I first learnt of this place through a coworker, someone who is from the area, went to school at…read moreUniversity of Maryland, and someone that has a little more knowledge of the history of the area as well. Also, I had not clue how extremely close I have been to this area on so many occasion and never discovered this until recently. Well hidden gem. If I hadn't done any type of research on this place, I would have assumed that this had always been here in the state that it is. When you see 'Natural Area' in the title of a place, you usually think that it was always wilderness. But not the case here. How Lake Artemesia is currently is due to the construction of the College Park and Greenbelt Metro stations. Locally sourcing materials from this area aiding in the construction. Once the metro stations were completed the lake as it is now was constructed. Fun fact: there are no naturally occurring lakes in Maryland, they are all manmade. But well before the Metro made its way through the area, the lake was created after stone was quarried in the area in the 1800s. Obviously a bit smaller than what you see today, but it was still there. Another fun fact, the smaller lake was originally used to raise goldfish. The history here also should be know that where the lake is was part of the Lakeland community. An African American community before being absorbed by College Park. This is the one thing I wish they focused on with the park. There are informative signs around the lake, touching on the wildlife you might stumble upon. I wish they would put some in with the history of the land. (I was also a little sad that I didn't get to see an otter) also, if there were some on the history, I just didn't see them or they were some that need some TLC)) This is a great park overall. It can be accessed by so many directions. I came in from the Berwyn Heights area, got a little dizzy on the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Green Line. The paths are ample for walking/bicycling. Sometimes, not everyone observes the fact that there are other people here and may take up the whole path, even though it is set up as a road essentially. Tons of seating throughout if you want to take a break. Great view of the ever changing skyline of College Park. I am sure this is better to visit when it is warmer, not on a cold, blustery winter day.

My thankful Thursday goes to Lake Artemisia. This place is beautiful. When they say some of the…read morebest things in life are free! I agree. The loop is roughly 2.4 miles, it's paved and clean; I've never seen litter or trash lying around. The lake was also home to a historical African American community called Lakeland established in 1890. Walking the park you'll see a few plaques and markers with brief history. Many years ago the citizens of this segregated society, developed their own institutions and cultural traditions, including the area's only high school for African Americans, built in 1928. There is a Lakeland Community Heritage Project that was created to preserve its history and the stories of its people through photographic archives and now the Lakeland College Park Community Center. Thankful that this is a peaceful place to run, walk, ride my bike, or simply sit and reflect. Greenery unique to the area is the mimosa trees that bloom in the summer and the giant reed grass surrounding the lake. Parks & Planning along with other organizations also hosts activities like birdwatching and community walks . In addition to this, there is a small playground and ergonomic gym. Lovely in every season and rich in American history, Lake Artemisia is the beating heart to lots of people in the Greenbelt community. Let's love, honor, and cherish Her for generations to come! #ThankfulThursdays

When I lived in Maryland, we came to this park often just to walk. We no longer live in Maryland…read morebut when I come back to visit, I still come to this park to walk and just enjoy the scenic walk and be outdoors. There is a house on the backside of the path that decorates for Halloween so it makes it a lot of fun for the kids on the path.

My daughter (10) and I came to this park for the first time. There was a good amount of parking. It…read morewas a beautifully summer day in the 90s and the great thing about this park is that there is lots of shade. There was a large picnic space as you enter the park area along with an area with play structures to the right for the little ones. The lake is the centerpiece of the park and the trail goes around it. There were a good number of benches and sitting areas where you could sit and enjoy the view. There were a number of people biking on the trail. The trail was a loop and it was enough distance to get some exercise but not too long that you will get worn out. Everything was green and there were lots of beautiful views. I definitely can see myself coming back here with the entire family.

My kids(5 years, 3 years and 10 months old) and I went to the playground during a weekday, between…read more10 a.m to 11:30 in June. Less crowded but there were kids from locals and they looked like among 2-7 years old. The gyms were well designed for the purpose of safety but the ground was not covered by a mat so I was not comfortable to let the last baby walking. The gym was close by a parking and could get there by a stroller. A lot of tree made shadow so parents can sit down under shadows and be cool.

What a great, clean playground. This American Indian playground is designed for kids about 18…read moremonths- 5 years old. I love how slides are short so it's safe for the little ones to go by themselves. Part of the playground is covered in wood chips and the other part is made of soft rubber mat. The wood chips look very clean. The equipment here are also very clean and well-maintained. When we went to this playground, it didnt seem overly crowded as well so the little one had a blast. After familiarizing with the place, she had to courage to go explore the playground. She had a blast there. We will definitely be including this in our list of playgrounds to continually visit.

Mhew! This park has a decent camp ground for a nights sleep before hitting the road. Camps are very…read morenear to each other and it's very open where the six campsites near you can literally see you pick your nose so don't go doing that and eating it. Bathrooms are mediocre because I've definitely seen worse. They do have a caretaker onsite 24/7 who drives around every hour but he can probably just see everyone from his camp setup. I'd only stay here again for a quick nights rest and go. I wouldn't recommend this for a family camping trip and I certainly wouldn't stay a few days. A shady character cooked something in the fire pit near me (unoccupied site) then left. This entire neighborhood seems to have shady humans so if you're scared of the strange occupants that dwell in city life, just steer clear of Greenbelt, MD altogether. It doesn't bother me but I'm also just passing by, not having a family outing here.

