This is a great park. They have two play areas, one for younger children while the other one is for…read morethe older children with three levels. They have recently added several music stations. The kids really enjoy it here. In addition to the play area, there are several trails that take you through wooded areas as well as a good size frisbee golf course. They have two large pavilion areas that can be reserved. There is only one downside to the park. That is that they only have porta-johns, so as you can imagine, these can be rather unpleasant in the summer time.

We went to Rockland Park on Father's Day to meet up with family and have a nice lunch. The kids…read morereally enjoyed the playground. The swings could have used some shade, but everything else was great. Parking was plentiful, and there were available restrooms in the parking lot. Check out this place.

Moderate due to rocky terrain but well maintained, nice shade up and down trail crosses creek…read more Beautiful view.

This hike is a great out and back trail and not too far out there especially if you're coming from…read moreDC. It's not in a National park either so no fees! Roughly 2 miles out and 2 miles back in, this hike doesn't get particularly steep until maybe the last .5 mile up the ridge. But of rock scrambling and cobbles on the trail so ankle support is recommended but not necessary. The white blazes are well marked and helpful with all the fall leaf litter. Dog friendly but probably nicer if your dog is a little bit taller (saw a corgi and a dachshund being carried by their owners for the rock scrambling). Our coonhound had a great time. No trash can so be prepared to pack out all garbage. Only con is limited and steep parking which can get dicey if the lot is full. Come early on a nice weekend day and you should be fine. Trail itself did not feel overly crowded.

Great place with great views!…read more Pop "Woodstock Tower" into Google Maps, and it will take you to the right spot (Apple Maps only took me to the trailhead a distance away). This will put you near a little overlook off the dirt road or if you keep going, a small gravel parking lot. Be prepared to drive on dirt and gravel roads for over a mile to get here; you are going the right way! This end of the trail has a clearly marked sign saying it is the Woodstock Tower. From either of those parking lots it's only about ¼ mile walk to get to the tower. The path varies from rocky to flat dirt. Loads of hickory nuts line the path. You could also come from the other end of the trail, which is over a mile away in the other direction. The climb up is steep but manageable (I'd recommend being more careful descending!) with metal steps. Considering she's still standing 90 years after her construction, I'd say the tower is stable. Hats off to the Civilian Conservation Corps for building this lasting landmark! The views from the top are great and worth the short walk and short climb. I met a local man at the top who shoots a lot of videos from up there. He did warn that sometimes there are black bears in the area; I never saw one my whole time, but just keep alert. It was a little cold on the mid-October day we were there and the top of the mountain did mean lots of cross wind, so dress appropriately. Unless you're weird about heights (apologies to my wife; thanks for walking out to it with us, Baby), this is a worthwhile visit. Definitely recommend!

What a pleasant surprise! We drove up the mountain on Christmas Eve and simply enjoyed the views…read more Our goal of finding the tower wasn't easy being that my bf hadn't been up there since he was a kid. Nevertheless we found it :-) I was a bit apprehensive of climbing it at first but took baby steps lol. What a beautiful scenery once you reach the top. Great experience!

Often times, the national parks get the best territory and the states get leftovers. However, the…read moreShenandoah River State Park, down the mountain from well known Skyline Drive and its accompanying federal parkland, is by no means inferior. A rural drive leads to a visitor center, trails, an overlook, river access, and campgrounds. I had time for only a brief visit, but the views were majestic. It would be an excellent place to return for a hike. As with most of Virginia's state parks, there is a modest entrance fee, but I'm sure it's well worth it.

I travel and stay at a lot of parks during the course of the year, and I have only repeated a few…read moreof them. This location is incredible, rich with things to do, views to see, and adventures to have with enough time. The cabins are gorgeous, fair warning that there is no television, but honestly who cares?! I had great phone signal which almost never happens on these excursions, and I loved making a fire in my fireplace and sitting on the porch with coffee for sunrise, which I could see from Cabin 11. This cabin also was at the end and felt private, even though I could see my neighbors (who had set up Christmas lights! How fun!) There's also a wonderful hiking trail right by these cabins, 10 and 11, the Red Tail Ridge, that was semi-short (2.5 miles or so if desired to create a loop with Big Oak) and had views of the river and Shenandoah valley below!

This hike is on the A.T. Trumbo Hollow (day hike) starts on…read moreVa State Rte 55/John Marshall Hwy in Linden Va. Same place as the the Manassas Gap Hike I went on two weeks ago but across the street. Again, lots of great parking. Starting at Rte 55 going onto Trumbo Hollow you are going Southward on the AT. No views but a great hike. Saw a lot of thru hikers today, most of which commented to us about the great weather! Today's 80 degrees and breezy is amazing compared to heat index of 110 degrees last week so these guys were all talking about it as we met them on the trail. Crossed some creeks and walked through 3 nice size fields which I think is cool when you are in the woods forever and then the world opens up into a sunshiny field. With the breeze, it was perfect.3 miles to reach Jim & Molly Denton Shelter. It was actually quite nice. A wooden privy out to the side and showers on the other side... a cooking station and the shelter itself even had a porch and rocking chairs. These thru hikers must think this is the MGM out here. I obviously thought it was impressive. Then we just turn and walk the way back. Nothing spectacular except doing what you love to do. Hiking. I love it. It lifts all my worries and stresses off my shoulders with each step and I feel like I have accomplished something. Of course I took my friend with me again. He laughs when I text him asking what he's doing. He knows what I'm going to ask! Though I love hiking by myself, (loner by choice), my friend is the best hiking partner ever. We just shut up and hike. Every once in a while we laugh or act stupid but mostly we are quiet and just keep hiking. I did see one snake. That was it. A Northern Ring-Neck Snake. It's actually the second one of these I've seen so far in July and the second ever in my lifetime. I thought that was pretty odd. But these snakes are so tiny. They are so thin and only reach about 12-15 inches. Perfectly harmless. I'd probably do this hike again. I liked the flow of it well enough and it's close to home.

