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Mason Neck State Park - Lorton, VA


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Length Difficulty Streams Views Solitude Camping
7.5 mls N/A N/A
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3.5 hours plus a half hour for lunch
85 ft
Mason Neck State Park
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Park at the main picnic area and Bay View trailhead. 38.64235, -77.19871
 

Mason Neck State Park, just south of Fort Belvoir in the Lorton VA area, is a treasure of 10 hiking trails passing through diverse scenery and flora. Mostly flat, this park is the perfect location for a weekend picnic and hike, and suitable for all skill levels. Mason Neck State Park covers 1,825 acres, and is one of several wildlife and recreation areas in Mason Neck, with a total area dedicated to wildlife management and recreation of over 6.400 acres.


With a sandy beach and wetland marsh along the Bay View Trail, to meadow views and bird blinds, the park has something for everyone. With 200 different species of birds that call the park home, this area is a bird watchers paradise. The 7.5 mile hike listed here utilizes all but a couple of trail sections and passes all the highlights in the park.

360° Panorama
Mid January
Mason Neck Hike Comments
Archived Comments


By: aldikuma Rating: Date of Hike: Tuesday, October 18, 2016
I've lived in NoVA for many years, but this was only the second time I'd been here. The trails are easy, well-maintained, and there's a lot of amenities here to enjoy before and after your hike (picnic tables, playground, open grassy fields, Visitor's Center). I can't speak for the weekends, but on a weekday, the solitude was better than I anticipated for a place so close to DC. It is $4 to enter for residents.

By: Steve Rating: Date of Hike: Thursday, May 26, 2016
A great hike made up of four smaller trails. Any of the four would be good for anyone wanting a shorter hike, with the red Bay View Trail probably the most intriguing to kids. There's a beach I didn't take the time to see but would like to later. There are other trails, one paved. It's nice to see several trails in the park deemed "handicapped accessible" according to the trail guide brochure, including the orange Dogue Trail on this hike, which is relatively smooth. The trails are in good condition. Just saw three others on the hike. As a non-resident of Virginia, I paid $6 to enter the park and received a collection of literature including a trail map, not as detailed as the one on this web site. Friendly staff, restrooms, Coke machines, drinking water, a playground, picnic areas, too. There's a visitor center I did not check out.

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