Fairfax County has some nice parks, and Lake Accotink Park in Springfield, Va., is no exception. This 55-acre park has a dam with a nice lake, as well as excellent recreation facilities. Only the lake is missing at the moment and isn't scheduled to return until later this year.
With its dam in need of major repair, Lake Accotink has been reduced to a few scattered muddy puddles and a couple of meandering creeks. There is still a small pool of water near the park's beach and dock, but most of the lake is mud. Sadly, when the water level dropped, lots of trash in the lake became visible -- I hope there is an effort to clean up the trash before the dam is scheduled to be finished in mid-August.
As for other facilities at Lake Accotink Park, they are quite good for a county park. There is a well-maintained carousel, miniature golf, a fun playground and lots of picnic facilities (many of which are covered). There's also a wide and shady hiking/biking trail around the lake, which makes for some good exercise as you enjoy nature.
When the lake is full, you can rent canoes, rowboats and paddle boats at a concession office. The county also schedules fun activities at Lake Accotink Park, such as the popular "Cardboard Regatta" and Friday evening concerts in the summer. The small sandy beach is fun for small children... when there is water in the lake.
Despite the water being low, there are still some water fowl and interesting insects to be seen. This is one of the better parks in the Fairfax County system when the lake is more than a muddy pit. Even if the dam work is completed in a couple of weeks, it will take months for the lake to refill. Until then, Lake Accotink Park still has its charms but it sorely misses its lake.
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