Nice park. Located in middle of urban area. Limited infrastructure for NPS site. Rangers are…read morenice. Good junior ranger program. Campsite was clean but bathrooms were pretty old and in a bit of disrepair. Not a destination but not a bad stop in area.

This is the Anacostia river just outside the city line. It is a substantial built-up place with…read moreboating and picnic facilities, paved paths, and a footprint across the river. I think the river gets better as you go downstream, but those looking for a quiet walk or to use some of the amble facilities here will be well served.

We stumbled upon this wonderful PG county park while biking on the Anacostia River Trail. 100% -…read moreAdd it to your to do list: Join a short cruise down the Anacostia River to see the wildlife such as turtles, eagles, herons, and egrets; Rent kayaks from the friendly and professional Park Manager Quinn Mathewson; and interact with his experienced staff such as Brittany. Well done.

I'm definitely revisiting this trail! There's a lovely body of water and tons of rocks in the area…read moreto make it a moderate trail if you wish (blazing your own trail). It's a trail in the middle of the city, except you don't have that city environment when you're on this trail! We had parked in Parking Lot 6, and there was plenty of parking remaining on a Saturday afternoon. When we went on the trail, a part of the road was blocked off to cars, so it's a great place to cycle, walk, or skate. As we walked, we saw a few people on unicycles and roller blading. That part of the trail was an easy walk since it's normally meant for cars. Eventually, we crossed a bridge to head to the not-so-hidden ruins. Apparently, a few months ago, these ruins were open to the public to explore. I visited this today and they were gated/blocked off with a "no trespassing" sign. These ruins are apparently pieces of the US Capitol Building after it was renovated in 1958. From my understanding, they weren't sure what to do with the stones, so they dumped it in this park. Need these ruins is also a horse trail/horse barn area.

Not too much to say this time. This trail is a great relaxing getaway during your lunch break if…read moreyou work nearby or are working from home and need some fresh air. Put those shoes on and hit the trail. You won't regret it

What a great park in an island of concrete. More areas like this are needed in the (now) ironically…read morenamed Park View. Wangari Gardens has several different elements to it. There are herb gardens and orchards available for the public to use, as well as a compositing area, a beehive, and private community garden plots. Community garden plots are available for private use to nearby residents for a small fee, which can be waived. One of the responsibilities of holding a plot is volunteering for a couple hours on Sunday afternoons, approximately once a month. There is a real sense of community during work days. I've been inspired by a lot of the gardeners' plots. I no longer have a plot but I stop by sometimes to see what people are growing. Anyone can walk through the park, enjoy the public orchard and herb gardens, and pick any produce or herbs available, but it's asked to not disturb the private plots.

Little Paint Branch Park is a small park in Beltsville, Maryland with a parking lot, a community…read morecenter, a playground with a big kid area and small kid area, trails and a few courts. If you want to access the playground, park furthest away from the entrance.

I have lived minutes from this park for 5 years and never knew this was right around the corner…read more It's peaceful and beautiful.... today was 77 degrees outside but almost the entire trail is covered with trees and the the small river going through makes it very comfortable to be walking for a while in the heat.

Dinosaur Park in Laurel, MD (near DC) is the perfect educational gem, family affordable admissions,…read morescientifically significant fossil site. Open regularly, but best visited on the first/third Saturdays for supervised digs, it features authentic, healthy outdoor exploration and paleontologist-led learning for kids, making it a priceless activity. Happy & Active: Kids love finding fossils, exploring the outdoor, fenced-in site.

Unless you go to one of their interpretive programs on the first and third Saturdays of the month…read more (What they said) ...It was pretty much only a few fact boards to look at/read, and like one thing for kids to climb around. So just because the stated hours are open during the week, doesn't mean there's anything going on and you can't like go behind the fence and there's no digs or anything, or even any place to walk. Sure there's picnic tables if you wanna just sit and eat your lunch with a bunch of corporate office buildings all around but it's definitely not something I would drive 45 minutes to unless you're actively going to one of the scheduled interpretive program.

These are just lovely gardens to walk around, even without any special events. Brookside is…read morespacious, well maintained, clean, and safe. The visitor center is comfortable. They host countless events tailored to all ages, from reading time to butterfly exhibits. Parking has never really been an issue for us, and it is a very easy drive. Glad that it is Close to Home!

One of my favorite places to come for a walk. The trails are beautiful and I loved the Butterfly…read moreExperience! They didn't have it this year, maybe 2026 will be different :) It's the perfect place to admire beauty, relax, and get some fresh air. Highly recommend making this part of a date, there's nothing like walking hand in hand while admiring the gorgeous views. Best part: it's FREE! No picnics or drinks, just nature and good vibes. Enjoy :D