Great place to walk and enjoy lake views - plenty of parking in lots near the pavilions, boat dock, spillway, and on the side of the road leading up to the lake. Many benches and a hardscape patio-type area near the boat dock. There are lots of areas with gentle slopes down to the lake for fishing or just skipping stones in the water. There are kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats for rent. The lake is surprisingly easy to get to from Rockville using Gude and Southlawn, and not crowded at all. A great spot for an urban escape! read more

Lake Needwood - Path down to the boat dock area - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

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Do you need to find a happy place or do you need to unwind from electronics?! Look no further. One of the nicest trails in MOCO ... its a very easy path. Not that many steep hills. Depending on time of year, you can rent boat..or canoe. You can see different types of birds here if your a bird watcher. You can plan a nice picnic here too. There are a few different entrances. The most convenient one for me is off Needwood Rd or you can enter from Avery Rd. read more

First, if you need an address to find this park, you can use either 15700 Needwood Lake Circle, Rockville, MD or 15700 Needwood Lake Circle, Derwood, MD. This park has two entrances - one on Avery Road and the other on Needwood Road. The one on Avery Road is closer to Go Ape Adventures which is located within the park (at a cost). As you enter this part of the park, and go down a hill, the road will eventually end at a stop sign. It is here you will see a sign that says, "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood". You then have to decide if you want to go right or go left. If you turn right, you will come across the Golf Course, Picnic Area, and Archery. If you turn left, you will come across the Boat Shop, Picnic Areas, and Hiker/Biker Trails. Going Right at the "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood" sign If you turn right, you will go over a few speed bumps. After you pass this area (and you will see Go Ape to your right), you will also see part of the lake to your left and a little crossing bridge (not for cars). On this side, I have seen people have picnics, go fishing, and hiking as well. If you continue on the road, you will come across a playground to your left and a parking lot - I guess there are more trails back there (I have not gone in the area beyond the playground). To the right of that lot is a place for archery. If you continue on this road, you will exit the park onto Needwood Road. Going Left at the "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood" sign If you turn left, you will see a parking lot on your immediate right. Next to this lot, is a volleyball court - I have seen folks play volleyball here. If you continue through a walking path in the trees, you will come across some covered picnic tables and more trails taking you closer to the lake. As you get back in your vehicle, past this parking lot and follow the road, it will steer you to the right and you go down towards the lake. In this area of the road, I have seen people park on the road whenever the park gets crowded (there are marked spaces). As you continue down, you will see a much smaller parking area which is next to the boat house. You can walk through the boat house to another part of the lake, but as far as renting boats, that is only available during the summer months. Most times, this lot is filled, but not to worry, because if you continue traveling just a few feet more, you will come across an even bigger parking lot. It is in this bigger lot, you will come across a map layout of the whole park - more of Lake Needwood. There are also a few porta-potties. Within the area is a huge grassy field that is perfect to just lay a blanket and chill, but you may have to complete with geese in the area. There are 2 trails on this side by the map - if you go to the left, the trail is on a very flat surface - be careful when walking as you will end up crossing a few roads like Southlawn Lane and Avery Road, to name a few. By that same map, if you take the trail to the right, you will go up a hill, cross over the lake and continue on even more trails in this park. I like coming to Lake Needwood. I have done walks here on a few of the different trails and have even gone off the beaten path. Had lunch on a picnic table or two and even did pedal boating, however you won't ever find me in a kayak. Overall, it is nice to come here to just chill and enjoy nature. To gather more info on your own, check out these links: Lake Needwood Trails: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/rock-creek-regional-park/rock-creek-trails/lake-needwood-trails Lake Needwood Boats: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/lake-needwood-boats read more

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this is a beautiful piece of nature on the outskirts of rockville! the lake is perfect for those wanting to walk, hike, take their dog on a walk, or run. i've only been in the winter, so not many leaves were on the branches, so mostly bare trees but it was still beautiful. the rock creek trail initiates from the southern tip, you can park right there and access the trailhead, which runs 14 miles to washington d.c.! but if you want fewer miles, just turnaround at any point since this is an out and back trail, quite easy to navigate, in my opinion. there are various picnic groves around the lake with picnic benches and bbq grills. there are also restrooms, in some areas only portable toilets, but they are appointed with toilet paper and hand sanitizer. parking is free, and there are many lots to choose from...tip: when meeting your group, be sure to specify which parking lot since it can get confusing. not to be missed if you live in or are visiting montgomery county! read more

