News

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Smallwood State Park

Smallwood State Park

August 27, 2021

An aerial view of the marina at Smallwood State Park.

Photo Credit: DestinationSouthernMaryland.com

Smallwood State Park in southern Maryland offers a variety of activities alongside a picturesque view of Mattawoman Creek, a tributary of the tidal Potomac River.

The area was the ancestral land of the Piscataway Conoy tribe. Eventually the land became a thriving tobacco plantation as part of a large tract of land known as the Mattawoman Plantation. The park is named after General William Smallwood, who was born and raised on the plantation in the 1700s. He was both a decorated soldier in the American Revolution and a popular politician in the Maryland assembly. Smallwood’s economic success was built on the backs of the 56 enslaved people who lived on the property during his time. Many worked as field hands, vegetable gardeners, blacksmiths, and carpenters.

The Smallwood Retreat House, built in 1760, was used as a respite from Smallwood’s aristocratic life as a politician and military-man. In 1792, Smallwood passed away without heirs. The house and land eventually fell into disrepair. In the 1930s a group of enthusiastic locals organized the restoration and put the gears in motion for the area to eventually become Smallwood State Park in 1957.

Tours of the restored Retreat House and the 19th century tobacco barn are available. A Colonial Christmas open house, showcasing historically accurate holiday decorations, is held each December.

At only 628-acres, the Smallwood State Park as an impressive variety of activities. Birding, especially for waterfowl, is a popular activity due to the wide variety of species to see and hear. However, you will want your binoculars in one hand and your fishing pole in the other. Anglers rave about the fish caught from the piers along Sweden Point Marina (please follow local licensing requirements). The park is the launch location of several fishing tournaments.

At only 2 miles of trails, the hiking opportunities in the park are short but beautiful. Want to go further? Jump onto a section of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail which runs alongside the park. This 710-mile trail follows the Potomac River while highlighting historical and cultural features along the way.

The Mattawoman Creek Art Center within the park features local as well as up-and-coming artists. The center provides several art shows throughout the year showcasing a variety of fine art pieces.

A campground offers 8 rustic cabins and 15 tent and RV-friendly campsites. There is a playground, picnic area and pavilions.

With quick and easy access to the Potomac River, the Sweden Point Marina is a popular place to launch boats.

If you can’t make it down to southern Maryland, you can still enjoy the view with the Smallwood State Park Osprey Cam. The birds are most active late-spring through early-summer, but the camera provides a nice view of the river all year long.

Looking for someplace new to visit in the Potomac basin? The weekly About the Basin feature highlighting destinations (on our Facebook, Twitter, and Potomac River Watch) are now available on the Wandering the Watershed map. Readers can now choose a destination from our compiled list of basin gems. Visit regularly as new postings will be added. Enjoy your tour through the Potomac basin! The new feature also can be accessed through the maps page on our website.

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve

Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve

August 20, 2021

The Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve is an outdoor living laboratory located only an hour drive from the D.C. Metro area. It is staffed with Natural Area Preserve managers who carefully oversee the 2,486 acres to preserve the impressive biodiversity and the unique forest and woodland communities found on the mountain.

A wide-angle view of a mountains during autumn.

Photo Credit: Virginia Outdoors Foundation

Since 2002, Bull Run has been owned and managed by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) which was established to promote the preservation of open-space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, scientific, open-space and recreational areas of the Commonwealth. They protect 850,000 acres across Virginia.

In an effort to balance public use with the preservation of the natural ecosystem, the northern section has restricted access, and the southern section is only open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The public can access the area by way of 7-miles of hiking trails, public programming, and volunteer opportunities. Grab a trail map to find the hikes that lead to picturesque views of the Blue Ridge mountains. A few simple rules apply during your visit: please stay on the designated trails, no dogs are allowed, and practice Leave No Trace principles. They also host school-aged children, university students, and researchers. There is an active stream restoration and monitoring program on site.

Cultural history is an important part of the VOF program. The area is part of the ancestral land of the Manahoac Indigenous people who practiced prescribed burning to create a wildlife habitat conducive for hunting. However, according to notes by the explorer John Smith, they did not burn the hills along Bull Run and throughout the Blue Ridge mountains. The VOF protects many regionally important cultural history sites on the land. Staff provide guided hikes with titles such as Black and African American History of the Preserve and a spooky Cemetery Night Hike. Volunteers are a vital part of the program, so if this sounds interesting, contact them to find out more.

Not too far from Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy works to protect the region through education, research, and stewardship. They provide engagement opportunities throughout the year at nearby areas like Leopold’s Preserve. The Halloween Safari is an annual event at Leopold’s Preserve, which is a not-as-spooky-as-it-sounds nighttime hike followed by a bonfire and live music.

Contact these organizations to learn more about the recreation, education, and volunteer opportunities in the area.

Entry Thumbnail

ICPRB 4th Quarter Business Meeting August 31, 2021

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) will hold its quarterly business meeting virtually on August 31, 2021.

The Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will feature an update on efforts to increase supplemental storage for the metropolitan area water supply.

The ICPRB meeting will begin at 9:45 a.m. Commissioners will get an update on the Land Prioritization Project, which assists planners in targeting land conservation efforts that can benefit drinking water source quality and ongoing enhancements to spill modeling to protect drinking water and water quality from contamination. The commissioners also will receive a report on ICPRB’s evolving Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy.

Members of the public who wish to view the proceedings should send a request through our Contact Us page no later than close-of-business on August 26. You will be sent a link to the meeting.

Entry Thumbnail

Potomac on Tour: Wandering the Watershed

Looking for adventure in the Potomac River basin? Over the years we have covered many cultural, historical, and recreational sites in our weekly About the Basin posts (through social media and our website). All the points of interest are now conveniently located on a StoryMap!

Take a moment to check out the website to wander the watershed and explore the many interesting places the basin has to offer. Future stories will be added as they are published.

Find the website here: https://arcg.is/191jiX0 

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: East Potomac Park

East Potomac Park

About the Basin, August 6, 2021

The history of the 400-acre East Potomac Park is a good reminder of what we can accomplish through ingenuity, creativity, and a little extra dirt.

The park is on the District side of the Potomac River just north of the confluence with Anacostia River. Prior to the late 1800s, this area was mostly underwater, with muddy flats only appearing during low tide. At the time the city was struggling with this stagnant, stinky, mosquito-infested, raw sewage-filled wasteland known as the Potomac Flats. The Army Corps of Engineers decided to dredge the river while using the dredged material to build an island and creating a shipping channel that would allow ships to reach downtown D.C. It was then that the engineering marvel of the Tidal Basin was developed to keep silt from building up in the channel.

Two people rowing a canoe in the Potomac River. A tree full of cherry blossoms is along the shore.Formalized as “Potomac Park” in 1897, from the beginning, the park was designated as a recreational area for the benefit of city residents. Many would escape the heat of the city to picnic, fish, or bike under the cool canopy of the trees along the river. It is still enjoyed by residents and is considered one of D.C.’s best kept secrets.

In 1917, soldier’s barracks were built and a portion of the land was turned into Victory Gardens by the Boy Scouts of America. Through the years there was a campground, a tea house, and horse stables.

In the 1960s, the park benefited from Lady Bird Johnson’s efforts to beautify the capital city. She planted many of the cherry trees along in the park that were gifted by the Japanese government. Additionally, she donated a charming floating fountain which was installed just off Hain’s Point at the southern end of the island. Unfortunately, the fountain was soon removed as it was deemed a public health hazard for spraying high levels of coliform onto the park.

Thankfully, spray from the river is no longer a public health threat. Many enjoy stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing in the river, especially during the magical couple weeks in spring when the cherry blossoms are popping with color.

Golf courses (both mini and regular-sized), a pool, tennis courts, athletic fields, playgrounds, and picnic facilities provide plenty of opportunities to get outside and get active on this island with a rich, but short, history.

Photo Credit: H. Herrman

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Lost River State Park

Lost River State Park

About the Basin, July 23, 2021

Lost River State Park is an excellent choice for a weekend away from the DC Metropolitan area. It is only a 2.5-hour drive to the eastern panhandle of West Virginia but the park seems a world away.

Rock building with a view of the mountains in the background.

Cranny Crow Overlook. Photo Credit: WV State Parks

The namesake for the Lost River State Park is not, in fact, lost. The 31.1-mile river temporarily dips underground near McCauley, W.V. then reappears as the Cacapon River. Around 81 miles later, the Cacapon joins the Potomac River.

Whether you want an easy, kid-friendly stroll along a stream (Howard Lick Trail) or a rigorous climb with a breathtaking summit (Big Ridge Trail), there is a hike for everyone at Lost River State Park. Horses, bikes, and hikers are welcome along the trails. The most popular destination is the Cranny Crow overlook which offers a view of the surrounding 6 counties and two states.

Many visitors enjoy swimming and wading in the river on a hot summer day before enjoying a barbecue at one of the many picnic pavilions.

Several campsites are available, including 6 Tentrr sites. Tentrr are pre-set sturdy canvas tents placed on wooden platforms located throughout the park.

Canvas tent on the side of a creek surrounded by trees.

Tentrr along the creek. Photo Credit: WV State Parks

A unique hike-in cabin option, the Primitive Outpost Cabin, is available on top of the Big Ridge Mountain. With no electricity or running water, this is the perfect place to decompress from modern comforts next to a roaring fireplace. For a more luxurious stay, check out their 26 other cabins. These come equipped with water, electricity, and even Wi-Fi.

The land was originally the home of the Massawomeck tribe which was part of the Iroquois Native Americans. The area is part of the Fairfax Grant, the massive area of land promised to the allies of the then exiled English King Charles II as a last-ditch effort to hold onto to the throne. By 1719, Thomas Lord Fairfax had inherited much of the land. In 1756, the Battle of Lost River occurred during the French and Indian War.

After the Revolutionary War, the Fairfax Land Grant property was granted to American patriots. The father of General Robert E. Lee, Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee acquired property and built a summer cabin which has since become a museum in Lost River State Park. It is open weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Entry Thumbnail

In Full Bloom: McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area

You might think field upon field of bright yellow sunflowers are found only in provincial Italy or France and other places known for romance and beauty. But there are 2,000 acres right in our backyard that will make you feel transported to a more magical time and place. Known as the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area (WMA), staff at this park plant acres of sunflowers to attract and feed pollinators and birds. For a couple weeks each year (around the end of July) the WMA is alight with seemingly endless summery flowers.

Flowers at McKee-Bashers Wildlife Management Area

Photo Credit: Instagram user @walkablefrederick

Just like birds, people flock to the area for family photos, nature photography, and just to enjoy the sites. Catch the flowers at full bloom over the next couple weeks. Meandering trails throughout the fields let you explore without damaging the flowers. However, look but don’t pick; plucking one of these beauties is prohibited at the WMA.

When the sunflowers aren’t the main attraction, there are plenty of trails to hike or bike in the area. Since they are connected to the C&O Canal trail system, the WMA trails makes for a nice side trip or starting point on the Canal. Hunting waterfowl, deer, wild turkey and other animals is allowed (within hunting regulations). There is even a specially managed dove field open to the public for hunting. Birding and wildlife photography are popular activities at the WMA due to the abundance of wildlife, including 200 species of songbirds found in the area. The more adventurous can take a boat across the Potomac to reach Maddux Island, which is part of the WMA.

A beautiful trail follows some of the perennial marshy flatlands where waterlilies and other aquatic plants abound. Parts of the WMA are managed as a greentree reservoir, a term used for bottomland hardwood forest that is flooded in the fall and winter. This attracts colorful migrating waterfowl, such as wood ducks.

The park, in western Montgomery County, Maryland, is conveniently located right off River Road. It is not difficult to find, just plug “McKee-Beshers Management Area” into your GPS and look for the parking lots full of cars and people in incongruously fancy dress for a hike. After all, this is a popular place to take family photos. There are several ways to access the fields, but most involve a short walk through the woods that is often muddy, so make sure to wear appropriate footwear. No bathroom facilities or benches are provided, so please plan accordingly.

Sunflowers blooming under a clear sky

Photo Credit: Instagram user @walkablefrederick

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Prince William Forest Park

Prince William Forest Park

July 16, 2021

Looking for a “a drop-dead beautiful place” (Tripadvisor review, Oct. 2019) that is also a quiet respite from the activity of the big city and was once training ground for spies? That’s pretty specific, but we found it for you. Prince William Forest Park (PWFP) is located only 35 miles south of Washington, D.C. along the I-95 corridor. At 15,000-acres, it is the largest park in the National Park Service’s Washington Capital Region and one with an eventful past.

Young black boys receiving an archery lesson.

Archery Lesson. Credit: National
Park Service Museum Collection

Recreation

The park has 37 miles of hiking trails, rustic cabins, an RV campground, and primitive hike-in campsites. The park covers much of the Quantico Creek watershed with several streams and ponds for fishing and exploring.

Are you up for a navigational challenge? Grab a map and a compass from the visitor’s center to try your hand at orienteering. This Scandinavian sport uses a map and compass to navigate to various checkpoints throughout the forest. The park has 30 orienteering courses for all navigational skill levels. You will have a chance to practice your spy skills, like park residents of the past.

Park’s Past

Like many parks in the National Park Service, PWFP has a storied past. Prior to the Great Depression there were several well-populated African American communities in the area including Hickory Ridge and Batestown. These towns had been well established for hundreds of years. The towns grew after the Civil War as many formally enslaved people moved in and called it home. Many of the residents worked in the local Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine until the mine closed in 1920.

When the federal government instituted the Resettlement Administration (RA) program in 1935 to provide land to struggling farmers, they bought or condemned much of the property and forced the community out of their homes. Many residents resisted. The federal government continued to acquire land as part of the Recreational Demonstration Area program which claimed to protect forestland, provide jobs, and create recreational opportunities for nearby city-dwellers. This stretch of Eastern Piedmont forest would soon become the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area. It was thought to be a shining example of what the RA program could do. In 1948 the park was renamed Prince William Forest Park.

War-time Efforts

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, area residents who had not left by the 1940s were forcibly removed to make way for a training camp for the Office of Strategic Services (now known as the CIA). The Quantico Marine Corps Base abuts the park to the south. The park’s relationship with the base was fraught, but fruitful, for both parties. The military used the camp cabins, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, to train spies and radio operators. There was even a “Little Tokyo” training facility. At one point, the park administrator convinced the military to build roads and other infrastructure in the park as part of their training operations. In honor of its war-time history, the park now holds a 3-day Spy Camp each summer.

A more detailed account of the park’s fascinating history can be found in Prince William Forest Park: An Administrative History.

A Visitor’s Center with maps and information is located at 18170 Park Entrance Road in Triangle, Virginia. The PWFP staff frequently update the COVID-19 operating status so please check online prior to heading out.

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Buchanan State Forest

Buchanan State Forest

Looking for history, hiking, adventures, and a beautiful view in one easy stop? The Buchanan State Forest in south central Pennsylvania is the place to be. The land straddles the northern edge of the Potomac River basin. One side of the mountain range drains to the Potomac while the other side drains to the Susquehanna.

History

Boy riding into an abandoned tunnel. Lush vegetation on both sides of the trail.

Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike – Pike 2 Bike Trail

The 69,703-acres of dense forest contains ample United States history. This includes the remnants of a road used to supply British troops during the French and Indian War, a saltpeter mill used during the American Revolution, cemeteries from the antebellum era, and a CCC camp that housed conscientious objectors and German prisoners of war during World War II. The hometown of our 15th president, James Buchanan, is nearby at the compact Buchanan Birthplace State Park where you’ll find a monument to the president as well as picnic areas and a fishing stream with native brook trout.

When the Pennsylvania Turnpike first opened in 1940, two of the tunnels were one-way. Seeing the error of their ways, authorities abandoned the tunnels in favor of a more expedient bypass. The abandoned section is now known as the Pike 2 Bike Trail, an 8-mile stretch of slightly-eerie, graffiti-ridden trail that includes the abandoned tunnels.

Adventure

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) provides several maps for recreation in the area, including ATV trails, snowmobiling trails, and cross-country ski trails. There is a wide variety of hiking trails to choose from depending on your interests and skill-level. The short and easy Sideling Hill History Trail leads to an almost 200-year old aqueduct. Most trails allow mountain biking and horseback riding. Hunting and fishing are permitted throughout the state forest (with the right license and within season). Native brook trout can be found in several streams and DCNR stocks some of the streams.

Primitive campsites are available for tents, hike-in or RVs. The sites are free but require a Camping Permit.

The many high mountain ridges provide a variety of scenic overlooks, including the aptly named Big Mountain Overlook. Most of the vistas are accessible by car which make it a popular place for leaf peepers searching for dramatic fall colors.

Feel like getting your hands dirty? Grab your gloves and clippers and join the Friends of Buchanan State Forest (find them on Facebook) for their monthly Trail Work Days.

Headed to the Buchanan State Forest for your weekend adventure? Tag us on social media and let us know what you think!


Sign up for our newsletter and like us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to learn more about the Potomac River basin.

Entry Thumbnail

About the Basin: Caledon State Park

This National Natural Landmark is 2,587-acres along the banks of the tidal Potomac River in King George, Virginia.

A gravelly beach along the Potomac River.

Caledon State Park by Virginia State Parks License CC BY 2.0

Visitors love the well-maintained trails with plenty of easy, moderate, and difficult levels to choose from. Park staff offer a variety of fun and informational events from full moon kayak tours to fossil finding adventures.

At one point in history sharks roamed the park. At least when the park was underwater during prehistoric times. In modern times people enjoy spending a day looking for the dental remains of the prehistoric sharks along the shore of the river.

The park boasts more than 200 species of birds, but bald eagles are the crown jewel of Caledon State Park birding. The area has the largest concentration of the national icon on the East Coast and as many as 60 eagles have been spotted in the park. The staff holds several eagle tours throughout the year. Check out their Events page to find an upcoming option.

The park offers 6 campsites that are available as hike-in, bike-in or paddle-in only. They are first come first serve. Call (800)933-7275 to reserve your spot since the online reservation system will not work for these spots. The camp sites are part of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, a series of water trails that trace the voyage of the English explorer. The sites are located roughly 3-miles from the parking lot, so be prepared to pack or bike in supplies, including drinking water. This is the tidal Potomac, the water is brackish and therefore too salty to drink.

A welcoming visitor’s center is open 10:00am – 4:00pm, Wednesday through Sunday. They provide historic information, maps, and advice on how best to enjoy the park. Please note that park staff request that unvaccinated visitors must wear face coverings inside all park facilities and where social distancing is not possible.

Caledon State Park is one place you need to look both up and down to enjoy everything the park has to offer. You may spot a bald eagle soaring above or spot a shark tooth along the shore, but either way, you will enjoy your day at the park.