If you are a parent, you are probably looking for ideas on how to spend quality time with your family. If that’s the case, have you ever considered having a family picnic at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park?
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park will blow you away. The park is found in Chantilly, Virginia. Chantilly is a western suburb of Washington, D.C., about 25 miles from the capital. Significant Civil War activities, including the Battle of Chantilly, took place here, making it one of the popular tourist destinations in the region.
About Ellanor C. Lawrence Park
The park is one of the major attractions in Chantilly. The park conserves the natural and cultural resources of Western Fairfax Country and boasts a rich history dating back to about eight millennia. It was initially home to Native Americans.
However, as Europeans set base in the region, the property changed hands between three families, which are:
- The Brown family
- The Machen family
- The Lawrence family.
The park is named after Ellanor C. Lawrence, who purchased the property from Machen’s descendants in 1935 for $16,500. The property was used mainly as a family homestead, country estate, and a tenant farm.
In 1971, it was converted to a nature park. Some of the facilities available in the park include soccer fields, softball fields, baseball fields, pond, portable restrooms, visitor center, and hiking trails. Ellanor C. Lawrence Park also offers a rentable picnic shelter where you can have some good time with your spouse and children.
Besides the picnic, there are several other activities you can enjoy with your family at the park. Click here to learn more about additional activities in Northern Virginia.
Walney Visitor Center
To refine your knowledge of the history of Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, consider visiting the Walney Visitor Center. At the center, you’ll be able to see some of the park’s landmark structures, including 19th-century barns and Walney, an iconic farmhouse over three centuries old.
On the park’s southeastern edge is Cabell’s Mill. An 18th-century structure, Cabell’s Mill is a treasured place for weddings.
Hiking at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park
If you are a hiking enthusiast, the park offers you about four miles (about 6km) of hiking trails. You can enjoy jogging, bird watching, and exploring the bottomland and upland forest. You can also go bike riding on Big Rocky Run and Walney Road trails.
You can access the trails from the Cabell’s Mill Complex, Walney Pond, and Walney Visitor Center. Be sure to pick trail maps at the visitor center. You don’t want to lose your way around the park.
The park has several streams, including Walney Creek and Round Lick Run, all of which drain into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. You can also find various native animals inside the park, including at least 33 species of animals, 133 documented bird species, and a variety of amphibians and reptiles.
Indeed, there is no better way to enjoy a sunny summer afternoon than a warm and exciting family picnic during your visit to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park.