Scott's Run Nature Preserve
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
374 acres7.1 mi of trail
Potomac Heritage TrailOak TrailStubblefield Falls Overlook TrailTrillium Hollow Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Beltway Photos · CC BY 2.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in McLean
McLean has 43 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
15% of McLean’s land is conserved, about 2,351 acres. 96% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Scott's Run Nature Preserve (7.1 mi), Turkey Run Park (3.1 mi), Difficult Run Stream Valley Park (2.1 mi).
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #19 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
2,351 acres · of 24.8 sq mi of land
Trails
43 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,277 ac
26 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
96%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
14 mi
4.2 mi lanes · 7.9 mi paths
Highest peak
472 ft
Mount Daniel
Lakes & rivers
3
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is McLean?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does McLean have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, McLean is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #19 of 253 in Virginia. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of McLean’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (43 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land26 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,277 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home96% of residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 93%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Scott's Run Nature Preserve, with 7.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Turkey Run Park
Nature preserve
269 acres3.1 mi of trail
Potomac Heritage TrailTurkey Run LoopDead Run TrailTurkey Run Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Difficult Run Stream Valley Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
99 acres2.1 mi of trail
Cross County Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Difficult Run Parking Lot
Timberly Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
29 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Langley Oaks Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
104 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Haycock-Longfellow Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
29 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Kent Gardens Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
27 acres1 mi of trail
Pimmit Run Trail (Upstream)Kent Gardens
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Kent Gardens Park
Pimmit Bend Park
Park
37 acres0.9 mi of trail
Pimmit Run Trail (Upstream)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 42 parks & preserves
Scott's Run Nature Preserve374 acres · 7.1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsTurkey Run Park269 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDifficult Run Stream Valley Park99 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsTimberly Park29 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Langley Oaks Park104 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Haycock-Longfellow Park29 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsKent Gardens Park27 acres · 1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsPimmit Bend Park37 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMarie Butler Leven Preserve19 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPimmit Run Stream Valley Park63 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Spring Hill District Park47 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsKent Gardens Greenway Stream Valley Park22 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsLittle Pimmit Run Stream Valley Park20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Old Dominion School Site17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Langley Fork Park56 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsMcLean Hunt Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
McLean Hamlet Park18 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsPotomac Hills Park13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsChurchill Road Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsMcLean Central Park27 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsLittle Pimmit Run6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Lewinsville Park38 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsSaucy Branch Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsPowhatan Hills Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBryn Mawr Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsChesterbrook Field3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLinway Terrace Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsKirby Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Salona Park79 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Great Falls Park47 acres · National Park Service
Bull Neck Stream Valley Park14 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Greenway Heights Park12 acres
Dead Run Stream Valley Park10 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsClemyjontri Park9 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsTollbrook Ridge Park5 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Claude Moore Colonial Farm4 acres
DirectionsDolley Madison Estates Park4 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsFalstaff Park4 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
McLean Knolls Park3 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Pathfinder Park2 acres
