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Travel
Virginia: Guide
to going places
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Parks
Guide :
National Parks/Northern Va.
NoVa.
State Parks
NoVa.
Regional Parks
Central
Virginia parks
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 Manassas
National Battlefield Park
12521 Lee Highway, Manassas
(703) 361-1339
Manassas National Battlefield Park was established in 1940 to preserve
the scene of two major Civil War battles. Located a few miles north of
the prized railroad junction of Manassas, the peaceful Virginia countryside
bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North and South in 1861
and 1862. The Henry Hill Visitor Center provides a good beginning point
for park visitors. Visit the museum, see the film “Manassas End of
Innocence,” or join a ranger on an interpretive tour about the First
Battle of Manassas. The Eastern National Bookstore is also located in
the visitor center. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except Christmas
and Thanksgiving.
Prince
William Forest Park
18100 Park Headquarters Road, Triangle
(703) 221-7181
Established in 1936, Prince William Forest Park, Located in Prince William
County, Virginia, is the largest protected natural area in the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan region at over 15,000+ acres. Today, the park is a
window into the past, of what much of the east coast once looked like
centuries ago. A range of activities are offered, including hiking and
backcountry camping. Permits required for camping. Open year-round, 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. $5 entrance fee (good for seven days).
Great Falls National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road, McLean
(423) 436-1200
This park is composed of 800 acres along the Potomac River upriver from
Washington, D.C. It is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway,
and known for its scenic beauty and the historic Patowmack Canal. The
park is a day-use area and a fee is charged for admission. It is open
every day except December 25. A visitor center provides orientation to
the site and information about the recreation opportunities available.
The park road and trails are open for hiking and exploring. Fishing for
bass, catfish and carp is a popular activity on site, but a Virginia or
Maryland fishing license is required. Rock climbing opportunities are
available on site, but please register at the visitor center or lower
parking lot before climbing. Pets must be leashed at all times.
Potomac
Heritage Trail
(202) 789-7000
Washington, D.C/Fairfax
Citizens in the Potomac Heritage Trail corridor are rediscovering history
and reclaiming access to rivers and other outdoor places. The designation
of a Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor in 1983, an amendment
to the National Trails System Act, is being used by communities in Virginia,
Maryland, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania to develop and make
connections among trails, historic sites and a range of recreational and
educational opportunities. In the Virginia/D.C. region, the trail exists
in two places: The 184.5-mile C & O Canal Towpath between Georgetown
and Cumberland, Md., managed by Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical
Park; and the 17-mile Mount Vernon Trail and the 10-mile Potomac Heritage
Trail in northern Virginia, managed by George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Arlington
House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
(703) 235-1530
The house that Robert E. Lee called home for 30 years and one uniquely
associated with the Washington and Custis families is preserved today
as a memorial to General Lee. The house is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to
4:30 a.m.; the museum is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The house and grounds
are closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Claude Moore Colonial Farm
6310 Georgetown Pike, McLean
(703) 442-7557
Claude Moore Colonial Farm is a living history site that demonstrates
the life of a poor farm family living on a small farm in northern Virginia
just prior to the American Revolutionary War. Open Wednesday through Sunday,
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free
LBJ
Memorial Grove on the Potomac
George Washington Memorial Parkway, McLean
(703) 289-2500
The Memorial is located in Lady Bird Johnson Park, a Potomac River island
in Washington, D.C. The grove consists of two parts. The first area, commemorative
in nature, is a granite monolith surrounded by a serpentine pattern of
walks and trails. The second area is a grass meadow and provides a tranquil
refuge for reflection. The trails are shaded by a grove of hundreds of
white pine and dogwood trees, and framed by azaleas and rhododendron.
Open year-round during daylight hours.
Theodore
Roosevelt Island Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway, Turkey Run Park
McLean
(703) 289-2500
Theodore Roosevelt was a man with vision. He considered the future before
making decisions and his legacies still influence us. Perhaps his greatest
legacy was in conservation. This wooded island is a fitting memorial to
the outdoorsman, naturalist, and visionary who was our 26th President.
Two and one-half miles of trails lead through the marsh, swamp and forest.
Visitors often see birds or small mammals. Access to the island is available
only from the northbound lane of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Open throughout the year during daylight hours.
Wolftrap
National Park for the Performing Arts
1551 Trap Road, Vienna
(703) 255-1800
The first national park for the performing arts, this park offers wealth
of natural and cultural resources to the Northern Virginia community and
to the nation. The center has 3868 in-house seats, and is an open-air
performing arts pavilion.
Sources:
U.S. National Park Service
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