Mason Neck State Park and National Wildlife Refuge, Lorton, Virginia
Hike 35 in 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Washington DC, Mason Neck State Park and National Wildlife Refuge is described as: “For more than four decades, Mason Neck State Park and Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge have played a vital role in keeping much of the Mason Neck peninsula green and in helping restore the area’s once-imperiled bald-eagle population. The park and the refuge, together with other public lands, now cover most of the 9,000-acre peninsula, which juts into the Potomac River roughly 25 miles southwest of Washington. They are managed cooperatively as a huge nature preserve that also provides humans with recreation activities.”
Falcon Guides Best Hikes Washington DC lists Mason Neck at number 20, describing it as: “As you walk through the state park’s oak forests, there are subtle signs of the historical use of this peninsula. Peninsulas like Mason Neck mark the Potomac River shoreline from Alexandria south. They were settled in the colonial period by wealthy planters, whose landholdings formed the basis of the colonial tobacco empire. Signs of tree-clearing for fields is seen with the tulip poplars, of which so many fork into two large trunks about knee-high. After felling, the trees re-sprouted and turned into mature trees over decades of undisturbed growth.”
The trails here are short, with no single trail being more than 1.5miles. Barbarian Scientist and I came here after my trip-with-internet-strangers was rudely ruined by Hurricane Helen. If I had not trusted myself, I would have would up in a natural disaster that left the region completely destroyed and killed many people. Right after the hurricane passed, we had the most beautiful weather. After weeks of rain I could not stay indoors.
We combined many of the trails, to make 7.5 miles. The trails are well-maintained, and like First Landing State Park, they are a mix of sand and dirt and rock, with lengths of boardwalk throughout to protect the habitat from foot traffic. The trails are marked and there are lookouts at the end of some trails to look over the swamp.
- Length: 7.5 miles
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 472 ft.
- Terrain: Sand, dirt, rock, boardwalk
- Dog-Friendly: Yes
- Parking: Large parking area with amenities
- Fee: $10 or Virginia State Parks Pass
Continued from 60 Hikes: “Situated between Occoquan and Belmont Bays to the west and the Potomac River to the right, the 1,813-acre park and 2,227-acre refuge consists mostly of rolling woodlands. In 1608 John Smith’s exploration party became the first Europeans to see Mason Neck, which had been Moyumpse tribal territory for 350 years. The refuge was established in 1969 as the country’s first federal sanctuary for bald eagles.”
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