Absolutely beautiful park, well maintained trails around the lake, ample parking, friendly ranger staff, and just a great place to be. Some friends and I went for a hike on a Sunday morning and while the website says they might charge you a few dollars for parking, we didn't see anyone at the gate house and no one asked us. At the Ranger station, the bathrooms were very clean, quite warm actually, and there was a couple of interesting habitat exhibits. Just a really well run state park with lots of activities. They even had a station where you can get free firewood, and build a little fire. read more

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Maryland has so many parks and trails! This one is definitely a hidden gem! The views are scenic and it's very peaceful. I went during the day and it was quiet. Perfect for walking or biking! They have the Christmas lights up so I'll need to come back in the evening to enjoy the holiday season. Add this one to your list! read more

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I love this time of year. Despite the cold weather we have been having here in Maryland. When you do a drive thru for the Christmas lights. The weather doesn't matter. We live in Anne Arundel County and I get so tired of seeing the same lights. Year after year. So I decided let's go to another county to see something different. So glad that we did. The lights here was amazing and for about three miles trail there and coming back. It was $25 per car for the weekend. Definitely worth it. I would do it again. They highly recommend pre purchasing your tickets online prior to arriving to keep the lines moving quickly. I purchased the tickets thru Eventbrite. If you haven't already come check them out. They are here till Dec 31st. Weekday rates are cheaper. They open at 6pm. read more

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This review is for the Winter Lights Festival This is a pre-ticket event so don't forget to buy your tickets before trying to enjoy the lights! As a drive thru only lights show, it was interactive with different "movement" lights like a gingerbread man doing cartwheels, fish jumping, or presents tossed by teddy bears and Santa. My toddler absolutely loved the lights and it was especially nice to still be in the warm comfort of your car. It was about a 15-20 minute slow ride around the venue, and most of the drivers kept their distance from each other so you didn't feel rushed. Pricing wasn't bad either - $15 for one car (unlimited occupancy) on a weeknight. I recommend going closer to the start of the event time, as by the time we were leaving, there were quite a line of cars coming in. There's also porta potties near the ticket check gate to pull off and use the restroom or stretch before heading in/out. read more

SCSP had a Sip & Sprinkle event. It was a lovely evening with music, wine tasting, trolley ride through the winter lights, Santa, s'more's and fire pits. It was very organized and well planned. Def going next year :-) read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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I visited Seneca Creek State Park in early November. Located in Gaithersburg, Seneca Creek State Park boasts a stunning autumn scene, with the forest surrounding its 90-acre lake ablaze with amber and russet hues, creating a golden panorama. The crisp air, blue sky, and colorful leaves create a scenic walkway, allowing visitors to admire the beauty of the fall foliage in the forest and lake. With Christmas just around the corner, Christmas luminaries have been set up throughout the park. While I didn't see them lit up in the morning, I imagine visiting after sunset will be a fantastic opportunity to see them. read more

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Great hike around a beautiful lake and not too challenging. Beautiful autumn colors popping everywhere. Loved it. Highly recommend. read more

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Seneca Creek has been the go-to picnic place for groups I work with for over a year now. I've heard the place be called a bit mundane but as a place for group recreation there aren't many places that are so easy to access, easy to reserve, and have everything from power to alcohol permits. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Bluejay Pavilion - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

There are no natural lakes in Maryland (so they say), but this unnatural one, which is visibly dammed up, spreads widely and offers a lot. Trails, playgrounds, winter lights, boating, and so on. There is an entrance fee but only at a minority of peak times during the summer. Among other things, it was also apparently a Blair Witch Project filming location (which has got to be one of the most Maryland movies ever made). I have not witnessed any supernatural goings on, and for anyone with time and the ability to travel this is by no means the most scenic or naturalistically interesting park in the greater Washington DC area, but if you just need some outdoor recreation space, it's got a lot to offer. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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My two sons (15 yrs, 13 yrs) and I came to this pretty park on a relatively warm Sunday afternoon in December 2020. We drove directly to the parking lot next to the boathouse of Clopper Lake. Although the boathouse itself was closed, the boys found the observation / fishing platform. It was very peaceful to see a few kayaks on the water and people walking on the opposite side of the lake. At the west end of the lake, I saw many families enjoying picnics or taking a hike along the lakeside trail. Public restrooms are available in a few sections of the park. If you don't like crowds, I would recommend a weekday visit. Hope to return in the near future to explore other areas of the park beyond Clopper Lake. read more

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Seneca Creek State Park is a HUGE state park open to the public. During off season, entrance is free and there's a holiday light show November-December, playgrounds, a pond and other things to see. There are also trails and a few historic sites like an old mill where a John Wilkes Booth co-conspirator stayed at when he fled Washington, D.C. after Lincoln was shot. read more

