Turkey Run Park — Attraction in McLean

It's a little tricky getting into the park area. The park is off of the northwest bound George Washington Parkway just short of the entrance to I-495 N. So, you can only enter from the northern direction.

Once in the park, there are multiple parking areas. There are some group picnic areas as well.

The real deal here is to find the steep downhill trail to the Potomac River. At the bottom, a river trail runs to the right and left from the Turkey Run outflow. The trail is part of the longer Heritage Trail that hugs the river from Roosevelt Island to the American Legion Bridge (known to old timers as the Cabin John Bridge). The environment is a riparian trail so it's muddy after rain and snow. Watch for poison ivy and stinging nettle. It's a narrow path so please be prepared to yeild to other hikers.

Turkey Run is always a great place to go but my favorite season is early Spring when the ephemeral wild flowers emerge for their short season...until the trees leaf out. The Virginia Bluebells...

Came here with some friends for a hike after brunch. We had to work off that dim sum. I consider this an alternative to great fall, which gets incredibly busy when the weather is nice. Lots of little creeks to cross a hills to climb. There is a little water fall area that is great for just sitting and relaxing or a photo opp. I will say that there seems to be the need for trail maintenance. There is some definite erosion going on. Some of the trail markers were faded or were located on trees that had fallen. Some of the planks that had been laid down for crossing wet areas were flimsy. At one point i was sliding down a ditch crossing over a crevice to keep on the trail. I did not appreciate that. Only saw one or two other people while we were hiking. We actually came across a family that was a bit turned around at on the trail. They had to follow us back to the car park area. Be sure to wear shoes with grip or traction and pay attention to your map to make sure you are walking in the...

Excellent hiking that’s fairly easily accessible. There’s a few stream crossings to keep things interesting. There are usually a few paths across the water so you can choose your own adventure (and difficulty). Plenty of places to stop along the water for scenic photos and to climb on rocks. You can choose to hike however long you want - Theodore Roosevelt Island is 8 miles southeast and the American Legion Bridge is 2 miles northwest.

Parking is free but it didn’t seem like there was a ton of parking. That might be an issue on a warm weekends, so plan...