Mason Neck State Park

Bay View Trail

The Bay View Trail is a 1 mile, easy interpretive trail that is accessible from the picnic area and forms a loop, taking hikers over several boardwalks as they pass through marshes along Belmont Bay and into mature hardwood forest. The trail is an excellent resource for parents and educators with comprehensive interpretive signs along the way. The trail tells the story of the impact of clean watershed on the health of the entire Chesapeake Bay. The trail also features a bird blind and access to the Wilson Spring Trail.

Blaze Color: Red

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Beach Trail

The Beach Trail is a .3 mile, handicap accessible that runs from the Visitor Center to the campfire program overlook with views of the bay. A portion of the trail is paved making passage especially easy. At the end of the trail opposite the Visitor Center the pavement ends at a set of steps that descend to the beach.

Blaze Color: Green

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Dogue Trail

The Dogue Trail gets its name from the Dogue Indians who inhabited this area. Native Americans first populated the region about 12,500 to 13,000 years before first contact. Some of the earliest recorded history of the area was by Captain John Smith in 1608, he wrote of his meeting with the Dogue Indians and charted the chief's village of Tauxenent on his map of Virginia. At the time, the area now known as Mason Neck, was referred to as Doggs Island and Doeg Neck. The Dogue Indians were agricultural people as well as hunter-gatherers. They lived in villages, towns and farms along the banks of the rivers around the peninsula. This short, easy trail loops through a quiet and peaceful wooded area of the park set back from the shoreline.

Blaze Color: Orange

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Eagle Spur Trail

The Eagle Spur Trail is a 1.29 mile easy hiking trail that consists of earth and gravel. It runs from the Kane's Creek Trail, through the woods and ends at a bird blind overlooking Kane's creek.

Blaze Color: White

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High Point Multi-Use Trail

The High Point Trail is three miles long and is located along High Point Road, traversing Gunston Hall, Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge and Mason Neck State Park. The trail allows visitors using the Gunston Road Trail to easily connect to the National Wildlife Refuge and Mason Neck State Park

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Kane's Creek Trail

The Kane's Creek Trail is a 1.20 mile, easy trail that is accessible from the Visitor Center, Eagle Spur Trail, and the Wilson Spring Trail. The trail passes through hardwood forest as it makes a loop, bringing hikers to a bird blind and offering unlimited opportunities for bird-watching.

Blaze Color: blue

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Wilson Spring Trail

The Wilson Spring Trail is a .79 mile easy connecting trail that passes through the woods as it connects Kane's Creek Trail to the Bay View Trail. The trail makes it especially easy for wildlife enthusiasts to access the park's two primary wildlife viewing trails.

Blaze Color: Yellow

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Amphitheater

A small simple amphitheater and a flat wooden stage are located to the left of the building and are used mainly for park programming.

• Season/Hours: All Year/Call Park
• Fee: Park Fees
• Location:38° 38.6350 -77° 11.9233

Car Top Boat Access

Mason Neck State Park offers car top boat access. The launch area is located between the visitor center and the picnic area. Visitors may bring their own canoes and kayaks into the park to explore Belmont Bay and the Potomac or may rent one of the parks canoes or kayaks. Boaters are reminded to wear life jackets, and practice all safe boating procedures. Consumption and display of alcohol in the park are prohibited.

• Season/Hours: All Year/Call Park
• Fee: Park Fees
• Location:38° 38.5866 -77° 11.9916

Picnic Area

The parks picnic area is accessible just off of the main park road not far from the visitor center or canoe launch. It offers picnic tables and grills, the parks public restrooms, a playground, and one reservable picnic shelter.

• Season/Hours: All Year/8:00 A.M. to dusk
• Fee: Park Fees
• Location:38° 38.5616 -77° 11.9333

Picnic Shelter

The shelter is a 40 x 20 foot framed tent; there are no holes in the center, and sides are open. The floor is gravel. The tent's roof is vinyl. There are 10 picnic tables and two pedestal charcoal grills. It seats 50 people at one time; a group of more than 50 but fewer than 100 people can use the site (although shelter rental does not guarantee sole usage of the area open to the general public). Guests will need to bring lawn chairs. Erecting additional tents is not permitted. Additional tables and grills, likewise, is discouraged.

• Season/Hours: All Year/
• Fee: Park Fees
• Location:38° 38.5150 -77° 11.8350

Environmental Education Center

The Elizabeth S. Hartwell Environmental Center overlooks Belmont Bay.The center provides an opportunity for teachers to conduct environmental studies in natural settings. The facility has an extensive collection of research materials, a wet lab and a variety of sampling equipment. Park staff is available to assist with all phases of planning the program. In addition, the park participates in Virginias State Parks: Your Backyard Classroom, a 40 activity curriculum guide for use by teachers of grades K-12. More information is available by calling the park.

• Season/Hours: All Year/Call Park
• Fee: Park Fees
• Location:38° 38.6749 -77° 11.5633