Came here for a morning run. There is nothing like an outdoor run. The lake is beautiful and its…read moreabout a 4.5 mile loop. I did two loops and was drained afterwards. Got a glimpse of some cool birds and a deer. Highly recommend just for a stroll.

I hadn't been in awhile and this place is as Yelp worthy as ever on a warm fall day. It's a must…read moredo if you like anything outdoors. They have a giant lake for fishing, you can fish from the dock areas or bring or rent a non-gas powered boat. You can also rent a canoe or paddle boat but all the rental stuff is only open during spring/summer They have a 5 mile trail along the lake that's a nice walk but can be crowded when the weather is good and pay attention since the trail entrance isn't marked as clearly as it could be. They also have mini golf, a train, playgrounds and some other stuff. It's free for Fairfax County residents (glad we're getting something for our taxes) and $10 for everyone else but of course the rentals, mini golf, train, etc. cost extra. There's a decent amount of parking but go early on a nice day or you might have a hard time grabbing a spot. I'll come back here for sure to walk the trail and maybe do a little fishing or rent a boat

I ran here various times during my stay in VA. Its a nice park to walk around, jog or run. The loop…read moreis mainly unpaved and its about 1.8 miles. Definitely beats running around the neighborhood as you see fellow runners and animals.

Good if you can find parking. Bad if you need to pee. There is one port-o-potty that is very…read morefrequently out of commission or sometimes removed entirely. Parking in the Pommeroy lot is problematic and tiny. Side street parking is almost non-existent due to code enforcement. The meter maid will get you for parking too close to stop signs, mailboxes, driveways and fire-hydrants. It's like they circle this park. The bigger parking lot is off of Gainsborough and is also were they host music in the park during the summer.

My kids and I call the is Royal Lake park and it's a nice neighborhood/local park. A nice lake you…read morecould kayak in (not too many ppl), with geese, turtles and ducks. Very busy Saturday mornings during some seasons due to soccer (so parking lot will be full). There's a pretty good toddler and bigger kid playground structure and basketball court. It's about a mile walk across the lake with some paved parts but other parts are gravel and dirt and stairs. You'll have to carry a stroller at some points if taking stroller. Beautiful to look at the tree line during Fall.

It's nothing extraordinary. Right off of Pommeroy St, this is a small place with a playground. The…read moreset is decent enough for little ones. The field is of substantial size to throw a football around, or maybe fly a kite, but the goose poop isn't so attractive. That alone is a reason why the Canadian Honkers have less bag limits, during hunting season so please hit 'em up. As for the view, I do appreciate Lake Royal. Only two lakes in Virginia are natural, but this one has herons and an occasional eagle. Fishing from this side is ok, but it's far more action on opposite. Parking is for the most part adequate. Can't beat the price of admission, as it's free, and the adjacent trail is a pleasant one.

This park is incredibly spacious and perfect for leisurely strolls and challenging hikes. Don't…read moreforget to keep an eye out for the massive snapping turtles hanging around in the water - some of them are so covered in debris that they may appear to be floating logs at first glance.

There are always shady men sitting in their cars with dark tinted windows. Either waiting for their…read moremistress or their next victim. Nice easy trails for jogging or biking. Just be wary of shady characters sitting in their cars.

Came here with a group for kayaking. Only they ran out of kayaks before noon. So some of us had to…read morerent standup paddle boards instead. There is a slightly more expensive pricing for folks not residing in Fairfax, Loudon, Alexandria, or Arlington counties. But they don't really verify...so as long as you put down an address within those counties on your waiver, then you are good to go. See my pics for the pricing as of Aug 2023. The Sat I came, they seemed very short staffed with only two people managing the rental payments and forms and then another 2 manning all the boats/boards. So we pretty much ended up having to launch and bring back our vessels ourselves. They have very limited 2 person kayaks and they require kids under 12 to be in a boat with another adult so be prepared. In addition to kayaks they have jon boats and stand up paddle boards. You can bring your own vessel but there are launch prices. The lake is quite large so 1 hour is still not enough to explore its entirety even if you were powering through. The boat rental process is this: 1) Each person needs to fill out a waiver (just one page), you need to keep the yellow paper on you and return it when you come back. 2) Payments can be done per person or by group and they accept Apple Pay 3) Go down to the dock, hand them your form 4) They will tell you which vessel you can pick and hand you life vests and paddle(s) 5) Go have fun 6) Return the vessel 7) Bring back the yellow form to the rental house Not sure why we need to keep a piece of paper on us while out on the water. I've rented boats in many other places and all they needed was the vessel back. I guess to prevent theft...but they log the number assigned to the vessel on the form prior to you renting so...But at least there isn't an entrance fee to this park and there isn't really much else to do besides activities around the water front. There is a trail that leads to Bull Run, but there isn't say a playground, picnic area, or sports fields. Parking is pretty limited but you can park along the side of the road.

