Easy to get to from highway, not super crowded and had plenty of parking (granted, it was a weekday). A few decent miles of trails with lots of cute bridges. There are benches scattered throughout the preserve on the trails, as well as some picnic tables near the pond. At some points the trails were well marked, well at others it was less clear where to go. Great for a quick fix of nature not too far from the city. Probably will go again! read more

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Beautiful park that's truly a hidden gem. There are a few miles of trails, a man-made waterfall, small picnic area and pond. Great place to spend an hour or two- without having to drive far. read more

Winkler Botanical Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

In the middle of Alexandria, Virginia is a 44-acre nature preserve, one of the largest piece of undeveloped land. When the Winkler family developed the nearby Mark Center, Catherine Winkler Herman set aside this green space as a gift to the community. Entrance is free. Here's why you should go: 1) Hours: It's open every day (except federal holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are signs warning guests that the gates close right at 4 p.m. so be sure to get out by then. 2) Space: It's 44 acres so it's big! When you walk in, follow the trail around the pond. Little trails venture out from there. You can hear city sounds on the trails closest to the highway, but other than that, it's a peaceful oasis. When I went on a Thursday afternoon, I saw two other people there and that's it! 3) Lookout: There's a rocky cliff across the pond from the lodge that's perfect for sitting and enjoying the breeze while watching geese swim in the pond. There's a nice waterfall nearby too. A few things to be mindful of: 1) Parking: There isn't any. The apartment complex has reserved parking for guests, but technically it's not for Winkler Nature Preserve visitors. 2) Trails: They are NOT stroller-friendly. The trails aren't hard so kids who can walk are fine, but they are rough and uneven and none are paved. 3) Lodge: The lodge is closes for renovation so there are no public restrooms. read more

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I want to like this place more, but I just can't. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy to see green space in the middle of Alexandria. The park is tiny, but the paths are well maintained. There looks like some kind of (unused) cabin in the middle and spots for nature talks. There's even a fake waterfall in the summer. If you want a non-strenuous hike and maybe see some turtles and deer (yes there are deer here), Winkler is good for that. But this place has problems. Since it closes at 4 PM barely anyone can use it during the weekday. It's advertised as open 7 days a week but seems to shut down randomly. I've been here on many a weekend and the gates were closed. If there's inclement weather, it's probably a safe bet it will be closed. During the pandemic it was actually closed for a prolonged period of time. If that's not enough, there's barely any parking, it's not pet friendly, they don't allow picnicking, and forget about any other recreational activities. They supposedly let outside groups host events here, but the phone number I see associated with the place doesn't answer and doesn't have voice mail. Forget about any sort of social media support either. If there are changes to their opening hours, good luck finding about it since they don't maintain an active homepage anywhere, to include Facebook or Instagram. Just cross your fingers and hope that the gates are open, and there's parking available. A big part of the problem is it's privately owned, so they set their own rules. Well, if whomever manages this place wants to make it useful to the public, they need to improve the hours of operation and (at a minimum) provide a means to let the public know if it's even open. Otherwise, it exists for little more than a tax break for the family who owns it. read more

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I arrived thinking this could a be a good place for a hike. Instead I encountered a gate letting me know they're indefinitely closed due to COVID. I get they're closed and respect that but one star this trip since all I got to see was an iron gate and had to run back to my car since I realized the parking lot was for the apartment complex and didn't want to get towed. I'll check it out after COVID and hopefully will have a MUCH better experience. read more

Winkler Botanical Preserve - Not quite a scenic view - Hiking Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

We visit DC all the time and we wanted to try someplace different. Something we haven't done yet and stumbled on this little hike. It was winter so I am sure during the spring and summer it's a lot more interesting. The place can't be more than 1 mile from one end to the other but it has a trial that gives you a path to go up down back and forth. You will bump into bridges,lakes and cottages. Since it's winter it was all visual at once but I can only imagine going during spring and summer and experience something totally different. Which that is will be in my to do list. I especially like the door in the middle of nothin curious what it transforms to during the peak season. They had benches and a stage that can be for book reading. I was just walking and picturing all the things that are probably done during that time. Excited to revisit. read more

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Great place to visit hidden away at end of street heading into apartment building. There are several trails you can follow and a fair sized pond with a man made waterfall. Check the hours before you go -it closes early. read more

