On our way up to visit friends in the DC area, we made the most of our time by hitting two Virginia State Parks enroute, starting with Leesylvania State Park on Friday afternoon. After weighing our storm risk as Tropical Storm Hermine assaulted the shores of Hampton Roads, we braved the interstate and were greatly rewarded with perfect weather to enjoy this gorgeous state park.

Leesylvania State Park is located right along the Potomac River with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the surrounding water in Virginia

September 3 Leesylvania State Park

Leesylvania State Park is located along the Potomac River in an area locally known as Freestone Point, just 25 miles from our Nation’s Capital.  This 543 acre park has about 7.5 miles of trail and is connected to the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail which follows a path explored by George Washington.  With a beach, fishing pier, boat launches, sailboat rentals through the local Woodbridge Sailing School, and scenic picnic shelters, Leesylvania State Park boasts an impressive waterfront filled with lots of potential for your summer afternoon.

There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the views

Lee's Woods Trail offers a number of scenic overlooks

 For an elevated view of the river try Lee's Woods Trail

We opted to take a hike on the Lee’s Woods Trail (1.96 mi), which loops through the historical section of the park and passes by numerous overlooks of the Potomac River. 

This self-guided includes the homestead sites of the Fairfax and Lee families, a cemetery, gardens, and a civil war fort all with markers detailing the important stopping points along the way.  

It is a moderate hike through the woods on a hard-packed dirt path. It was interesting to see the remains of historical buildings that once housed such important families while we meandered through the forest.

Our visit to Leesylvania State Park was short compared to some of our other park visits, as we were just passing through the area; but there were plenty of visitors enjoying the picnic sites along the water, trails throughout the park, and beach and fishing pier.

It’s evident this is a favorite park for those living nearby and for good reason. It’s a perfect green space getaway in Northern, Virginia.

We ended our day by crossing the VA-MD state border on the fishing pier and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the water.  With so much to offer to enjoy the outdoors, Leesylvania State Park is well worth a visit.

Visitors to the park enjoy its beach access to the Potomac River

The park's fishing pier jets out over Maryland waters

If you would like to go on your own adventure to Leesylvania State Park and would like more information about this park, click here.

Guest Bloggers Peter Radlowski and Sarah Sumoski plan to tackle all 36 37 Virginia State Parks in 2016 and they invite you to come along on the adventure with them.