Franklin Woods Park2 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Cooper Intermediate School Site1 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsWho protects it
2,351 conserved acres
15% of McLean’s land. Who manages McLean’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service1,987 ac
County1,507 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits283 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land56 ac
Private owners25 ac
Joint13 ac
Regional agency12 ac
Local Park · 2,656 acNational Park · 999 acSpecial Designation Area · 897 acOther Easement · 163 acRecreation or Education Easement · 148 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 98 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington Memorial Parkway Special Designation Area | National Park Service | 1,895 | Restricted |
| Scotts Run Nature Preserve Local Park | Not recorded | 1,086 | Open |
| Langley Oaks City Park Local Park | County | 202 | Open |
| Difficult Run Stream Valley Park Local Park | Not recorded | 199 | Open |
| Pimmit Run Stream Valley Park Local Park | Not recorded | 171 | Open |
| Greenway Heights City Park Local Park | County | 106 | Open |
| Spring Hill City Park Local Park | Not recorded | 93 | Open |
| Salona Park Local Park | Not recorded | 82 | Open |
| Lewinsville City Park Local Park | Not recorded | 74 | Open |
| Kent Gardens City Park Local Park | County | 55 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
39 places to go in McLean
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in McLean
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in McLean
High Point Pool
DirectionsKent Gardens Baby Pool
DirectionsKent Gardens Recreation Club
DirectionsLangley Swim and Tennis
DirectionsPlaygrounds in McLean
Holy Tranfiguration Playground
DirectionsPlus 26 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Waterfalls in McLean
Scott's Run FallsIn Scott's Run Nature Preserve
DirectionsScenic views in McLean
Scott's Run FallsIn Scott's Run Nature Preserve
DirectionsStubblefield Falls OverlookIn Scott's Run Nature Preserve
DirectionsPeaks in McLean
Mount Daniel472 ft elevation
DirectionsProspect Hill344 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in McLean
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.2 miUnpaved · 33.4 mi
Potomac Heritage Trail7.7 mi
Pimmit Run Trail (Upstream)3.1 mi
Cross County Trail2.1 mi
Pimmit Run Trail2.0 mi
Langley Fork Trail1.0 mi
Oak Trail0.9 mi
Stubblefield Falls Overlook Trail0.8 mi
Trillium Hollow Trail0.7 mi
Spring Hill & McLean Hunt Park Trail0.5 mi
Laurel Ridge Trail0.5 mi
15 more trails
Parking Lot Connector Trail
0.5 miTurkey Run Loop
0.4 miPimmit Run Trail (Downstream)
0.4 miBurling Cabin Trail
0.4 miConnector 6
0.4 miTrack
0.3 miConnector 5
0.3 miN. River Street Pimmit Run Trail Connnector
0.3 miRough Trail
0.2 miTurkey Run Trail
0.2 miDead Run Trail
0.2 miConnector 3
0.2 miLittle Pimmit Trail Extension
0.2 miPimmit Run Trail Extension
0.2 miConnector 2
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
14 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
4.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
7.9 mi
off-road bike paths
2.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Pimmit Run TrailBike route
5.4 miFairfax Cross County TrailBike route
2.1 miCourts & fields
104Tennis
26Soccer
26Baseball
25Basketball
8Pickleball
2Football
1Field hockey
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →8 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
SalonaBuilding · listed 1973
About itLangley Fork Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itNorthwest No. 3 Boundary Marker of the Original District of ColumbiaObject · listed 1991
About itSpring Hill FarmBuilding · listed 2002
About itGeorgetown PikeStructure · listed 2012
About itBois DoréBuilding · listed 2020
About itDrover’s RestBuilding · listed 2023
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in McLean: April and August
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) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 43 | 46 | 55 | 66 | 74 | 83 | 87 | 85 | 79 | 68 | 56 | 47 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.6 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in McLean →
Next door
McLean and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Potomac53 miGreat Falls47 miMcLean43 miWolf Trap25 miBrookmont7.1 miCabin John4.8 miTysons2.9 miPimmit Hills1.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean | 15% | 1.7 | 26 | 96% | A |
| Great Falls | 14% | 1.8 | 88 | 58% | A |
| Wolf Trap | 17% | 2.6 | 61 | 89% | A+ |
| Pimmit Hills | 7% | 1.3 | 10 | 99%+ | A |
| Tysons | 4% | 0.7 | 4 | 99%+ | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in McLean
Where can I hike in McLean?
The longest trail networks: Scott's Run Nature Preserve, 7.1 miles; Turkey Run Park, 3.1 miles; Difficult Run Stream Valley Park, 2.1 miles; Timberly Park, 1.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of McLean is conserved land?
15% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on McLean’s trails?
Scott's Run Nature Preserve and Turkey Run Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in McLean?
14 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.2 of painted or protected lanes, 7.9 of off-road paths and 2.0 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Pimmit Run Trail and Fairfax Cross County Trail.
Is there public land near McLean?
29,995 acres of parks and open public land lie inside McLean or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,277 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does McLean have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #19 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from McLean 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 →