Lake Fairfax is a destination location providing 476 acres of parkland in Reston. There is a wide range of family-friendly activities and the necessary facilities to make your visit to Lake Fairfax a memorable multi-day experience. You can also enjoy the Water Mine family water park, family and group campgrounds, a skate park, a pump track, several hiking and biking trails, and athletic fields. Lake Fairfax is also home to a wide variety of class, camps, and special events. Given below are some fun things to do at Lake Fairfax Park.
Water Mine Park at Lake Fairfax Park
Hiking And Biking
Lake Fairfax Park has an extensive trail network, mostly through wooded areas of the park. The shared trails are popular for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and trails are frequently being added and improved. The Rails to River Trail follows about 2.5 miles of wide track through the park, connecting to the Colvin Run Stream Valley, and then the Cross County Trail. The trail system offers a mostly shady, wooded ride with some steep sections and tight curves. The same trails that are popular with bikers are great for hiking too. You can explore a loop trail around the lake, though it is overgrown and eroded in places, and another loop trail around the campground.
Swimming
Lake Fairfax Park has its own water park—the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole. This very popular water park features an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables and interactive play features. One of my favorite parts is Rattlesnake River, which circles the park with a 2.5 mile per hour current that gently nudges tubes along.
Marina
Families can enjoy the lake from the Lake Fairfax Park marina on either a tour boat ride or a paddleboat rental. The lake is small—only 20 acres and even smaller with low water levels but it’s a fun way to spend a little time.
Lake Fairfax is also popular for shoreline fishing and it’s stocked with rainbow trout between February and April every year. Spring is the best time to fish at Lake Fairfax, but it’s a nice way to relax during summer too.
There are various picnic sites at Lake Fairfax Park
Picknicking
Weekends bring lots of groups and families to Lake Fairfax Park’s picnic areas. When the weekend weather is good, groups send an early arrival to stake out a collection of picnic tables under the trees. Grills are available for cookouts, and you’ll see hammocks slung in the trees, and kids playing in the stream.
Maryam N. is a Senior Writer at Nesbitt Realty. She is an expert on Fairfax County. Maryam has also worked previously as a geologist. She is a foodie and enjoys cooking and exploring new restaurants.
