The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is excited to announce the land acquisition last month of the Lake Caledon property, which is adjacent to Caledon State Park.

The new property adds 455 acres bringing the total to 3,034 acres of land. This location is an ideal spot for an expanded and enhanced park since Caledon State Park lies on the shores of the Potomac River. The park currently provides some of the only limited access to the Potomac River in the county. 

The northern half of the property lies directly across the road from the existing state park and is a mix of forests and farm fields.

The southern half of the property lies on the opposite side of the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail, a 16-mile multi-use trail that follows the route of the 1940s Dahlgren Branch Rail Line. There are several crossings of the rail-trail to connect to the northern half of the property. This side of the property is mainly forested and contains an approximately 47-acre lake and wetlands. 

The project was funded in part by a $3 million Land and Water Conservation Fund grant awarded by the National Park Service. Another $500,000 was provided from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation in the first grant ever awarded to Virginia State Parks.

An additional $900,000 in funding was granted from the U.S. Navy’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program. In order for this project to be eligible for REPI funding, the protection boundary around Naval Support Facility Dahlgren had to be expanded.

Caledon State Park
11617 Caledon Rd.
King George, VA 22485
540-663-3861
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/caledon

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

Park Leadership

Virginia State Parks Director: Dr. Melissa Baker
Western Field Operations Director: Tim Shrader
District Two Manager: Ken Benson
Park Manager: Nina Cox

To request additional information, contact:

Kim Wells
Public Relations and Marketing Specialist
Virginia State Parks Eastern Region
kim.wells@dcr.virginia.gov

or

Dave Neudeck
Public Communications and Marketing Director
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
804-305-4220, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov

 

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