Mason Neck State Park

This park is so pretty, it’s a really nice spot where you can see the water and the trails are easy to go on as well. I would go again for sure!

I came here with my puppy the other day when it was 70 degrees in December and it’s a great park! I’ve been here before for their bike trails, but I this time I took him more towards the beach side. They have a great beach trail, not very long, but still a beautiful and clean place. We also hikes the Bay View trail which is very easy and only about a mile. I brought my Nikon and got some great shots of the views so make sure to bring your camera!
I would definitely be back especially since the trails wore out Goku which is always a plus!

I’m trying to place why I didn’t get as much out of Mason Neck as compared to any number of other local waterside parklands. Maybe it’s that the water here is fairly still; a lot of algae builds up during the summer and there isn’t much wind to cool you off. Maybe it’s the entrance fee, and the self-​payment system that just screams how cheap the state government of Virginia is. Maybe it’s just that it lacks swimmable water, cliffs, waterfalls, or any of the exciting aesthetic features that other areas of the Potomac have to offer.
In any case, this sleepy little park is nonetheless a substantial preserve full of interesting wildlife (and not a ton of humans). A boardwalk leads through a wetland area with plenty of space to stop and enjoy the sounds. Plenty of picnic areas and benches situated well above the water level allow for a relaxed afternoon. One of the more distinctive aspects is a wildlife blind overlooking a grassy meadow if you’re willing to hike on inland trails for a while. I like some of my other parks better, but there are definitely some nice features if you find yourself out here.

Beautiful park with ample parking and nice bathroom facilities. Very clean and friendly staff. My friends and I grilled and biked all afternoon. We wished that there was a better sign informing the prices and duration of all rentals available. We thought that it was one time fee and not by the hour. However, we had a wonderful time. The Rangers came out with their furry friends and entertained our little ones. We thought that was very nice. We will return!

I love to hike, but having been in the DC area since 2008, I’m running out of parks to try. It’s gotten so dire that I’ve resorted to using Google Maps to spot areas that are colored green, then zooming in close enough to where the name of the park shows up. It’s not the most efficient process-​sometimes the green spaces are just golf courses. But I used this technique today to discover a park, about 45 minutes from DC, called Mason Neck State Park. It’s located south of Fort Belvoir not far from I-​95 on the west coast of the Potomac River. The park consists of 1814 acres of forest and marshland and several hiking trails, all accessible by the main road that ends at the visitors center overlooking the river.
While I didn’t set foot in the visitors center because I had my dog with me, I’m glad I started out there. There were several bird houses set up nearby and I had the chance to view all sorts of birds I hadn’t seen before. High above the shoreline, about 200 feet down from the visitors center, is an osprey nest perched on top of a steel tower. I snapped a few shots of the osprey’s head as it peered out over Belmont Bay, a mile-​wide inlet of the Potomac.
Previous Unilocal reviewers suggested Bay View Trail, so I started there. The trail begins near the Visitors Center and leads down to through a small section of woods to the shoreline. There’s a little dock where you can rent kayaks to go out on they bay. I didn’t want to risk drowning Ollie so I passed that up and continued along the beach. It was a really beautiful day so I enjoyed relaxing on the beach, catching some rays until I noticed a little reptile head pop out of the water about 10 feet from me. I stood up to get a better look and realized it was a water snake, so I grabbed my stuff and moved away. It slithered past me and my dog on its way to the marsh behind us. A quick internet search when I got home showed that it was the non-​venomous Northern water snake. According to the article, the snake is often mistaken for the venomous water moccasin and killed because of it.
Unfortunately the Bay View Trail was closed off just as it turned towards the large marsh the snake was headed to.
Not satisfied with my physical activity for the day, I stopped at another trail head on my way out of the park. The trail I took is not located in Mason Neck State Park, but a National Wildlife Refuge area called Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I took the Woodmarsh Trail, which led through another stretch of forest up a small incline for about ½ mile, ending at a viewing platform overlooking a huge marsh called The Great Marsh, where you can spot bald eagles in the mornings and evenings. I was there at 3pm and did not see any.
Overall, this was a great trip for a morning or afternoon in the DC area. You can also make a day of it as there is a picnic area around the visitors center.
Logistics: There is a $ 5 fee per car on the weekend; $ 4 on weekdays. In several areas of the park, there is no cell phone signal (at least for AT&T). Dogs allowed, but on leash.

Love this park! I horseback ride often here, lots of great trails!

