Hemlock Overlook Regional Park
Hemlock Overlook Regional Park things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Description
outdoor
adventure
family friendly
Hemlock Overlook Regional Park is a multi-use park near Clifton, Virginia, one of several parks lining the Bull Run. The 400-acre park offers dense forests, hilly woodlands, and floodplain scenery. Hemlock Overlook is named after the grove of hemlock trees above the banks in the northern section of the park.
attractions: Paradise Springs Winery, restaurants:
Ratings
Description
Hemlock Overlook Regional Park is a multi-use park near Clifton, Virginia, one of several parks lining the Bull Run. The 400-acre park offers dense forests, hilly woodlands, and floodplain scenery. Hemlock Overlook is named after the grove of hemlock trees above the banks in the northern section of the park.
Posts
What a beautiful treat! This readily accessible park has a network of fairly well maintained hiking trails to enjoy. Ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate, they allow users to spend just 15 minutes in nature or several hours, depending on what combination of trail legs you take. What I noticed was how quickly my husband and I were transported to a feeling of being surrounded by forest. A variety of foliage and trees fill the park, with lots of oak and beech. The beech, with their white bark, were particularly beautiful, providing a contrast in texture and color to the more typical woods found in much of northern Virginia. One improvement the park could use is better trail signage. The free version of the AllTrails app (Android, for us) helped quite a bit, as we could follow along with the GPS-guided map as we progressed through the park. (Tip! Take screenshots of the trail network on the app before you enter the park, as you'll lose the signal at various places. Otherwise, you have to have the paid version of the app to download the full trail map in advance. Sneaky, hee hee.) We wanted to reach the stream, the lazily flowing Bull Run, and the app really helped us decide which way to turn at the trail intersections. There are some pretty dated trail maps on signboards at the entrance to the park, but once you're in the park, it would be hard to tell exactly where you were. Not impossible! Just more challenging. There are no paper maps at the entrance and there's really minimal signage along the trails. So definitely room for improvement there. Parks always suffer from budget constraints, so it's easy to understand why the regional authority can't cover it all. Parking was available in two different lots, rather close together at the entrance. But you can join the trail network at two different places from those lots, so choose the one that suits you best. Or the one with available spots! We had no problem parking when we arrived on a gorgeous summer weekend soon after lunch. But when we returned a couple of hours later in the afternoon, the lots were pretty packed. By the way, both lots are right next to a local winery with picnic tables, in case you want to have a Walk & Wine experience. Choose which one to do first wisely!
Karen MortensenKaren Mortensen
50
⚠️ The first mile or so (maybe less) of the hike was not very impressive - open field with power lines. BUT it gets better! This was a nice easy hike. We started out on the Hemlock Overlook Trail at the "Hemlock Overlook Regional Park" sign located by the power lines and somehow connected to the Bull Run Occoquan Trail. Finally, we looped back to the NOVA Parks (Hemlock Overlook) parking lot. 🅿️: Overflow parking was $8 at the Hemlock Overlook parking area over the weekend. Otherwise, it was free. 🏞 Views: Great water views and you can get down to the banks. 🚸Kid friendly [this review is for ages 7+]: Small sections of the trail were rocky. ⏰1 hour hike. Note: This included time spent skipping rocks and enjoying the river. The rocks are great for skipping across the water!
Tim Royster_The Royster Hearth GroupTim Royster_The Royster Hearth Group
100
Great little park with access to the Bull Run Occaquan trail as well as some of their own. The location right next to Paradise Springs means you can spend a couple hours hiking and reward yourselves with some local and pretty tasty wine. The park also offers an adventure center which i visited when i was a kid (i’m in my 20s now so it was awhile ago) that i recall was very fun and i’m sure still is. There is not a ton of parking and the winery has tons of signs that they tow cars parked in their lots who aren’t at the winery so keep that in mind. we went on a snowy day so it was no issue and we really enjoyed ourselves!
Ava GebelAva Gebel
30
Hemlock, which is a stretch of Bullrun Creek, has wonderful hiking trails. Your hike will be filled with the fresh air from the natural environment around you. Bring a light picnic basket and your main squeeze and choose a rock to spend the day away. Trails vary from a few miles round trip to 7. Exploration will make that longer. Make sure to bring good shoes or a stubbed toe might be your take away. There is a gradient so be prepared for an uphill hike to the parking lot. Fishing can be awesome. Work hard and you should catch a 5 pound class largemouth or smallie.
jee leejee lee
30
Get your hiking boots strapped on tight or grab your mountain bike for those who are moderately skilled and prepare for the high and low! This is one of the more pleasant park trails in the Virgina Metro area. An excellent location for a hiking when you don't have time to hit up Old Rag. Interested hikers of all ages can enjoy. Mountain bikers, be certain you know how to ride and are in full control; be aware of the safety of you and the others around you. Always yield to the hikers on foot.
Jason ShrizznoJason Shrizzno
00
It's a beautiful place to hike! The elevation gain can be a bit much, so be mindful of that. Make sure to bring enough water! As for the trail, its nicely marked, and very easily distinguished from the forest. There are places to stick your toes in the river, and have a little rest. It's a very easy, and quick hike. Possibly a nice way to start your day! There is plenty of parking at the start of the trail as well. Get outside, and enjoy yourself!
Shannon MathieuShannon Mathieu
30
Nearby Attractions Of Hemlock Overlook Regional Park
Paradise Springs Winery

Paradise Springs Winery
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