Gorgeous water views. We came for a kayak tour of the Ghost Fleet through Charles County Parks and…read moreRecreation. As first timers kayakers it was a nice experience, glad we had guides, and I wish I would have opted for the longer tour. There are a few benches that overlook the water but not much else. We didn't hike any of the trail because we saw a snake and immediately turned back. ( Yes, I understand animals will be on all my nature loving adventures but I'm going to chicken out every time lol) Beautiful scenic drive to get there. Great for kayakers.

[Coronavirus review] Caveat: I don't own a boat. And the…read morepoint of this park is boating. Of course, you could pay money for a boat tour, but all of those sorts of things are canceled so you're kind of out of luck if you want to see most of it. But I managed to make the most out of a short visit, in combination with other local spots. The point of this park is that it's a ship graveyard filled with old wrecks in the tidal river. It's got very limited inland space aside from the parking lot at the end of a dirt road (signs warn that most of the surrounding land is private and off-limits). It doesn't cost anything to get in. There are a few benches and maps and a boat ramp. There's a spit of land where you can get a decent view of a small scout vessel. I saw a splash and tracked a beaver to another mostly underwater wreck, where it emerged to feast on the greenery sprouting out the top. The sunset yielded some nice views. It's such a cool sight, and it's amazing this place - which clearly is not new - has been off of everyone's radar until recently. I wouldn't drive a long way just for this unless you have a boat, though. I would want to try to find a way to kayak it.

Beautiful and well kept state park with picturesque walking trails. Perfect for enjoying the…read moreoutdoors, nature, picnics, and water outdoor activities. We went to a 2024 Eagle Festival and had a very wonderful & educational time. The entrance to the park was free on the day of the festival and free transportation from the parking area to the festival location was free. We saw beautiful birds: falcon and owls and snakes. The staff and the organizations at the events were very informative, professional, and fun. They gave a lot of free gifts, educational opportunities, information about wildlife & the environment, and photography moments with the birds. I can not fully express how impressed I was about the Eagle festival in Mason Neck in this review. I strongly suggest you visit next year festival event in Mason Neck or just visit it. Beautiful and well kept state park with picturesque walking trails. Perfect for enjoying the outdoors, nature, picnics, and water outdoor activities. We went to a 2024 Eagle Festival and had a very wonderful & educational time. The entrance to the park was free on the day of the festival and free transportation from the parking area to the festival location was free. We saw beautiful birds: falcon and owls and snakes. The staff and the organizations at the events were very informative, professional, and fun. They gave a lot of free gifts, educational opportunities, information about wildlife & the environment, and photography moments with the birds. I can not fully express how impressed I was about the Eagle festival in Mason Neck in this review. I strongly suggest you visit next year festival event in Mason Neck or just visit it.

Mason Neck is a peninsula which is mostly parkland but is divided confusingly among several…read moredifferent jurisdictions. The best views are the state park, which this is not. The federal wildlife refuge amounts to a couple of miles of trail through the forest, leading to an overlook. There wasn't a ton of wildlife when I dropped in, though I just caught site of a large bird of prey on my way back. The topography wasn't as varied, nor the trails as extensive, as compared to the state park which is just a bit farther down the road. However, that costs money and this does not, so this section is still nice for what it is.

The Fredericksburg riverfront has a playground, picnic area, and a set of stairs and a ramp down to…read morethe water. It isn't the most impressive section of river you've ever seen and it was muddy with flooding when I visited, but they've made good use of their waterfront and it is a short walk to the historic part of town.

This is a nicely built park in downtown Fredericksburg, right on the Rappahannock River. There are…read morenice spaces all around, including paved and grassy areas. There's benches and seating for a picnic and it looks like they might have live events here in the warmer months.

What a fantastic day! I made a new friend, learned about our new community and clocked 6 miles…read more Not bad for a Sunday usually spent on the couch watching football. We clocked more than 3 miles walking the Rappahannock towpath greeted dozens of fur babies and fellow walkers, enjoyed fresh air, saw lots of beautiful birds and each made a new friend.