Beautiful park right in our backyard. Lots of trails for biking and moderate hiking. Gorgeous view of the bay, plenty of picnic and rec areas. Lucky to have this bit of pristine, natural beauty nearby!

Three and a half stars. Call me an adrenaline junkie, but I’ve been spoiled by other parks. Signage from the 95 exit is helpful when not overgrown. $ 4 admission for plentiful parking and access to tranquil, short trails; free maps at booth and center. Markers are drilled plates rather than paint, with wood posts at forks. Playground, picnic tables, and volleyball court near canoe/​kayak launch. We saw a small lot by the Great Marsh trailhead before the entry booth, presumably associated with the adjacent wildlife refuge, along with the Woodmarsh Trail. Park staff are reasonably friendly but rarely seen away from their stations.
More frog and cicada buzzing than birdsong. Despite a promising looking eagle nest, the only wildlife we spotted were two frogs, squirrels, and some herons across the creek… plus a ton of sparrows living in the birdhouses by the visitor center. Views are average but I guess bird-​sighting is the bigger selling point here. Dirt trails in majority with one or two paved ones and the occasional short wooden bridge. We hiked Kane’s Creek over to Eagle Spur, then back along Wilson Spring, to Bayview, and Beach Trail. Mostly covered, thanks to the tall trees. The beach itself is short but somewhat interesting to pick through. I agree that overall difficulty level is easy, though the routes marked as moderate are overrun with tree roots at points. We skipped Dogue so we could make it out of the park before sundown, but overall my interest level will gravitate me towards the refuge before we amend and redo this somewhat boring hike.

Mason Neck is a good place that is close to DC area but a lot less people. We went there just to hike around. There are a few different trails and they are all very easy. We connected and hiked every trail and it ended up being just over 5 miles. The longest trail is just over a mile so there’s nothing too hardcore and with it being in NoVa and near the river there are hardly any hills to speak of.
There’s a boat ramp where you can put in, a playground, & lots of picnic tables so it’s nice to bring a lunch out. $ 4 to get in.

The best park in the region.
I come here regularly to paddle or birdwatch or take a short hike with my dog. It’s always well-​maintained and brimming with wildlife. As other reviewers have mentioned, it’s not as busy as some of the other region’s parks so you feel like you’re really getting away from it all when you get out on a trail. As expected, there are bikers and other walkers or fishermen around, but you’re not constantly dodging them or having to go around people.
There’s a $ 4 fee to get in the park, but it’s well worth it. Plenty of playing fields for families who want to picnic and have a place for the kids to run around it. The trails are easy enough for those who can’t handle strenuous walks and, as mentioned above, they’re always well-​maintained. There’s a paved path, too, that’s handicap accessible and plenty of overlooks off trails that open out over the water that keep the walks interesting.

A hidden Gem in Virginia.
A short drive from DC and not heavily visit like other parks near by, such as Burke Lake and Lake Anna. It has picnic areas, a kayak/​canoe launch ramp, trails, and many species for nature lovers.
I bring my kayak here all the time and normally paddle to nearby Kane Creek for fishing Large Mouth, Catfish, Snakehead, etc. Along the way, you can see the American Eagles, turtles, and varieties of birds. I believe you can also camp here overnight. You will need to pay a fee to enter though. I have the yearly pass since I come here often throughout the year.
So, if you need a nice quiet place to relax without bumping into many people, give this place a try. You will love it !!!

This was a great place to go on a nice relaxing hike. We went on the Bay View trail and there were lots of nice marshy areas to check out, a cute little bridge by the bay, and a bird observation blind. We were dog sitting and were able to bring the dog on the hike with us. There is also a rental area for kayaks, which I would have loved to take them up on had we not had a four-​legged friend tagging along.
The weather was not as hot as it has been so I thought the place would be packed, but it was pretty empty. This would be a great place to grill out and picnic as they have lots of tables and grills and the park is really clean.
It’s also right in the Mason Neck Wildlife Refuge, which serves as a bald eagle sanctuary. I wish I knew where the bald eagle nests were. We’ll have to try to find out next time if they’re along one of the trails. This was definitely a great find in NOVA!

