Lake Fairfax Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
481 acres14.2 mi of trail
Rails to RiverFerlin's FollyRails to River TrailMain North+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lake Anne Village Center Historic District · Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Reston
13% of Reston’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 45 miles of mapped trail cross Reston, 2.9 per square mile of land. 13% of Reston’s land is conserved, about 1,254 acres.
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #16 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
13%
1,254 acres · of 15.3 sq mi of land
Trails
45 mi
2.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,361 ac
21 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
54 mi
16 mi lanes · 34 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
9
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Reston?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Reston have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Reston is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #16 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 Reston’s overall grade.
Conserved land13% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (45 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land21 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,361 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 94%
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 Lake Fairfax Park, with 14.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Fred Crabtree Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
200 acres5.9 mi of trail
Fred Crabtree Park Connector Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
Managed by Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
42 acres2.6 mi of trail
W&OD Bridle Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto W&OD Trail ParkingWebsite ↗
Vernon J. Walker Nature Center
Nature preserve
22 acres0.4 mi of trail
Nature Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sunrise Valley Park
Park
15 acres0.4 mi of trail
Sunrise Valley Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Baron Cameron Park
Managed by Fairfax County Park Authority
59 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 33 parks & preserves
Lake Fairfax Park481 acres · 14.2 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsFred Crabtree Park200 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsWashington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park42 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
DirectionsVernon J. Walker Nature Center22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSunrise Valley Park15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBaron Cameron Park59 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
Brown's Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGlade Recreation Area56 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Lakes Drive Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsHook Road Rec Area6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Golf Course Island Rec Area5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Barton Hill Rec Area3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsReston Town Square Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAutumnwood Park39 acres · Reston Association
DirectionsStratton Woods Park30 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsHunter Woods Park14 acres
Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park13 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Reston North Park9 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsRunning Cedar Park8 acres · Reston Association
Reston Town Green Park5 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
DirectionsSoapstone South Recreation Area5 acres · Reston Association
Little Difficult Run Stream Valley Park4 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Bordeaux Area4 acres
DirectionsStuart Road Park3 acres · Fairfax County Park Authority
Shadowood Recreation Area3 acres
Southgate Community Center3 acres · Reston Association
DirectionsLake Anne Park2 acres
DirectionsOld Trail Tot Lot2 acres · Reston Association
Old Westbury Rec Area1 acres
Cabots Point Rec Area1 acres
Presidents Park1 acres
DirectionsHyatt Park1 acres
DirectionsHunters Woods Community Park1 acres · Reston Association
Who protects it
1,254 conserved acres
13% of Reston’s land. Who manages Reston’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County845 ac
Private owners413 ac
Not recorded308 ac
Local Park · 1,242 acLocal Recreation Area · 286 acLocal Other or Unknown · 38 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Fairfax Park Local Park | County | 475 | Open |
| Fred Crabtree Local Park | County | 372 | Open |
| Washington and Old Dominion Trail Local Park | County | 87 | Open |
| Stratton Woods Local Park | Not recorded | 60 | Open |
| Baron Cameron Park Local Park | County | 59 | Open |
| North Hills Park Local Park | Private owners | 52 | Open |
| Walker Nature Education Center Local Other or Unknown | Private owners | 38 | Open |
| Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park Local Park | Not recorded | 34 | Open |
