Author Archives: Fairfax County Park Authority

About Fairfax County Park Authority

About Fairfax County Park Authority HISTORY: On December 6, 1950, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors created the Fairfax County Park Authority. The Park Authority was authorized to make decisions concerning land acquisition, park development and operations in Fairfax County, Virginia. To date, 13 park bond referenda have been approved between 1959 and 2016. Today, the Park Authority has 427 parks on more than 23,000 acres of land. We offer 325 miles of trails, our most popular amenity. FACILITIES: The Park system is the primary public mechanism in Fairfax County for the preservation of environmentally sensitive land and resources, areas of historic significance and the provision of recreational facilities and services including: • Nine indoor Rec Centers with swimming pools, fitness rooms, gyms and class spaces. Cub Run features an indoor water park and on-site naturalist • Eight golf courses from par-3 to championship level, four driving ranges including the new state-of-the-art heated, covered range at Burke Lake Golf Center • Five nature and visitor centers. Also nine Off-Leash Dog Activity areas • Three lakefront parks including Lake Fairfax, Lake Accotink and Burke Lake, with campgrounds at Burke Lake and Lake Fairfax. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax, Our Special Harbor Sprayground at Franconia as well as an indoor water park at Cub Run Rec Center • Clemyjontri Park, a fully accessible playground in Great Falls featuring two acres of family friendly fun and a carousel, as well as Chessie’s Big Backyard and a carousel at the Family Recreation Area at Franconia Park • An ice skating rink at Mount Vernon Rec Center and the Skate Park in Wakefield Park adjacent to Audrey Moore Rec Center • Kidwell Farm, a working farm of the 1930s-era at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, now with historic carousel • Eight distinctive historic properties available for rent • A working grist mill at Colvin Run in Great Falls and a restored 18th century home at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly • A horticulture center at Green Spring Gardens in Annandale • Natural and cultural resources protected by the Natural Resource Management Plan and Cultural Resource Plans, plus an Invasive Management Area program that targets alien plants and utilizes volunteers in restoring native vegetation throughout our community • Picnic shelters, tennis courts, miniature golf courses, disc golf courses, off-leash dog parks, amphitheaters, a marina, kayaking/canoeing center • Provides 263 athletic fields, including 39 synthetic turf fields, and manages athletic field maintenance services at 417 school athletic fields. PARK AUTHORITY BOARD: A 12-member citizen board, appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sets policies and priorities for the Fairfax County Park Authority. Visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/social-hub/ for Fairfax County Government's Comment Policy.

‘Rolling Wonder’ — The Fairfax County Park Authority Takes Nature on the Road 

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Step into the world of environmental exploration with the Wonder Wagon, the Fairfax County Park Authority’s innovative new mobile nature center. The initiative, shaped by a significant amount of community input, is designed to bring nature programs and engaging experiences to communities throughout Fairfax County and particularly those where accessing the Park Authority’s five brick-and-mortar nature centers may be challenging.

“Everyone in Fairfax County, no matter where they live, should have the ability to access the outstanding nature programs offered by the Fairfax County Park Authority. These programs are much more than just being able to identify a particular bird, bug or bud. They teach us about our connection to the wider world and how we, through the small and simple choices we make each day, truly have the power to help promote the kind of healthy, beautiful environment we all wish to live in.” 

Jai Cole, Executive Director, Fairfax County Park Authority

The Wonder Wagon is not just a van; it’s an experience. The Wonder Wagon team brings free nature and stewardship education to residents of all ages through engaging guided activities. Our trained naturalists help spot, identify and teach about plants and wildlife within the community – even in urban environments. Activities and demonstrations also help residents understand their connection to their local environment and how simple, everyday actions can help enhance water quality, care for land, plants and animals, and increase the enjoyment we can all experience living in a healthy environment. 

The unveiling of the Wonder Wagon at the 2024 Earth Day Festival officially kicks off an amazing new program with the goal of participating in 150 programs this year and serve more than 3,500 community members. The Wonder Wagon is available for public events, outreach and public-school activities. For more information about the Wonder Wagon or to request a visit, go to www.fairfaxcounnty.gov/parks/wonder-wagon.  

The Wonder Wagon was made possible thanks to the significant support of local community members and nature enthusiasts and the financial support provided from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and dozens of generous contributions including Pohanka Automotive; the Scott A. & Phyllis P. Crabtree Family Foundation Inc.; National Park Service / Chesapeake Gateways; and The Environment Fund of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia; through the Fairfax County Park Foundation.