One of my dogs favorite hiking spots. The bike trails are good too, although this park is nestled…read moreway out of suburban NOVA areas like FFX.

Nice lake, take a run around it with the rest of lake Braddock crew every once in a while. It's a…read morenice lake, and has a cool running path tracker.

This isn't a huge lake by any means. It's a neighborhood park, and big pond. Have fished it with…read morethe permission of owners. That's correct it's private and the signs stipulate that. My recommendation is to be polite, and get to know a person who can vouch for you if fishing. As for hiking it's ok to go on the small path day time. I can't really give this much of anything. It's a shame I couldn't afford the $700,000 plus townhome here that I absolutely loved. Such is life, and am content where at. As for fishing conditions, you can catch bluegill and small bass. Some claim carp are here, but I cannot confirm that. It's a pretty small lake.

The whole process was very easy and enjoyable. I filled out the waiver online. Parking was easy,…read morelittle difficult to find penguin paddles from the road, but just walk towards the water behind the restaurant on the main strip. Easy rental, chill experience. Everyone, even the Boston Terrier, had a blast!

Easy to use app to put in waiver. Free Bathroom and clean nearby…read more Clean canoes. Good pricing. Parked for free under bridge. Lovely calm river to go up and down and see lots of birds and turtles. Each boat has a hole in the center for the water bottle

This place is the ultimate hidden gem since all you see on Hoos Road is a little gravel parking…read morelot. It's worth a look though as the mostly paved trail along Lake Mercer is about 4 miles and it packs a lot into that space. You've got forest, marsh, hills, lake views and even walking across a large earthen dam. The trail is VERY well marked with lots of maps/signs so even I managed to not get lost. There's also a county rec center nearby so you can park there if the Hoos Road lot is full or you need to get something to drink. There's fishing here as well but I didn't fish this trip, maybe next time. There only seem to be a couple of places you can really access the lake to fish from shore so plan accordingly. Even if you don't want to fish, this place is worth the trip for the trail alone. It's almost as good as the Burke Lake trail but WAY less crowded. There's no real amenities here aside from a couple of trash cans and park benches so you're probably just coming here to bike, hike or fish. Check it out but don't tell too many people so it can stay pretty uncrowded!

Fishing isn't what this is known for. It's a fairly attractive lake, and the trail is the best…read morepart. If not mistaken a 4 to 5 mile hike around it. Where the storm walls are built is interesting. I like hiking here, but the signage is quite confusing. You can end up on the wrong residential street easily. Also the dead end trail on the north side is annoying. Those issues aside, you'll see herons here. I've also seen deer, raccoons, and an occasional serpent. There are some wooded spots that are quite peaceful. It's not as heavily traversed as nearby Burke Lake. I walk this occasionally to break up the monotony. It's a good way to spend a couple of hours.

This is a small neighborhood lake. At 12 acres, and 50 acres of land, it's not going to blow your…read moremind in any way. Was pleasantly surprised today, as someone added wood planks to walk over the muddy trails. A few folks had a canoe out. This is a backup spot for me to try my fishing equipment, or to catch an occasional bluegill or bass. By no means is it a hub of activity. The wildlife I've seen are the fish, ducks, deer, foxes, and an occasional serpent friend. As a fan of snakes, please be mindful all help humanity, and are defensive and not aggressive. The weeds by the lake would have you believe bass central, but it's a mirage in many ways. On a plus note it's a quiet place to relax. It was good to go back here today, and I hope to return soon.