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Unsung and unknown to me, lovely Maryland State. It's a massive park, that's 6 thousand acres. As a side note, it's where the Blair Witch Project was filmed. Lots of tree, places and grills to cook out and its home to a fair amount of wildlife. We went because some friends were playing Disc Golf (Frisbee Golf) and then having a picnic. It is home to one of the first Disc Golf Course in the nation. If you are thinking you use the same equipment as the run of the mill frisbee, you'd be wrong apparently they use special ones. It cost $3/per person for Marylanders and $5/per person for Non-Marylanders but only on weekends and holidays. It's a good trip into the woods without going to far to get there. If you want to get in touch with nature, this might be a place that will surely help you get there. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Lovely park in Gaithersburg Maryland. I started off my hiking season for the fall at this park. There are numerous trails to choose from around the lake which they say is not natural.. Apparently there are no natural lakes in Maryland -all are man made. If you were lucky to snag one of the parking spots in the parking lot right before the main visitor gate, you have free parking. Otherwise you will have to pay for parking. . The lake itself is beautiful. My only complaint would be the lack of opened bathrooms available. Only one by the ticket booth was open and the ones by the boathouse were closed. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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Seneca State Park renews me inside out. God's beauty right within reach from the busy DMV city. I often visit with my family. Our 5yo son rocks the 3.5mile trail/hike every time. Highly recommended to all hiking enthusiasts or just folks looking for a quick getaway. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Lake view - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

What an enormous and beautiful park! The size of it shocked me and it's amazing that my sister lives just 5 minutes away from it. One Sunday when the weather was nice, we decided to go and check it out after hearing so much about it. There was a bit of a car line to get in, but it moved quickly. It's $3 per person ($5 for non-MD residents), or $75 for an annual pass that covers a vehicle with up to 10 people in it... the better deal is obvious, right? So the woman at the kiosk gave us a map, and once we found the trail we wanted, we parked and got to it. There's so much to talk about, from the big lake to the playgrounds to the trails themselves! The lake's trail was about 3.5 miles I think, and the playgrounds are epic for the kids! There was also a huge field near the lake we came across where people were just chilling! It's a fun time and a great nature opportunity if you're into that type of thing. If you're in the area (anywhere in MD really), I'd recommend going at least once! read more

This is a beautiful park scenery wise with a nice view of the pond, trees, and greenery, but there are too many issues from bugs, not having trash/recycling bins for visitors to use, and of course dangerous walking trails that have dips, uneven terrain that can and has had people fall down. People can injure themselves or worse and the park officials need to get it together and remedy the issues with the uneven, rough terrain that is near the pond going towards the hiking/walking trails. An older gentleman needed to use sticks to safely navigate the narrow, dark, trails with tree branches and limbs everywhere. This park looks nice but is a terrible park to actually walk around in and is dangerous and needs to work on the terrain issue, before someone gets hurt badly and lawsuits start to happen. Please get it together MOCO. read more

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A first visit to this State Park after living in MD for over 20 years. And gotta say it was an alright experience. The view of the lake is great, but the park itself needs a lot of maintenance overall and clean-up. The trails need to be more visible and marked better for hikers. Had an OK walk for a couple of hours, but could have been a longer one if there weren't weird people deep in the woods. Some parts were very scenic and pleasant. Parking is ample enough and spacious at different spots of the park. A pretty huge State Park, which is very nice. Might visit another time at some point. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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"Seneca Creek State Park is a public recreation area encompassing more than 6,300 acres along 14 miles of Seneca Creek in its run to the Potomac River in Montgomery County, Maryland. The park features facilities for boating and fishing as well as trails for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding." Wikipedia. That says it all. read more

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I came here today for a bit of sunshine and exercise. The lake shore trail hugs the lake the entire way around. I would say it is easy to moderate difficulty. Roots can make footing uneven and there are minor areas of elevation. You get a gorgeous view of the lake. Took me about an hour to hike the whole way around. It was populated (not too much) with families with children and dogs enjoying the hike and taking fall pictures. I was a lone woman hiking alone and I never felt unsafe. The lake shore trail is not handicap/wheelchair friendly. It is early November and the park is setting up for their Winter wonderland lights. Since it is past Labor Day there is no fee to get into the park. (Summers are $3 for MD residents and $5 for everyone else) It is a good family environment with lots of places to have a picnic and the playgrounds are safe for children. The park is easy to find. While in the park I did have a difficult time navigating- I couldn't find a map at many of the kiosks but if you want a good place to start- look for the lake. read more