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Need a place to fix your week? You should visit Lake Needwood! Great place to find peace and relax yourself, beautiful views specifically in the afternoons, either way you can grab a chair or simple walking around, you won't regret. Have fun. read more

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I've been really enjoying my quiet mornings walking my dog here recently. The park is remarkably rubbish free relative to its size and the amount of visitors it receives. This makes it easy for a hound owner like me who has to stay vigilant on roadside rubbish. It's somehow also quiet despite constant coming and going of people and cars. I appreciate that very much given how noisy and crowded Cabin John Regional Park can get. The trails and walking path has a very mild incline making it ideal for those with joint problems for a walk. Given how easy it is to find parking, how clean the park is, and the relative quietness it provides, I'm thrilled to enjoy this lake for years to come. read more

Lake Needwood - Don't let dogs or yourself from touching the toxic water - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

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I love Lake Needwood. It's so great having this gorgeous 75 acre space to enjoy through most seasons of the year. I've biked to and through here, gone on walks around the park with myself and others, and just sat by the water enjoying a book and some sunshine. For biking, I enter the trail by Aspen Hill Library and ride until I hit the lake. It's a great place to stop, park you bike and catch a breath. You pass by really gorgeous views leading up to here, and trust me, its got some hills to it. It's a sense of accomplishment when you pass that last hill and see the big open field to your left where doggies are always running around. For those driving to the lake, I've always been able to find parking easily, but it can get crowded since there are several picnic pavillions on site. I've never gotten a chance to do it, but they have a boat shop where you can rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats and pedal boats. Kayaking out there is on my list of to-dos this summer for sure. I've even seen people fishing out of the lake - it is totally allowed! This place is my happy summer go to :) read more

Lake Needwood - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

This place is so peaceful! The view of the lake is very tranquil and offers a scenic view of other areas of the park. They have lots of options for walking or jogging trails. Just don't get lost on these trails, lol. There's also a golf course nearby and the park is located adjacent to a quaint neighborhood so it's very quiet around there. I love this park and I will be back coming back soon. You can rent a canoe, you can have a picnic or you can just sit around and read. Enjoy your visit to lake Needwood yelpers! read more

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A nice variety of areas and activities for the whole family. Parts of the park are in need of some upkeep. So come by to take a walk, let the kids loose in one of the many playgrounds or check out the archery range. read more

I love visiting lake Needwood. The trial is well kept and the views are nice with picnic areas and clean restroom. There is boat ramp access for kayaks but can also rent. Access is free read more

Lake Needwood - Kayaking - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

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My boss hosted our company picnic here and it was pretty cool. I've been here before but just to walk around and enjoy the scenery. We started up one of the grills in the picnic area (which you can reserve in advanced) and spent a few hours here just playing some back yard games and chit chatting. The area is well maintained and it's very easy to find. Parking was right in front so you can just pop in any time. The lake is gorgeous and is very close to the picnic area. Recommend it if you need to host any outdoor events/picnics. read more

Lake Needwood - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

Lake Needwood is a lovely park around a lake, with lots of tall trees (which I am sometimes mildly allergic to), and good walking and running trails. The trails are clean and quiet most of the time. There's also lots of parking, important because several Montgomery County Road Runners clubs use it to complete their long weekend run. As a personal aside, my now husband proposed to me here, and I gotta say that the backdrop of the trails and trees were pretty perfect :') if anyone is looking for any recommendations on where to propose, here's my advice, hah. read more

Saturday hike around the lake about 10am was supposed to be overcast but turned out to be nice but humid weather not to crowded no fee to enter park that's a bonus will be back read more

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Lovely and relaxing lake. Canoing, walking or biking trails, archery, huge playground, picnic areas, nice bathrooms by playground. Plenty of parking in different areas around the park. I like walking the loop around the lake. Safe, clean, beautiful wooded walk around the lake. read more

Visited m a weekday and there was plenty of parking. We hiked around the lake passing a fair number of visitors. I would imagine it's pretty crowded and n weekends and perhaps a parking issue. The only drag is at the far side of the lake you have to walk along a fairly busy road for about 100 yards and then you return back to the path. There is a ropes course, archery, paddle boats and canoes, playground and picnic area. Clean and well designed with limited space. I will probably limit my visits to weekdays. read more

This place is beautiful! There is an easy trail around the small lake that takes me about an hour to complete. Small boat rentals are available and plenty of picnic and BBQ areas. read more

Lake Needwood - Lake Needwood - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

