Woodbridge Parks Guide: Leesylvania State Park, Veterans Park and the Neabsco Boardwalk

Quick answer: Three of Woodbridge's most popular parks sit along the Potomac shoreline of Prince William County. Leesylvania State Park offers Potomac River boating, fishing and trails for a parking fee. Veterans Memorial Park has sports courts, a skate park and an outdoor pool. The Neabsco Creek Boardwalk is a marsh walk open daily from dawn until about an hour after dark.

If you're thinking about a move to Woodbridge, or you already live along the I-95 corridor between Fredericksburg and Alexandria, these three parks are worth knowing. Here's what each one offers, based on the official state and county pages, plus a few planning notes before you go.

Leesylvania State Park: boating, fishing and river trails

Leesylvania is a Virginia state park on the tidal Potomac River in the southeast part of Prince William County. The park covers 556 acres and is about 25 miles from both Washington, D.C., and Fredericksburg (Virginia DCR).

• Getting there: From I-95, take Exit 156 (Rippon Landing), go east on Dale Boulevard to Route 1, turn right, then turn left onto Neabsco Road (Route 610) and follow it east for about two miles (Virginia DCR).
• Hours: The park opens at 6:00 a.m. Closing time changes with the season, and you have 30 minutes to exit after the gates close (Virginia DCR).
• Parking fee: A parking fee is required at all times. If the contact station is closed, you pay at the self-pay station by cash, check or credit card (Virginia DCR).
• Boating: The boat launch has two ramps, sailboat hoists and parking for 186 cars or trailers. Motorboats are allowed with no horsepower restriction, and a cartop launch on Powells Creek serves canoes and kayaks (Virginia DCR).
• Fishing: The park has a 300-foot accessible fishing pier. A Virginia or Maryland freshwater fishing license is required (Virginia DCR).
• Trails: Five hiking trails run through the park, plus a segment of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (Virginia DCR).

Two notes from the park's page right now: the Potomac Heritage Trail segment is closed for maintenance, and the visitor center is closed for renovations with no reopening date set. Swimming isn't allowed anywhere in the park because of currents and drop-offs. Check the DCR park page before you go.

Veterans Memorial Park: courts, skate park and a pool

Veterans Memorial Park is a Prince William County park next to Marumsco Creek, Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge and Occoquan Bay National Water Reserve (Prince William County).

• Courts and fields: Grills, picnic tables, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, horseshoe pits, pavilion rentals and restrooms are spread through the park. It also hosts sports leagues (Prince William County).
• Pickleball: There are 4 dedicated pickleball courts plus two lined over a tennis court. Court time is first come, first served, dawn to dusk (Prince William County).
• Skate park: The Scott D. Eagles Skate Park is the county's largest, with a vert half-pipe, a 6,300-square-foot concrete course and a 60-foot kidney bowl (Prince William County).
• Pool: The 50-meter outdoor pool has two two-story slides, graduated entry with water features and a bathhouse with concessions (Prince William County).
• Community center: It's open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, and offers open gym, classes and rentable meeting rooms (Prince William County).

Neabsco Creek Boardwalk: a marsh walk on the Potomac

The Neabsco Creek Boardwalk crosses Neabsco Creek through tidal wetlands, where you may spot great blue herons, wood ducks and red-winged blackbirds. It's 10 feet wide and 3,300 feet long (about 0.625 miles), with a two-level observation deck, a single-level deck and three overlooks (Prince William County).

• Hours: Dawn until about one hour after dark, daily (Prince William County).
• Parking: The main lot for the north landing is on Blackburn Road across from Rippon Lodge Historic Site, with accessible parking, portable restrooms and a paved, level path to the boardwalk. South-landing parking is off Neabsco Road (Prince William County).
• The bigger park: The boardwalk is part of the 300-acre Neabsco Regional Park, which also includes Rippon Lodge, Rippon Landing and the Julie J. Metz Neabsco Creek Wetlands Preserve. A kayak launch for non-motorized boats sits by the boardwalk's main entrance (Prince William County).

The boardwalk is part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail and links toward Rippon Lodge and Leesylvania. The county plans to use that trail to connect parks and places such as Occoquan, Dumfries and Prince William Forest Park (Prince William County).

Planning your visit

• Pick by activity: Leesylvania for launching a boat or fishing the river, Veterans Memorial Park for courts and the pool, and the boardwalk for an easy walk or birding.
• Check before you go: Seasonal hours, closures and pool schedules change. The state and county pages linked above are the most current source.
• Nearby: DCR's Leesylvania page lists nearby attractions including Potomac Mills, Prince William Forest National Park and Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia DCR).
• Commuting: If you're also weighing a commute north, my Fredericksburg to D.C. commute guide compares VRE and the I-95 Express Lanes, and my Quantico commute guide covers routes to the base.

FAQ

Is there a fee to visit Leesylvania State Park?

Yes. Virginia DCR says a parking fee is required at all times, and you can pay at the self-pay station with cash, a check or a credit card when the contact station is closed (Virginia DCR).

Can you swim at Leesylvania State Park?

No. The park has no designated swimming areas, and DCR warns that swimming is hazardous because of swift currents, sudden drop-offs and unseen obstructions in the Potomac River (Virginia DCR).

How long is the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk?

It's 3,300 feet long, about 0.625 miles, and 10 feet wide. Along the way you'll find a two-level observation deck, a single-level deck and three overlooks (Prince William County).

What are the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk hours?

The county says the boardwalk is open daily from dawn until about one hour after dark. The main parking lot is on Blackburn Road across from Rippon Lodge (Prince William County).

Thinking about a move to Woodbridge?

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