This Way or Piscataway?

This week I discovered Piscataway Park in Accokeek, Md.

While I have heard folks talk about Accokeek in the past, I never realized how great it is. The park is about 15 miles south of Alexandria and sits on the Maryland side of the Potomac, almost directly across from the Mount Vernon Estate.

The girls and I attended Sprouts, a monthly event geared toward preschoolers that runs from March through mid-October. The program was fantastic, and included a nature walk and activities, crafts and songs. While my 1-year-old wasn’t the target audience, she wasn’t the only little one. The volunteers included her in everything and she had a blast. 

The park’s National Colonial Farm depicts a typical Maryland tobacco farm just before the American Revolution. We saw sheep, cows and chickens, learned about making wool and walked through a farmhouse.

I am looking forward to going back a bit more prepared. On site, there are six mostly flat trails offering opportunities to spot migrating birds and local wildlife.  Dogs and bikes are welcome.

There is a fishing pier and a kayak landing area. Fishing is free and open to the public from dawn until dusk. The park also has a Native Tree Arboretum, an “Ecosystem Farm” and multiple agricultural fields.  

The park’s stated goal is to be “an outdoor classroom for educational programs, research, agricultural, and conservation projects.”  The park hosts tons of events, many of which are free. 

This Saturday is a family campout with a bonfire, live music, speakers, a documentary screening, interactive farm tours and trail walks.  

On Oct. 29, visit at dusk for Twilight Tales: an evening of scary stories and—for older kids—a haunted farmhouse and lantern-led walking tour.