Located in such an unexpected area (literally between some office buildings near Mark Center in Alexandria), Winkler Botanical Preserve provides a bit of respite from the hustle of daily life. There is no entrance fee and it is gated, with the gates being open 8:30-4pm daily. There is a very small parking lot; however, street parking is an option. Just don't use the parking lots belonging to the apartments nearby. I visited on an unusually warm Sunday afternoon and found myself mostly alone throughout my time there. There is a large lodge that is currently closed so there are no restrooms here. The trails are well-worn to guide you, but the terrain is dirt or rocks so I wouldn't recommend bringing a stroller. There is a small pond and then also a larger pond filled with ducks and geese. There are some areas marked for native plants. There is also a "door to nowhere" near the lodge and a single room, tiny log cabin along the trail. There are several bridges to cross as well. The trail is pretty easy if you have kids that can walk but is also nice for adults too. It looks like there used to be a challenge course within the preserve, but it appears it might have moved to a fenced in area. I have been wanting to hike around here for some time now, and I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to do so. I plan to return with my toddler soon! read more

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Great place to go hiking with kids and pets! Saw turtles in the water and a couple of bridges to croas perfect for taking pictures. read more

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went here on a wimp, totally worth it! quick and easy parking is small but there's ideal times to go! read more

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Small but nice area to walk around! We came here on a Sunday morning in early July with a friend and her 3.5 year old daughter to enjoy some time outdoors together. It worked well for us but the trails aren't long, so I think this works best with small children or with older folks who want something in the 1 mile range. It felt tricky to find, because the little parking area and the entrance gate are located at the end of a residential street with apartments on it. So keep driving and you'll find it, don't turn around! Park and walk towards the nice looking large cabin, which the city uses for summer camps and other activities. Even if it's locked you can enjoy sitting in the shade of the porch on the Adirondack chairs and admiring how you might feel like you're at a mountain retreat in West Virginia! Depending on the time of year you might see a lot of Canadian geese eating the grass out front here by the pond (so also be prepared for their droppings all over that grass). We followed one of the trails to the left of the cabin aiming to walk around the pond to eventually come up around the back of the pretty waterfall we could see on the other side of the pond from the cabin/lodge. You can't get lost because you'll run into fences and large marks of civilization pretty quickly, so just keep following paths up towards the right. Eventually we crossed a pretty bridge and climbed up to find the top of the waterfall. What it offers is a very pretty vantage point out over the pond towards the lodge (see photo)! Keep walking around and you'll unfortunately be more likely to see buildings, but you'll also see where they sometimes have a ropes course setup for programs the city/park must offer. Not big, not amazing, but just right for a pleasant walk outside, or to just sit on the porch and lookout. read more

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I stumbled upon this while trying to find an afternoon activity for me and the 2 year old I nanny for. This is what I came up with. It's cute, and a lot quieter than I think the other reviews led on. I didn't notice an elevated noise level while there. At least nothing that would take away from the experience. It has a pond, walk ways, and a lodge that was locked. It is two stories and by the signs that I saw; I'm guessing it is used for camps. Do not bring a stroller because if you do, you'll regret it. The paths are not paved. I'd recommend if the child can't walk then don't bring them. Parking is extremely limited, but if it was like a day that we came on you won't have any issue. We were literally the only people there. read more

Winkler Botanical Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The Winkler Botanical Preserve is incredibly well-hidden in plain sight: between 395 and Seminary Road, nestled amidst upscale townhouses, worn-out apartments, Mark Center office park, and the colossal BRAC building. It's 44 acres of flora indigenous to the area, with well-maintained meandering paths, water features incorporating suburban storm water runoff, and a Ropes course used by local schools...right smack in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alexandria. The Winkler Preserve is a great place to get away from it all in the heart of it all. Of course, its location means that you can't *quite* escape the woosh of cars on the highways and byways. And you can't *quite* escape the sight of buildings, especially the towering new BRAC. But the Winkler remains a super convenient place to take a leisurely stroll (don't come expecting a vigorous workout) among shade trees and an abundance of flowers in spring and summer, and to spot birds you don't normally see in the middle of the city like Blue Heron and Eastern Towhee. Because it's a wildlife preserve, however, no pets are allowed. VDOT threatened for awhile to destroy nearly 1/3 of this already small preserve in order to build an on/off-ramp from 395 directly to the BRAC building (its construction already impedes upon Winkler's perimeters as it is). It would have been a major loss for Alexandrians, not to mention all manner of wildlife. But Friends of the Winkler mobilized enough community outcry that it appears VDOT has dropped these plans, leaving the Winkler Botanical Preserve for northern Virginians to enjoy indefinitely. read more

