GENERAL INFO: A National Natural Landmark known for old growth forest and summer home to one of the largest concentrations of American bald eagles on the East Coast, Caledon attracts bird watchers of all ages. Trails, including Boyd's Hole Trail, which leads to the Potomac River, are open year-round. To protect the eagles, access to marshes and the Potomac River is limited to designated areas. A visitor center with bald eagle exhibits, two picnic areas, a picnic shelter and restrooms also are available.

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Park size: 2,579 acres
Current Weather: Click here to visit the Weather Channel's site for this zip code.

AT-A-GLANCE: The pictographs directly below show park offerings. Click on those of interest or read below for more detail. Mouse-over the image for a short text description or click here to view a legend in which each pictograph's meaning is expressed.

LOCATION: Caledon is located in King George County between Fairview Beach and Owens, 23 miles east of Fredericksburg on Route 218. From Fredericksburg, take 218 East for 23 miles. Caledon is on the left. Or you may take Rt. 3 east 18 miles to a left onto Rt. 206 for six miles, then turn left onto Rt. 218 and go about one mile; Caledon is on the right. From U.S. 301 (MD), turn right onto Rt. 206 for four miles to Rt. 218, then west about one mile.

Its address is 11617 Caledon Rd., King George, VA 22485; Latitude, 38.333999. Longitude, -77.142639.

Drive Time: Northern Virginia, 1 hour 45 minutes; Richmond, 1 hour, 30 minutes; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, 3 hours, 30 minutes; Roanoke, 3 hours, 30 minutes.

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A FEW PHOTOS

View all Caledon photos.

PARK MAP: Click here.

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES: None; day use park. Group camping can be arranged by permit with park. For information on availability of other state parks' overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Click here for park fees.

CABINS / CAMPING: Click here for park fees. Rental rates for cabins and camping vary by season, offering and park. Rates are subject to verification by DCR's state parks reservations staff (1-800-933-PARK). First, determine the appropriate season, which can vary by park, then the relevant rate. (Note: Caledon has no overnight facilities.)

SWIMMING: There are no designated swimming areas.

TRAILS: Ten hiking and four multi-use trailstake park visitors through environmentally sensitive marshlands and picturesque wooded areas of the park. The 2-mile Boyd's Hole Trail leading to the Potomac River is the most popular of the trails.

Visit the Explore Virginia Outdoors website for enhanced maps and video tours of Caledon's trails.

WILDLIFE: Virginia State Parks are great places to discover and reconnect with the wild world. Bring a camera and share your captures with the world. But please don't disturb or get too close to the animals. The park is, after all, their home. Here are a few recent natural encounters others have had at Caledon.

View all wildlife encounter photos from Caledon.

FISHING, BOATING: Fishing is permitted along open areas of the Potomac River but not at Jones Pond or Caledon Marsh. No boating.

HUNTING: Click here to learn about this park's hunting opportunities.

HORSES: No horses allowed.

PARKS CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP: Located in the Smoot House, the visitor center features exhibits on the bald eagle and on the park's history. Environmental education facilities are available for school groups and research. Exhibits depicting representative habitats of Caledon and covering the park's ongoing resource management activities are free to the public. Open Wednesday through Sunday, Memorial Day through Labor Day.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS: Eagle tours, night hikes, conducted walks, astronomy, storytelling, bonfire programs, birdwatching and crafts - some fees required. Click here for details on park events and interpretive offerings. Click here to view park events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER: Environmental education facilities are available.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Fredericksburg, King George County Museum.

PICNIC SHELTERS: The park's picnic shelter can be rented 8 a.m. - close (all day). The shelter accommodates 40 comfortably, is universally accessible and is about 75 feet from the parking area. The shelter has tables, a grill, and the visitor center's restroom is nearby. Call 1-800-933-PARK to reserve. Click here for park fees.

ACCESSIBILITY:

• The visitor center is accessible by a ramp at the right, front corner of the building. It contains exhibits, a gift shop and restrooms. Office on second floor is not accessible.
• Picnic area: There are three paved sites with wheelchair accessible tables. These sites connect to the parking area via paved paths.
• Environmental Education Pavilion is universally accessible from universally accessible parking at the picnic area via compressed rock dust path. This is a 20 x 40 foot covered shelter with lights and electricity, and there's an extra large grill at the rear of the shelter. A water fountain and faucet also are located adjacent to the building. This area can be rented as a picnic shelter when not in use for educational programs.
• Although motorized vehicles are not permitted on park trails, electric wheelchairs and electric scooters that meet the federal definition for wheelchairs are allowed to enable people with disabilities to use the trails.

SPECIAL FEATURES: None.

CONCESSIONS: None.

LAUNDRY: None.

RESTAURANT: None.

HISTORY: Caledon is where the early colonial seat of the Alexander family once was. John and Philip Alexander founded the city of Alexandria and established Caledon Plantation in 1659. William A. Smoot inherited the property from the Alexander family in the mid 1800s. In 1974, Caledon was donated to the Commonwealth by Mrs. Ann Hopewell Smoot in memory of her late husband, Lewis E. Smoot, who passed away in 1962. After the importance of Caledon to the summering eagle population was noted in 1981, Gov. Charles S. Robb appointed the Caledon Task Force to develop the area's management plan. The task force was successful in creating a no-boating zone off the shores of the Potomac River at Caledon. Continued eagle research, development of nature trails and limiting public access in eagle-sensitive areas and buffer zones were among the other recommendations of the plan. In 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list, symbolizing the species' remarkable recovery. In 2012, Caledon was reclassified from a natural area to a state park.

FRIENDS GROUP: Click here to learn about the park's friends group.

MASTER PLAN: Master plans must be written for parks before they're built. The plans are updated at least once every five years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities as well as the site's special features and resources. Three public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here (PDF) for this park's master plan.

CONTACT INFO: Caledon State Park, 11617 Caledon Rd., King George, VA 22485; Phone: (540) 663-3861; email, caledon. Learn more about park offerings by calling 1-800-933-PARK or email resvs. Be sure to specify the park of interest.