A great day for a hike on the A.T. This one is just o/s Fauquier County on Mt Weather. I took the…read moreSOBO trail a couple years ago. This time I went North to the waterfall. Let me give some mad respect to whomever dug out the spot to put in a rather large parking area for us! For years we've been on side of this narrow dirt road. * Thank. (Virtual fist pump). This was 3 miles out and 3 miles back. The waterfall is around 1 mile mark. It's off to the right. *please understand, ricks are slippery whether they're wet ot not. How someone brings three toddlers here with no backpack, water or first aid is beyond me. I had to leave the area. But it was really nice. Very relaxing and you did have to hand/foot climb to get up there. Be careful please. I double backed and got on the A.T. Couple more miles to the secret cliff I saw in another Yelp post. :) . Lots of people walked by, no one knew I was there. I had it all to myself. Its better than the actual lookout. Anyway. I scanned the rocks for danger, shot some pics and sat down for water and dry crackers. I look over and there are 2 snakes curled up by a small tree about 6 feet from me. I spoke to them. "Thought you'd hide from me. I got you!" It was funny. I took a couple pics and kept my eyes on them. Only takes a second to lose track and they end up right at me saying, "HA got you back!" I sat a while then headed back down. I enjoyed it! I'd like to section hike and have a car waiting to take me back to my own car where I started. They should have an Uber Hikes App available for that. ;) This way I can hike for as far as I want without turning around to come straight back.

Short trail, pretty and cool, but the waterfall wasn't what I expected. The trail was well kept,…read moreand trimmed back, some areas were steep, and can be slick if it rains.

11 years later, Saturday June 25th I finally came back to finish what I started…read more . Let me say, I hike a lot! I don't mind 10 miles flat or up and down. This trail however, was brutal! Rocks, boulders and more rocks. That was my trail path. It takes more time and more energy. Know this* My foot hit the path at 1pm. I got in my car for home at 7:39pm. Not bad considering the situation, but tbh, I didn't think I was going to make it. It was exhausting but great part is, it's a round trip. Not one way, turn around and go back. Start out on Massanutten trail to reach the TV station (hence Signal knob) then return to parking on the Tuscarora trail. So silent, unlike the A.T and NPS in the area. The Tuscarora is more wild and silent. How I feel about it, anyway. . I need a badge for hiking this for real. You know how you get tired and you don't pick your feet up high enough you stub your feet on the rocks? Well with the trail being nothing but rocks, my toe is feeling it. Check my toe pic. I literally started cursing the trail everytime I stubbed my toe. Such an adventure!!! I love to hate it.

One of my new favorite local hikes - this 10.5 mile loop is a great workout and only 1.5 hours from…read moreDC. This trail also has more than its fair share of gorgeous vistas. In the first few miles, you'll climb over 2,000 feet and be rewarded by a view of the surrounding mountains. The valley below acts as a fog basin some mornings, making for a beautiful sight. The Fort Valley overlook comes a bit later. This one is great in the fall and winter, but offers less of a view when the leaves are out. When you reach Signal Knob, there is a panoramic view of Strasburg. This area is more developed, but still picturesque and a perfect lunch spot. Be careful when hiking this trail after a storm. The ascent is narrow, steep, and rocky at points - icy or wet rocks add to the difficulty factor. Solid shoes and sure feet are a plus! After all that hard work, you probably need some fresh apple cinnamon donuts. Happily, that's easy to accomplish. On your way back to DC, stop at exit 13 and pick some up from the Apple House.

After an afternoon wandering around Fort Royal, we drove to Eastham Park to walk the riverside…read moretrail. There's a large parking lot at the entrance near the dock. There's a field and playground. Signs along the trail point out the area's wildlife. Another sign talks about the area's Civil War significance.

This is without a doubt my happy place! It's a wonderful place not only for my dog to socialize but…read morefor my kids to play and for me to center myself in nature! The scenery is beautiful and the walking path gives you a tranquil place to exercise and everything is so well taken care of.

To my surprise, this trail was found by accident as I had finished an errand in Herndon and needed…read morea place to kill time and explore. This trail/park allows you to see the beautiful nature Northern VA offers with the trees, streams, trails, and surroundings of buildings and landscapes. It's a long trail and it intersects with the WO&D trail. Plenty of space and mileage to explore and perfect for biking/walking/jogging. Get those steps in!

I love walking this easy trail with my dog and am so fortunate to have it located so close from…read morehome. There is plenty of shade and is great for bikers, runners, dog walkers and if you are looking for a simple trail to take your family to! There is also a really neat wall of painted rocks that the community has been contributing to which is awesome because we all get to add to one big piece of art! On a few of my walks here, I've seen deer, raccoons, and foxes so there is a pretty good chance you may spot some wildlife too.

I went on one of the monthly astronomy nights. The program was great and it was wonderful to see…read morethe stars at night I. This dark sky area. It was also exciting to look through the telescopes that many volunteers brought to share and see things like Jupiter and its moons, Venus in phase, and double stars! If you come for an astronomy nights, I recommend downloading an app about constellations and bringing a red light flashlight or using a red light app on your phone.

We stumbled upon this gem after visiting a nearby orchard. Just a gorgeous autumn afternoon to take…read morepictures. The Love sign is near the parking lot. We did not take advantage of the trails, but is definitely something to do in the future!