Piscataway Park is steeped in history and offers a unique connection to the past. The trails…read morethemselves are a bit limited (and don't forget insect repellent!), but the river view of Mount Vernon Estate across the Potomac was clear. The park has a working farm feel -- the livestock were out during my visit -- and the butterfly garden was a delightful surprise. The river trails don't offer much unless you're fishing, so this isn't really a hiking destination or photography in September. What makes it worthwhile is the history and atmosphere. It's a peaceful place to reflect, take in the landscape, and enjoy a slower pace just outside the bustle of DC.

On the Potomac River in Maryland, Piscataway Park showcases natural landscapes, cultural history,…read moreand views of the river and Mount Vernon. Established in 1961, the park preserves the historic view of George Washington's Mount Vernon and the surrounding area. Piscataway Park houses the National Colonial Farm, a recreation of a small 18th-century Maryland tobacco farm. Operated by the Accokeek Foundation, the farm includes historic buildings, heirloom crops, and livestock breeds typical of the colonial period. We visited Piscataway Park towards the end of the day. We walked the path through the farm and saw the Hog Island Sheep. This is a heritage breed the park seeks to preserve....there are less than 2000 of them left worldwide. The park is fairly small and there wasn't a ranger on site when we were there. The passport stamp is in the gift shop. The interpretive signs have seen better days, but still it was a lovely, albeit brief, visit.

Amazing experience. 5/5 Stars. $10 parking…read more I had a great time at Leesylvania State Park. They have paved roads in plenty of parking spaces. I experienced some of the most majestic birds. I seen my first great blue heron. Osprey and Turkey Vultures are also here and can be seen throughout the park. The trails were well-maintained and easy to navigate, offering beautiful views of the Potomac River. The fishing pier was a peaceful spot to relax and take in the scenery. I highly recommend this park for birdwatchers, nature lovers, and anyone looking to escape into a serene, well-kept natural space. I will definitely be coming back!

I used to like it more. While happy it's more popular than it used to be, am on the flip side…read moremissing the relaxing solitude. Would hike the trails here and see, either no one or very few people. That's no longer the case, and kudos to other folks being active. This is still a nice place to go. I'm not sure about swimming in the Potomac River. Fishing is decent from the walk out pier. Again I won't eat the catfish out of here, as I still have some concerns about pollution. They are of good size. Get chicken livers and catch lots of them. The parking lot is huge. If you have a boat they have a ramp.

I'm still new to cycling and have made it my business to note good local trails with scenic views…read more This is one of them. Located in Charles county, but it feels like you're far away from urban chaos. In fact, some of the views remind me of various vacation spots. I arrived at the trail head approximately 11:00am on a Saturday, which helped me avoid the early morning riders. According to my friends, even early morning rides have moderate trail usage, never crowded. They were finishing up as I got started. This is also important because parking at the trail head is limited. If you start at the beginning and go to the end, it's 13 miles of mostly smooth asphalt. Highway crossings are well marked and there are some inclines. There are also benches & a couple porta potties along the way. I'll return soon and see if I can spot a bald eagle.

Restrooms at the end of the parking lot are only open April - October. More often then not they're…read morein need of attention and typically out of hand soap so make sure to have some hand sanitizer with you. Port-a-potty's near where you get onto the trail also often need attention as they're typically low or entirely out of toilet paper, the doors don't actually lock or close properly like they're supposed to. Only plus side of the parking lot area is it's a place to put your vehicle since it's not pedestrian friendly getting to this end of the trail & there's somewhere to use the restroom if you're really that desperate need of one.

So fun! The park is doing some renovations but it doesn't hinder from walking around 90% of the…read morearea. I brought my dog, plenty of space to walk around on leash. Everyone was respectful picking up their trash, their dog's poop. Lovely outing. Had a picnic at the park too. Great views of the water. The grounds of this park is kept up nicely. The gift shop was nice as well

I really enjoy going to this park, however there isn't any upkeep to the historic buildings at this…read morepark and it's sad to see the buildings in disrepair. Trash cans are overflowed no security or Park Rangers insight, when there are multiple spots where anything could happen. It doesn't feel safe and given the recent news it makes sense it happened here.

