, Indian Head. Continue South on Indian Head Hwy approximately 20 miles to main gate.
From Southern Maryland
- Take Rt. 5 North to Waldorf. At intersection of Rt. 301 and Rt. 5, cross over Rt. 301 onto Rt. 228 westbound. Follow Rt. 228 approximately 6.9 miles before bearing left onto Rt. 210 South. Follow Indian Head Hwy approximately 10 miles to the main gate.
To NSF Dahlgren from NSF Indian Head
- Follow Indian Head Hwy/MD-210 S. Take a right onto Hawthorne Road/MD-225 into La Plata. Turn right on Crain Hwy/US-301 S. Continue to follow US-301 S (toll road) crossing the bridge into Virginia. Turn left on Dahlgren Road. Follow Dahlgren Road approximately 2 miles to the NSF Dahlgren main gate. This route has an estimated driving time of 46 minutes/approximately 33 miles.
Base Transportation
There is currently no on base transportation. NSF Indian Head is located in a remote rural area and public transportation is extremely limited. Private automobiles are a necessity.
