Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve
Managed by Northern Neck Audubon Society
240 acres4.3 mi of trail
White Loop TrailRed Overlook TrailTom Teeples TrailBlue Ridge Trail+1
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Lancaster
Few parks or trails are on the map in Lancaster
The biggest trail networks: Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve (4.3 mi). 18% of Lancaster’s land is conserved, about 250 acres. 240 acres are parks and preserves, 12,012 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
18%
250 acres · of 2.2 sq mi of land
Trails
5.9 mi
2.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
240 ac
12,012 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve, with 4.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
250 conserved acres
18% of Lancaster’s land. Who manages Lancaster’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other or Unknown Local Government241 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits241 ac
Other state land15 ac
State conservation7 ac
Not recorded241 ac
Conservation Easement · 249 acState Conservation Area · 241 acPrivate Conservation · 241 acHistoric or Cultural Easement · 8 acOther Easement · 7 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 9 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 6 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 482 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Lancaster
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Lancaster
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
10 named trails and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 4.0 mi
White Loop Trail1.7 mi
Red Overlook Trail0.7 mi
Tom Teeples Trail0.5 mi
Blue Ridge Trail0.4 mi
Great Mill Swamp Trail0.3 mi
Henry Bashore Educational Trail0.3 mi
Ann Messick Trail0.2 mi
High School Stadium Trail0.2 mi
Purple Trail0.1 mi
High School Field Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
1Baseball
1Soccer
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Lancaster Court House Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Lancaster: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.8 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 47 | 50 | 58 | 69 | 76 | 84 | 88 | 87 | 80 | 71 | 60 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 4.9 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Lancaster →
Questions about parks and trails in Lancaster
Where can I hike in Lancaster?
The longest trail networks: Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve, 4.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Lancaster’s trails?
Hickory Hollow State Natural Area Preserve doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lancaster?
2,260 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lancaster or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 240 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lancaster neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →