Little Girl Fishing at Little Seneca Lake

With a surface area of 505 acres, Little Seneca Lake is anything but little. Built as an important strategic reservoir for drought management in the Potomac watershed, the lake also provides a variety of excellent recreational opportunities. Located just north of Germantown, Md., the lake boasts several boat ramps, plenty of fishing holes, calm sailing waters, a nature center, and so much more.

Activities on the lake center around Black Hill Regional Park. This nature center offers a variety of events for all ages but has a special focus on children’s programs. Art, yoga, campfires and scavenger hunts, all geared towards the littlest family members. Monarch Fiesta Day, held every September, celebrates the exalted butterflies migration to Mexico.

Rent a kayak or take a ride on their pontoon boat Kingfisher to explore the many nooks and crannies of the lake. Fishing kayaks, SUP boards and sail boats are a common weekend sight. A water trail map offers an ecological and historical take on the area.

This bucolic jewel in northern Montgomery County, Md. maintains many miles of paved and natural surface hiking trails. A trail connector project is in the works on the western side of the lake that will soon add 6 miles of scenic hiking opportunities.

Little Seneca Lake is close to the busy cities of the Washington metropolitan area but it feels a world away. Why not take a break and check out all that it has to offer this weekend?