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Firstly, this is a gorgeous park. So much luscious green trees everywhere. This was our second time visiting here and loved driving around the park to explore the different spots. It cost $3 per person to enter, and children in safety seats are free. There was a recycled tire playground with a clean bathroom as well as some shade in the parts immediately outside the playground. The highlight was our trip was the car rescue by the park ranger Nathan. After visiting Kingfisher Overlook, our car would not start. A local hiker recommended we call the park ranger on duty and happened to have their number to provide us. BTW it is 443) 534-5837. When we called, Park Ranger Nathan Cmiel arrived and was truly a jack of all trades and was able to determine the car problem we had just by examining it. Ranger Cmiel not only determined that we had a missing air inlet snorkel, but also fashioned a makeshift one with a plastic bottle like a true Macguyver. So impressed. As a result of Ranger Cmiel's help, we were able to drive home and get the part reinstalled. His help spared us not only from having to tow the car, but also from requiring a potentially expensive mechanic visit. Thanks again to Ranger Nathan Cmiel for all his help this weekend. Truly grateful! read more

I discovered this gem of a park and have gone back several times afterwards. I love it here! I absolutely love the path around the lake (around 4 miles), perfect for a hike or a run, and it's usually very quiet on the weekdays, but busier on the weekends. The views of the lake are gorgeous. There is also a marina, playground, picnic shelters, lots of people fishing, etc. There is plenty of parking in different areas of the park. One of my favorites in the DMV area. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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My husband and I went to this place to walk but is much more to do there. The park have a playground for the little ones, picnic area if you want to share with the family or friends after walking. So definitely a good place to go out and enjoy of the nature. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Lake trail - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

This is a Beautiful place for a lot of different reasons.. its Beautiful Scenery... great hiking spot.. great place for nature pictures

A lovely and surprisingly decent sized park in Gaithersburg. We came here for the Holiday Lights show one year and it was nice - nothing mind-blowing but definitely a nice attraction for the family. The boyfriend and I came over on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for a casual hike. For whatever reason we both brought no type of money with us and unfortunately there is a charge to enter the park. I believe $5 or $6 per car? Nothing major, but yeah...fail on our part. The Park Ranger at the entrance suggested we find parking in the lot right outside and walk in for free. Nice to have this option. Unfortunately, there were no open spaces, but we drove into the what looked like the park office where there were plenty of open spaces and parked there for free. The Old Pond Trail starts right behind the park office so we started there. Walked a mile through a dry creek and some power lines - not the most scenic, but it was an easy hike, well-marked with red posts and red paint on the trees and led us right into the park and to beautiful Clopper Lake. There were a few folks fishing on the lake's edge, kiddies and families at the playground, dogs running around. I mean it was Earth Day after all and everyone was definitely being one with nature. We had every intention of hiking around Clopper Lake following the Lake Shore Trail, but ended up just hanging out by the water and enjoying the beautiful day before getting back on the Old Pond Trail back to the car. Really just a beautiful, well kept respite from the traffic and craziness right outside its borders. Will definitely be coming back here to take in that lake from all angles on the next nice day. read more

Today at 2:45pm I like many people were hiking trails here at Seneca. Suddenly in my path were 2 men kissing each other. I couldnt continue. One man with his pants and underwear down around his ankles. I just froze in the path until 1 guy finally turned around realized I was there they took off running into the woods. They were literally having sex making out undressed in the middle of the trail at 2:45pm today. This isn't acceptable to be having sex in broad daylight nudity in this park. Disappointed. Be careful people. read more

Gorgeous lake with lots of turtles, and really affordable kayaking. The picnic area was nice as well, although there were kids all over the place. The lake and the views were so lovely and we will absolutely go back. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Kayaking on the lake - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Another one of the wonderful things about living in Gaithersburg. Great beautiful park, and always hosts the Christmas Lights show that you can drive through. Dont miss it! read more

Beautiful park! Went for a hour run with my friend. There is a nice curvy trail around the lake with multiple views. It's way better to hike than run, but the running is doable if your ok running slower than you normally would and can roll your ankles a few times. We ran a little bit on the roads too which were nice and rolling. Got a bit crowded around noon, but still didn't have any major crowd issues. Get there early so you can enjoy the park and fund a parking space! read more

Seneca Creek State Park - The lake - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

I don't know why I didn't discover this park earlier! It is beautiful, with both many trails and places to hang out and relax at. The natural materials and tires playground with a "zip line " for kids was awesome. We also observed a lot of wild life, with the turtles being everyone's fav:) read more

