Burke Lake Park

Let's go for a hike at Burke Lake Park!

❶ What we’ll do:

• From the marina parking lot, we'll walk clockwise once around the lake.
• The walk is 4.7 miles with 144 feet of elevation gain and should take a little under 2 hours at a moderate pace. The surface is pretty flat and mostly dirt, with paved bits here and there. This is an easy hike.
• Google map: http://tinyurl.com/khy8uwj

❷ How to get there: From I-495, take the Braddock Road West exit and travel about 2 miles. Turn left onto Burke Lake Road (at Kings Park Shopping Center). Follow Burke Lake Road for 5 miles. Turn left onto Ox Road (Route 123 South). The golf course entrance is the first left off Ox Road (Route 123). The park entrance is the second left off Ox Road (Route 123). Once you enter the park and pass through the gate, go straight and follow the signs to the marina. The road will dead-end into a large parking lot. We'll meet at the trailhead near the entrance of this parking lot.

❸ What to bring: Water, comfy shoes, and your furry friend if desired (leashes please). Shades, sunscreen, and the layered look are recommended.

❹ Weather: The forecast is sunny and a high of 44F, with 7 mph NW winds. No rain in the forecast. Updates: https://tinyurl.com/tcddbm54

❺ Advisory: As a reminder, this is an adult group, and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety and well-being during events. No one under 18 years of age is allowed at this event, either as members or as guests, to include babies in carriers and/or strollers.

❻ Cost: No fee any time for Fairfax County residents! The $12 per vehicle park entrance fee for nonresidents ended in October, so nonresidents should be free also.

❼ Administrative stuff: There are public restrooms at the marina near the meetup point, and at Picnic Area A&B, just to the south. These may be locked for the winter, though, so for a more civilized venue, you may want to make a pit stop en route to the hike. South Run Recreation Center is nearby, and a few likely nearby commercial established are listed below.

❽ Notes:

• Burke Lake Park, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039, 703-323-6600. http://tinyurl.com/lrlg9fn
• Burke Lake Park Entrance Fees: https://tinyurl.com/5n8vuhpy
• Trail map (pdf): https://tinyurl.com/ahhyjpfw
• South Run Recreation Center, 7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield, VA 22153
• McDonald's, 5651 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015
• McDonald's, 9528 Old Keene Mill Rd, Burke, VA 22015
• Starbucks, 7475 Huntsman Blvd, Springfield, VA 22153