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My boyfriend and I are very outdoorsy and we found this on the Internet. We arrived and thought it was so cool that it isn't advertised as much. I am pretty sure the people who are in charge of this preserve don't want any irresponsible people coming in and polluting it. The preserve is well maintained, which made us happy because we enjoyed our walk/adventure. It is very clean compared to other urban parks. We thought we were in Shenandoah because that's how beautiful this place is! There is wildlife there and the scenery is beyond gorgeous! I totally recommend this place! read more

Winkler Botanical Preserve - A beautiful buck! - Hiking Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This is a beautiful, well-maintained little park in the middle of a bustling, jam-packed residential area. You'd never, ever know it was here unless someone told you, or you got curious about that green patch on Google Maps. It's not for camping or picnicking or anything really, except for walking around with your sweetie or family. I can't imagine it'd take anyone more than an hour to see the whole park, which includes a lovely little man-made waterfall and some cute bridges and stone outcroppings. It's just a nice retreat in the middle of the city. There's a lodge-type building and a challenge course. The internet is ridiculously not forthcoming on information about these things, but if you had the wherewithal, I'm sure you could procure the information. I'm glad the Friends of Winkler managed to save this space - it's definitely somewhere I'll return to when I need a breath of fresh air. read more

This is a secluded nature reserve in Alexandria right off of 395. During the summer there are awesome nature camps for kids who live in the middle of Alexandria only (what a bummer). But they do have an assortment of flowers and bushes surrounding the reserve. There is a little cabin, waterfall with a pond and bridge, zip line, ropes course and a walking trail. This is for a nice stroll in the park but would not be as much of a workout location. Make sure you do go before dark because I the park closes by 4pm and they will lock the gate. read more

It is pretty quiet and hidden in Alexandria but it's nothing special. The walk is sort of boring and fairly short. It is located behind what looks like low income housing and the area is shady at night. If you have nothing better to do and life very close then it's worth checking out. If you can, go to Great Falls. read more

We found this place by accident on the internet. There is no signage as you get close to the address. It's at the dead end of a street that runs behind an apartment complex. The only sign at the front gate is a list of "don'ts". We saw two deer eating by the side of the gravel path as we walked in. Some small patches of flowers, nothing big. There's no map of the trails as you enter ,no signs describing anything, and one bench. You walk about a mile and come to the back of the Hilton Hotel. It's quiet with a lot of shade along the path. Once was enough. read more

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The entrance is not obvious and driving through the apartment complex, you might almost think to turn back because you went the wrong way - keep going. There are about 5 or 6 parking spots right inside the gates, geese and ducks hanging out in the large pond, and a few little bridges. It's pretty and peaceful. Will totally be back! read more

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What a cute hidden gem. I brought my 1 and 2 year old here. They loved it! Especially my 2 year old because she got to play in the stream, throw rocks and sticks in the water, and run around. There are small trails and they are perfect for the young hikers. read more

Such a relaxing little preserve nestled between neighborhoods in Alexandria. Too bad the hours barely allow me to partake :-( read more

Winkler Botanical Preserve - Reading @ Winkler - Hiking Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This is a lovely little preserve right in the midst of Alexandria. You can't pretend you're not in the city thanks to the traffic noise and buildings, but it's a nice nearby escape nonetheless. No dogs allowed. read more

I'm particularly fond of natural areas set in among concrete-and-asphalt urban environments, so I made a point of visiting this little bit of urban nature just off 395. And I'm so glad I did; it's a pleasant and restful place, intimate yet still spacious. It has the feeling of being in a little "bowl". As another reviewer noted, it's great for strolling with family or with your sweetie. A great place to stop off for a dose of greenery that offers respite from hard surfaces. read more

a secret garden i never knew existed. this walk will take you away from the hub bub of northern virginia !