Northern Virginia offers gorgeous weather, especially in the spring, summer and fall. If you live or work in Alexandria, you might want to get out and enjoy the weather in a place beyond the hustle and bustle of the ultra-urban setting.
Fortunately, several expansive state parks are located less than 30 miles from Alexandria in Fairfax County. Depending on the traffic, your next incredible hiking experience may be less than 20 minutes away.
Mason Neck State Park
Located in Lorton, Mason Neck State Park is situated on a peninsula surrounded by Belmont Bay, Pohick Bay and the Potomac River. The Park offers nine hiking trails, all round 3 miles in length. Mason Neck features diverse landscapes such as forests, wetlands, ponds, open water and fields rich with wildlife.
Most of the trails rate as easy and two rate as moderate-difficulte. You can park at various parking areas such as Marsh View Trail, Bayview Trail, Dogue Trail, Marsh View Trail and Kane’s Creek Trail.
Bull Run Occoquan Trail
If you’re interested in taking a long hike, take a drive west of Alexandria and pick up Bull Run Occoquan Trail which spans approximately miles alongside Bull Run tributary. Most hikers start this hike at the Fountainhead Regional Park trail-head in Fairfax Station or the Bull Run Regional Park trailhead in Centreville.
You can also pick up the trail in Centreville at Route 28 in Clifton at Hemlock Regional Park or Bull Run Marina. On this trail, you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful scenic woodlands, rolling streams as well as bluebells and a wide variety of wildflowers in the spring.
Great Falls National Park
For a stunningly gorgeous hike, visit Great Falls National Park situated along the Potomac River in Fairfax County. This 800-acre park features nine trails, about 15 miles in total. Choose from easy to more challenging trails and view the breathtaking Great Falls cascades which span 76 feet.
Great Falls National Park has ample parking that can fill up quickly on the weekends, so arrive early to claim your parking spot. When hiking on the Patowmack Canal trail, look out for the historical remnants of Matildaville, an early Virginia town that sprung up in the 1790s.
This is original content from NewsBreak’s Creator Program. Join today to publish and share your own content.