| South Lakes Drive Local Park | Not recorded | 28 | Open |
| Autumnwood Park Local Park | Private owners | 23 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
173 places to go in Reston
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Reston
Dogwood Pool
DirectionsGlade PoolIn Glade Recreation Area
DirectionsHunter Woods PoolIn Hunter Woods Park
DirectionsLake Audubon Pool
DirectionsLake Newport Pool
DirectionsLake Thoreau Pool
DirectionsNorth Shore Swimming Pool
DirectionsRidge Heights Pool
Directions1 more public pool
Ridge Heights Pool
DirectionsPlus 5 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Reston
Armstrong elementary playground blacktop
DirectionsChatham Colony Ct. Park
DirectionsInlet Cluster Playground
DirectionsOlde Crafts Playground
DirectionsThe Home Depot PlaygroundIn Reston North Park
Directions128 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Reston
Baron Cameron Dog ParkIn Baron Cameron Park
DirectionsCanis Major Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Reston
Lake Anne Access Area
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Reston
1963 tower
Directions1964 tower
DirectionsPicnic areas in Reston
Picnic area AIn Lake Fairfax Park
DirectionsPicnic area BIn Lake Fairfax Park
DirectionsPicnic area CIn Lake Fairfax Park
DirectionsPicnic area DIn Lake Fairfax Park
DirectionsPony Barn
DirectionsPlus 9 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Reston
Group camping area G-1Hours: Mar 1-Nov 30 · Fee · In Lake Fairfax Park · Fairfax County Parks Authority
DirectionsLake Fairfax Family CampgroundFee · In Lake Fairfax Park · Fairfax County Parks Authority
DirectionsLake Fairfax Large Group CampgroundHours: Mar 1-Nov 30 · Fee · In Lake Fairfax Park · Fairfax County Parks Authority
DirectionsLake Fairfax Park Large Group CampgroundHours: Mar 1-Nov 30 · Fee · In Lake Fairfax Park · Fairfax County Parks Authority
DirectionsLake Fairfax Small Group CampgroundFee · In Lake Fairfax Park · Fairfax County Parks Authority
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Reston
The Farm at Halley Rise
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 26.5 miHorses · 4.4 miUnpaved · 34.7 mi
W&OD Bridle Trail3.4 mi
Rails to River1.5 mi
Ferlin's Folly1.4 mi
Nature Trail1.2 mi
Rails to River Trail1.0 mi
Cross County Trail1.0 mi
Apache0.7 mi
Main North0.7 mi
South Side Trail0.7 mi
Chestnut Charlie0.6 mi
15 more trails
White Rabbit
0.6 miFlowJoe
0.5 miRock Garden Walk
0.5 miHunter Mill Bypass
0.4 miLake Fairfax-Trail
0.4 miJawbreaker
0.4 miSunrise Valley Trail
0.4 miWalking Path
0.4 miMarc Genberg Trail
0.4 miCliffhanger
0.3 miUpper Decker
0.3 miHillside
0.3 miPumptrack Connector
0.3 miTwo-Way Return Loop
0.3 miBucksnort
0.2 miBiking & sports
54 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
34 mi
off-road bike paths
3.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Fairfax Cross County TrailBike route
1.2 miCourts & fields
95Golf
65Tennis
49Basketball
37Soccer
31Baseball
9Pickleball
4Beach volleyball
4Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places 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.
When to get out
The best walking months in Reston: 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) | 42 | 46 | 55 | 66 | 74 | 82 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 67 | 56 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 4.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Reston →
Next door
Reston and its neighbors
Reston has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Reston45 miWolf Trap25 miDifficult Run22 miHerndon5.0 miDranesville1.9 miFranklin Farm1.9 miMcNair1.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reston | 13% | 2.9 | 21 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Difficult Run | 11% | 2.6 | 64 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Dranesville | 12% | 0.5 | 25 | 99%+ | A |
| Wolf Trap | 17% | 2.6 | 61 | 89% | A+ |
| Herndon | 6% | 1.2 | 7 | 99%+ | A− |
| McNair | 4% | 0.7 | 3 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Franklin Farm | 2% | 0.4 | 6 | 99% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Reston
Where can I hike in Reston?
The longest trail networks: Lake Fairfax Park, 14.2 miles; Fred Crabtree Park, 5.9 miles; Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park, 2.6 miles; Vernon J. Walker Nature Center, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Reston is conserved land?
13% 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 Reston’s trails?
Lake Fairfax Park and Fred Crabtree Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Reston?
54 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of painted or protected lanes, 34 of off-road paths and 3.9 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Fairfax Cross County Trail.
Is there public land near Reston?
25,454 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Reston or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,361 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Reston have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #16 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 Reston 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 →