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Like lake Frank, lake needwood is a nice park with trails around a lake in the Rockville area. This park however is much bigger than lake frank and has a lot more parking. The parking is paved and some of the trail is paved (on the way to lake needwood and rock creek) otherwise the rest of the trail is gravel and dirt. There are fun side trails off in the woods that come close to the golf course. This park is a bit more crowded than lake frank but it's large enough and the trails are wide enough that there is always plenty of room. There are restrooms if needed as well as a boat house where you can rent paddle boats and canoes. You can also bring your own boat I believe if you have a permit. You can see some people fishing (with a permit), bike riders, and there are lots of dogs and kids. There are also volleyball courts, a playground, picnic areas with grills, a separate ropes course that I believe you have to pay for, and a pavilion area for larger groups. An entire loop around the lake is maybe 2 to 3 miles and you can add in some of this side trails to make it longer. If you want a nice run walk or bike ride around a lake, this is a good place to go. If you have a stroller, I would head to lake frank instead since it has more paved trails. read more

Wonderful park with a great mix of open fields to let the dog run and dir and paved trails. Wthe lake is lovely and offers kayak, rowboat, canoe and paddle boat rentals. There are restrooms and picnic tables too. Great place for the whole family or for the solo runner read more

First and foremost I am giving Lake Needwood five stars for Jim...I really wish I knew his last name. I came with my family on Mother's Day (that includes my wife, my twin three and half year old twins and "Nana" - that would would be my Mommy). I haven't been fishing in over twenty years and I thought it would be nice to teach my boys a skill that brought me great joy as a child. Needless to say I was a little rusty and a little anxious about making a possibly questionable Mother's Day excursion go according to plan. Upon our arrival, I had to quickly get the lay of the land to assure the family that I had everything under control. I went to the welcome center and after talking to the High Schoolers (I mean no offense by that comment...just keeping it real and they were very polite and cordial) at the front desk they immediately referred me to Jim. Jim got me some bait (my boys loved the live worms!!) and he then proceeded to show each and every "fisherman" how to to get it done. Jim helped me personally to get the hook on my line, showed me where the fish were biting. He also suggested that my boys should just use floaters on their lines and keep away from the hooks so that they can still cast but not achieve a "Theirs Something About Mary Moment" for anyone in our general vicinity :) This was epic advice, my boys had blast casting "like Daddy" and I caught a fish on my first cast based on Jim's advice. His help goes beyond this missive but I just can't thank him enough and he deserves a raise. Lake Needwood is a long drive for us, but I will most definitely come back, thank you Jim and thank you Lake Neewood!! read more

Beautiful park, with lovely trains and views. In the spring and summertime, you can rent boats. Love taking the paddleboats out with my husband, the lake is a relaxing ride. The only thing i would change is the proximity to the road, but what can you do? Great place to get outside. read more

While I was in Gaithersburg I looked up a place where I could walk/hike and found only 1 review for this lake! It is a nice place to walk around and seems to be free. We walked around the lake which was pretty easy and beautiful and not lonely. Will come again especially if it is free! Looks like they also have a zipline, archery and more I'll have to check out. read more

Lake Needwood - Hiking Near Me - Derwood, Maryland

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I took my kids here to go paddleboarding. The boat house staff were pretty condescending and were poorly trained. I was told there was no swimming or wading. This confused me at a lake so I asked three different times if we could at least dip in to cool off or walk in the water on one of the beaches. Each time, the answer was a blunt "no" without explanation. We were told no wading as well. We paid our $5 per board to launch our boats and the staff didn't even bother to move the rental kayaks off the landing they told us to use. We had no room to launch. After going back again to ask them to move the boats, they watched as we waded in the water to get on our boards. They also knew we had our feet in the water and legs as we paddled around. Turns out there was a valid reason for not being allowed in the water. It's potentially TOXIC! We did a little digging after our trip and found out that it has been contaminated with toxic blue algae for the last 7 years. There were no signs posted and the staff never once mentioned the possibility of the water being dangerous. We all got wet and we all had our feet in the water (it's kind of hard NOT to on paddleboards, which the staff not only knew but watched as we got on our boards). I called the director the next day and they did a little looking to determine if the lake has reached dangerous levels yet. They currently don't THINK it's dangerous but as I told him, shouldn't the staff have told me at least once out of the 3 times I asked that the reason there is no swimming or wading was the potential for dangerous bacteria??? That would've been a pertinent piece of information that would definitely have changed our decision to take the family on a lake where we were definitely going to come in direct contact with the water. We will never go back and as for the rest of the lake, it was pretty small and I guess it's ok for fishing if you don't mind the possibility of contamination? Never again. I do not recommend. Rude staff, small lake, & dangerous water. read more