I'm down here in Fredericksburg for some work training and my hotel is basically at the start of…read morethe trail that takes you down the Canal Path. I decided that after a long, crappy day that I'd take a walk and I started down the path. From where I started down the path to my turnaround point (30 minutes) it was almost all down hill. You know what that means, right? By the time I made it back to my hotel this guy KNEW he needed to lose about 70 pounds before he tried this again! It was actually quite a beautiful walk, but it kicked my butt.

Tobacco Barn with a tribute to Smallwoood was dishonest and disregarded the lived experiences of…read moredeceased Black people Smallwood forciably had working for free. Display noted Smallwood was a "gentleman" who by the way owned over 50 slaves. I left the barn feeling verbally assaulted and sickened by the language portraying this monster. It's an example of microaggressions towards me and other Black Americans. I did not pay my hard earned money to be disrespected and reminded of white supremacy in a park. For shame! Not giving Charles County my money or visiting again. Rewrite history according to facts not white fantasy, please. You need to do better!! On a side note, trails nicely marked and was clear enough. Walk over bridge and pier was nice. General store not open during listed hours. Front office closed early. Improvements needed before I'll return.

Smallwood State Park is a small state park with a playground made from recycled tires, hiking…read moretrails, an abandoned house and a historic plantation belonging to the former governor of Maryland in the 1700s. The house portion is well preserved. There's a tiny museum inside an old barn before you walk to the historic home. It's briefly mentioned inside the museum, but people were once enslaved on the plantation to pick tobacco leaves. It's a tragic fact to know as you enter the space. It helps explain why systemic racism still exists in this country and why visiting sites like these should push us to fight for justice for all.

My wife and I frequent this trail to ride our bicycles and enjoy it. The only trail head is…read moreactually at "John V. Baggett Park" in the parking lot near Three Notch Rd. The far end of the trail doesn't have anything, not even a bench or potty. The trail is always clean and has several locations with benches and Port-a potties. The only complaint I might have would be that there are no active watering stations. Bring your drink with you. All crossings with the roads are well marked. The crossing at Leonardtown Rd can get a little crazy as twice we waited for cars to pass and some cars would come to a screeching stop. Don't be too close to the street while waiting for cars to stop at this location. Some crossings have buttons to push so the crossing lights are activated which helps but you still need to be cautious. There are no sections of this trail as to where you have to share the road.. its a full trail. There are some spots on the trail that you might want to go see, like the Amish market at the library or the BBQ restaurant that you will eventually smell and see if you go far enough. There are a few sections of the trail that have rough surface, the Amish buggies are using the trail and you'll eventually see horse poop in the middle of the way while the ruts of the buggies are bumpy. Its a nice trail with farm, city, urban views. If you're looking for a place to exercise, or a relaxing place to ride or walk you should try this trail.

Really good trail for biking. 11 miles long and well marked. South end is Baggett Park, north end…read moreis in Hughesville. Mostly level or easy grades. Portapotties available as are benches. Winds thru fields and farms and Forest.

used the boat ramp to put our kayaks in to paddle with the Fxbg kayaking club on a Friday after…read morework. lovely weather that day - perfect for an evening outing. the river is beautiful along this stretch, and surprisingly wild since we paddled upstream past downtown Fredericksburg. great views of historical buildings - we went up past the Embry power plant and turned around at the bottom edge of Old Mill Park. saw a deer along the shore, surprisingly on the City side. spotted a bald eagle in one tree as we went up, and then saw it out on the river fishing as we headed back down. great exercise, pleasant surroundings, had a great time.

Located at the end of Sophia Street, the city dock is home to many different things over the years…read more The "City of Fredericksburg" Paddle Cruise boat docks here during the summer months. Directly across the river is Ferry Farms, where George Washington grew up. Today the dock is used as a recreation point for many locals. The dock is free to the general public and is enjoyed by many. Grubs ~

The community, and just skatepark is awesome for beginners advance and mid level skaters!read more

Looks like a better than nothing park on roids, it was wet when I drove by so I can't speak to the…read moreflow or jankyness but did does look a bit jankerific so Big soft wheels will likely do well