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We had a good time walking around for my socially distanced birthday. It was hot this day. My only qualm is that as I recall the signage was confusing as it pertained to how long the path was around the lake/pond. Other than that, people were socially distancing and wearing masks when close to one another. Such as when passing on the paths. Great walking place for our dog who was happy albeit tired by the end. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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What a lovely park for a walk! We came here the other weekend for fresh air, exercise, and fall colors. Thanks to a guidebook and reviews here on Yelp, we chose to walk the path around the lake. The trail around the lake is a loop, which I love, it's not technically difficult, the scenery is lovely, and 4 miles is a nice length. Why 4 and not the 5.4 listed online? I'm estimating, because we parked right by the lake, not where the maps usually show. What to wear? Nothing special is needed, but if it's been raining you'll be better with footwear that can handle some mud. When to come? We loved coming here on a sunny fall afternoon just after lunch. I highly recommend this, especially when the leaves change color! Entry was free, too. Get outside and enjoy! read more

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If you are looking for a place to take prom pictures at, this is a beautiful location. The park tends to not be as busy as other places and gives you the best of both worlds: green grass fields and blue, shining lakes. The park is also great for grad parties if you are looking to have a little cookout or outdoor party. I recommend going towards the boat center where the tire park is!! read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

My only complaint about the park overall is that that the trails aren't clean. Both from a trash but also from a simple walking perspective. Overall the park is amazing. We love going in the summer (it is my dog's favorite walk) and in the winter (love the decorations for the holidays)! You can rent canoes and paddle around the Lake. We tend to walk around the lake, the trash increases once you get well away from the boat rental area. Overall this is a great park!!!! read more

Trekking with Toddlers This park is HUGE. There are lots of areas to explore with small humans. Note that not all (not many) trails can be navigated with a stroller, even a lm outdoorsy one. You will also likely have to drive from one area to another. This is a covid-area review so we did not play on the playgrounds but man, both mom and daughter can't wait until it's safe to do so! Note: Bring your portable potty for the small ones and a trash bag. There are no trash cans and the portapotties don't seem to be serviced often. read more

Great trail around a lake to hike, walk, run, or bike with or without a dog. It is not a great place if you have a stroller since not of the trails are paved and they are hilly and narrow at parts. There is a fee to park in the park with paved roads and lots or you can find some neighborhoods to park in and walk into the park from various connecting points. The trail gets muddy in some parts more than others after rain so be prepared for that. Also some areas of the trail are narrow and there are some steep hills. The total distance around the lake is a good 3 miles or so - maybe a bit longer than the trails around lake needwood and lake frank in Rockville. There are people fishing and you can also rent boats here I believe. I think you can also bring your own boat but you would need to confirm with the park staff. There is a large playground along with restrooms and various picnic areas with grills. There is also a nice grassy area to sit on by the lake near the playground/restrooms area. If you are looking for a nice park to run, walk, bike in the Gaithersburg area, not too far from I-270, check it out. read more

My husband and I had our wedding here on 5/24/14. We got the Idea from our friends who also had their wedding here a year before us. We had so much fun at their wedding we just thought it was perfect for ours as well. We used the Blue Jay and Nuthatch pavilions which are totally private for you and your guest. We used one the one of the pavilions for the ceremony, and the other one for the reception. It was really inexpensive... and paid $35 extra for a alcohol license. We had the park from 8am-8:15 pm. Which gave us plenty of time to set up and enjoy our time there. The park doesn't allow LOUD disturbing music but are willing to work with you. We had a DJ and everything went smoothly. There is a small park for kids at the pavilions, restrooms, and plenty of parking. Each pavilion can fit up to 200 people I believe. We wanted a small, outdoor wedding that was kid friendly and that's exactly what we got! We couldn't have asked for anything more. They have two great places for wedding party photos as well. We took ours right by the lake. Our friends did theirs at the garden. Both locations are beautiful!!!! I highly recommend this park for any event. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, and more! read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Wedding photos by the lake - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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BRING CASH or check if you want to rent boats on Clopper Lake! I was sad when I saw the cash only sign as I wrongly assumed they take credit cards (like Lake Needwood or Black HIll/Little Seneca Lake). But their rentals are like $1 cheaper and they stay open later too. It is a beautiful lake and surrounding area with a lot of picnic areas and parking. You can hike all the way around the lake but make sure you have enough time. Some good fishing in various areas accessible by land but you'll cover more water in a boat (obviously). read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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This place is great for a quick afternoon run, bike, or just plain hike after work as it is right next to great Seneca Highway and very close to the Kentlands shopping area. The trails are good here but there's quite a few people on the trail so if you're thinking of taking your dogs make sure you bring your leashes because there are so many people with dogs too, that it makes it difficult to click and unclip your dogs so often. But people are really nice on the trail and there's also kayaking and fishing read more

Very nice place to go with the family or want some romantic time with that special someone. I went here with the kids They loved it an the zipper really fun as well. read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Beautiful Park! Was looking for somewhere different to go on walks with my puppy. Will be returning in the fall since it will be cooler at that time read more

Seneca Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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