In honor of Memorial Day, I decided to write a review on one of my favorite Virginia state parks and weekend summer retreats, Mason Neck. I randomly discovered it a few years ago while driving around aimlessly (ok, I was lost) in Lorton.
Mason Neck is not as popular as other Northern Virginia parks — meaning you can throw a frisbee here without worrying about it riccocheting off somebody’s baby’s head (I understand most Unilocalers have better frisbee skills than myself but to me, this is a real problem). It is a nice and quiet park and when I do run into people they are mostly setting up a hammock in a small oak grove that overlooks the water. This oak grove my friends, is PRIME hammock real estate. If you are lucky to grab a spot, a few friends can set up hammocks next to each other and ignore each other for an entire day but still feel like they spent time quality time together. They also have grills!
Back to the water, Mason Neck has a bay that houses animals such as blue herons, bald eagles, woodpeckers and more. You can rent a kayak, canoe or Jon boat (the type of boat that they used in the «Notebook») and paddle all your troubles away.

Mason Neck State Park is an attractive enough option for casual hiking not too far away from DC. They have several short trails that offer up quite a mix of scenery, and they are pretty accessible. All of the trails are children friendly, and one of them is even handicap friendly.
SInce all of the trails were particularly short, typically a mile or less in length, I opted to kluge several of them together for a meatier 5.5-mile or so hike. Each trail is blazed, and all intersection of trails have detailed totem poles indicating the way and distance. It would be really challenging to get lost here. My route started out at the visitor center, followed the Bay View Trail to the lookout, and continued onto the Wilson Spring Trail, connected with a full loop of the Dogue Trail before crossing the road to the Eagle Spur Trail which went all the way out to Kanes Creek, and then I doubled back and connected with the Kanes Creek Trail back to the visitor center. It is a pretty interesting loop, and I recommend it for those looking to do a longer hike. Here are my notes for each of the trails:
Bay View Trail: This trail has great views of Belmont Bay as well as an estuary. You can deviate from the trail and walk along the water or head to a lookout for scenic views. In the winter it is very pretty; I imagine in the summer that it is spectacular.
Wilson Spring Trail: This trail has a lot of walking among the trees with slight hills here and there. It gives that sense of being in the woods without ever being very far away from anything. Of course, there is also Wilson spring to see, but it is not much of a spring in the winter.
Dogue Trail: Handicap-​accessible, which pretty much sums it up. A very level, evenly graded trail that does about a mile loop in a wooded thicket adjacent to a parking lot. Obviously, this is a great choice for the wheelchair-​bound. I think it also works great for trail runners who don’t mind doing repeats. For hikers though, it is really boring plodding along it though. If you have little ones with you though, it might be a decent choice.
Eagle Spur Trail: Easily my favorite. This trail has some real hills, and it’s an out-​and-​back, so hiking the full length gives you 2.2 miles. It takes you all the way out to the water where there is a very nice blind set up to view nature. I saw a lot of birds, and really enjoyed taking the time to reflect on the beauty before me. This was the only trail I felt I really was hiking on.
Kanes Creek Trail: This trail gives you a nice loop through the woods with terrain similar to the Eagle Spur trail, but it never takes you anywhere except to return to the visitor center parking lot. As such, it is a great way to finish up the Eagle Spur trail.
Overall, nice, easy park ripe with some scenic views and accompanying nature. It’s great for a nice little escape from DC or NOVA. Recommend.

my girlfriend and i have just started going on hikes and found this park to be one of the better parks.
1. all the trails are clearly marked and the map provided by the visitors center is GREAT.
2. the trails are kept clear and not too difficult. it’s a great place for a walk and we saw plenty of people with their dogs.
3. lots of space to bbq
4. we went on a sat and found it to be fairly empty which is great if you are looking for some peace and quiet
5. lots of ample parking

Well the pouring rain made it hard for me to get a good feel for this park, but from what I could tell it was really great. Right on the bay, set down a beautiful winding wooded road — I really want to go back when I can enjoy it!

The best state park in Virginia! Mason Neck has numerous trails, a newly built visitor center, programs, and kayak/​bicycle rentals available to its guests. It is approximately 25 minutes from DC, but is so quiet and peaceful you would never notice. A true suburban escape. Come check it out!

I hear they are closed for the moment but I always love a day trip to this state park with my dogs, hike the trails and the river bench. When we go withjout our dogs, we kajak into the swamp area hoping to get a glimpse of the bald eagles… and you almost always do!

Not sure why this is listed as closed as I was just here last night for a hike with my bf.
We arrived just after 6:30 pm and hiked two trails (Wilson Springs and Bay View). Wilson Springs takes you to Bay View, which as the name suggests takes you along the bay and as such great views of the bay are yours to enjoy.
The trails were well-​marked and well-​maintained. I wasn’t stumbling over tree trunks as I have in other hikes.
At various outposts, there’s also guides/​maps to all the trails in the park.
For an easy hike, definitely consider Mason Neck State Park!