It's closed for months to repair a sewage siphon in spring, which is ridiculous. There's a sewage…read morepipe that empties into the waterfall area, but people don't seem to care and they swim, even though you can smell the sewage. The whole place and even the forest is littered with hard lemonade and beer bottles, babies diapers, dog poop and all kinds of food wrappers.

Amazing hiking trails! Trails are pretty accessible for all levels…read more The trail maps need updating as there are some new trails.

Decent park to take your child to, however it needs to be cleaned and maintained. Several parts…read moreneed repair. HOA fees are too high to need repairs at a park.

This park is great, but it is a PRIVATE park. It is only for people that live in the neighborhood.read more

great lake for paddling or fishing…read more lots of smaller largemouth bass, but a developing population of larger ones. no gas motors are allowed. concrete boat ramp with a small floating dock and attached canoe/kayak launch. even when the parking area is crowded, I've never seen it full. & the lake looks empty even when the parking is full. limited shore fishing. some picnic tables & such. there are restrooms on the hill above the boat ramp. only flaws are a population of wasps at the dock that repeated complaints to the County have not resolved, and a tendency for all-about-me folks to park along the ramp (which is NOT a parking area, except for the small handicap area) or leave their vehicles there for extended periods.

Lake Mooney is technically a reservoir but it definitely has that lake feel and is perfect for…read morefishing or kayaking. Gas motor boats are not allowed; only electric motors are permitted on the lake. There's a boat ramp that is easy to get to. A few benches also line the shore. This is a great place for a picnic. I personally enjoy visiting late in the afternoon, as you can watch the sun set.

April 15, 2026 - A hidden gem and fascinating park we discovered recently since we moved here in…read more2023. It has been an incredibly fun adventure for us - finding parks and places to enjoy, hike, and immerse ourselves in the nature, beauty of the outdoors, and wildlife in Virginia & Maryland. We walked all the trails in the Hidden Pond Park and liked spending time in the Hidden Pond Nature Center in the park. There are many activities for children and adults in the parks. The staff there were friendly and helpful. The park is well maintained and there are so many picturesque areas and hiking trails to experience there. We spent about three hours in the park. The park was peaceful and quiet. We experienced no traffic and saw very few people during our hike on the trails. Austin, one of the staff in the Nature Center, said it had to do with the geography & location of the park. Along the trails are many sitting areas to take a break. We saw many kinds of birds, deer, flowers, and foxes during our time in the park. Strongly recommend wearing bug repellent & sunscreen and checking out a map of the trails in the nature center. Beautiful park to visit during each season and very ideal for wildlife photographers and for peaceful & quiet walks in the park.

What did we see on our first day walking the trails? -Red fox, 3 deer, red shouldered hawk,…read morecardinal, woodpecker, sleeping squirrel, sparrows, chickadee, carnivorous plant, and a turtle back at the pond. Pretty eventful day, April 15, 2026. Staff were helpful and nice! Nature Center provides wildlife education and animals, a place to refill water or use the utilities. I wouldn't expect to see all that we seen, as think we were pretty lucky to come across all of that in one day. For instance as soon as we sat down on the bench near the river, the hawk flew over and landed nearby, first to get a drink of water then perched nearby. The fox happened to be coming to the river before we locked eyes and ran off while I fumbled with my dang lens cap, as always. Good luck!

What a gem! Chessie's Big Backyard is such a great spot for kids (and grown-ups who like a good…read morewalk). The walking trails were really nice--well maintained with peaceful forest views. Perfect for a stroller, and some nature scavenger hunts. The playground itself is huge and looked really well cared for. The toddler area was unfortunately closed during our visit, but the rest of the space more than made up for it. There are tons of benches and seating all around, and you can see most of the playground from just about anywhere, which is so helpful when you're keeping an eye on kiddos. There's a massive covered pavilion area that would be perfect for group meetups or a picnic in the shade. And while it was still closed for the season, the splash pad/water park area looked like fun! Definitely planning to come back in the summer to check it out! Such a great spot to have in the area!

Would definitely come here again didn't know that it was a park with a waterpark next to it just…read morefor small kids nothing major nothing big but it's still amazing. Granddaughter had a blast.