Ok, Google: Which MoCo Park is the Best?
The weekend will find many of us soaking up some sun or walking around in one of Montgomery County’s many parks.
According to the Montgomery Parks website, Montgomery County has 424 parks across over 37,000 acres in their network.
These parks are quite diverse; some stretch across wide green spaces for hundreds of acres, while others are smaller pop-up styles in more urban areas, or bigger “destination” types for specific sports or activities. This diversity is part of what makes enjoying the outdoors so enjoyable for MoCo residents.
As you all know, we love lists here at The MoCo Show. In that spirit, let’s countdown the top 10 highest-rated and reviewed parks in Montgomery County, according to Google. You might be surprised with the results!
Disclaimer: this list is based on parks that are 1) a part of Montgomery Parks’ network of parks (no city-maintained parks), and 2) have 200+ reviews on Google. The rankings are based on a combination of total reviews and star rating. All images are courtesy of Montgomery Parks’ website.
10) Ridge Road Regional Park: 21155 Frederick Rd, Germantown, MD 20876
4.5 stars & 226 reviews
This park boasts multiple ball fields, an in-line hockey rink, and various shaded picnic areas on 56 acres of land. Reviewers lauded the park’s green space and its peaceful, quiet locale. There’s even an enclosed area for dogs to stretch out their legs when overcome by “the zoomies.”
9) Meadowbrook Local Park:7901 Meadowbrook Ln, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
4.5 stars & 238 reviews
Meadowbrook Local Park is located next to Rock Creek Park in Chevy Chase, but it has a lot of appeal on its own. It has five different softball fields, a rentable recreational building. Previously, the playground equipment was painted in a unique “candy cane” pattern.
8) Falls Road Local Park: 12600 Falls Road, Potomac, MD 20854
4.6 stars & 224 reviews
Reviewers loved the award-winning Hadley Playground onsite, and that makes this park a great attraction if you’re in the area. The parking area has been recently renovated, and the green-space filled park also boasts outdoor exercise equipment and a grass-infield baseball field.
7) Meadowside Nature Center: 5100 Meadowside Ln, Rockville, MD 20876
4.7 stars & 206 reviews
Unfortunately, Meadowside Nature Center’s main building area is closed due to COVID-19 — however, when we reach the new normal, you really should consider checking it out if you haven’t already. The Center offers some great natural education options (both indoor and outdoor) that allow MoCo residents to learn more about the natural world around them. There are still some wonderful hiking trails surrounding the area, in the meantime.
6) Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park: 15131 Anacostia Tributary Trail System, Silver Spring, MD 20901
4.6 stars & 315 reviews
Is it a creek or a stream? Both? Regardless, you will find some of the most beautiful hiking and biking trails here. Reviewers noted its picturesque locale and shady trails that lead to some of the best strolls you will find in MoCo. It also links to a few other local parks and has multiple entrances depending on where you want to hop in.
5) Cabin John Regional Park: 7400 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817
4.6 stars & 563 reviews
At this point, we start getting into the real heavyweights in terms of review traffic. Cabin John Regional Park is truly one of the main havens for sports-lovers in MoCo, boasting attractions like an ice rink, well-maintained sports fields, five miles of hiking and biking trails, and even a miniature train for riding (currently closed for COVID).
4) South Germantown Recreational Park: 18041 Central Park Circle, Boyds, Maryland 20841
4.6 stars & 594 reviews
The first of two Boyds-based entries on our list, South Germantown Recreational Park is absolutely one of MoCo’s most active parks in terms of foot traffic. There are so many options for both young and old at this park, including (but not limited to) mini-golf, a driving range, archery, the Maryland SoccerPlex & Montgomery TennisPlex, and even the King Barn Dairy Museum — a museum all about cows and dairy farms in the county!
3) Black Hill Regional Park: 20930 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, Maryland 20841
4.8 stars & 812 reviews
Black Hill boasts over 2,000 acres for various activities. Set on the beautiful Little Seneca Lake, visitors can enjoy the tranquility of canoeing or kayaking on a bright and sunny say; the park also has several picnic shelters and over five miles for wooded hiking and biking. Reviewers consistently point to Black Hills as one of the most beautiful locations in MoCo.
2) Rock Creek Regional Park: 6700 Needwood Rd, Derwood, MD 20855
4.7 stars & 1,433 reviews
“Wait, isn’t Rock Creek Park in D.C? That’s not MoCo!” Well, over 70% of Rock Creek itself is located in MoCo, so maybe it’s time for MoCo to be a little more assertive in its claim on Rock Creek, but that’s for another time. Rock Creek Regional Park, however, is definitely in MoCo, containing the lovely Lake Needwood and also consisting of several miles of trails that extend to the Washington, D.C. line.
1) Wheaton Regional Park: 2000 Shorefield Road, Wheaton, Maryland 20902
4.7 stars & 2,005 reviews
We all know the elephant in the room here: Brookside Gardens is not included on this list. What a lot of people may not know is that Brookside Gardens is housed on the grounds of Wheaton Regional Park, and it’s important not to sell the grounds short beyond Brookside Gardens. The grounds is 536 acres, after all. Visitors can traipse through 11 miles of trails, board a replica 1863 train for a tour of the grounds, lace up their skates at the Wheaton Ice Arena, or, yes, enjoy the beauty of the acclaimed Brookside Gardens.
What are some of your favorite parks? Perhaps you won’t tell us, as you want to keep your favorite spots well-kept secrets. Regardless, we can all agree that MoCo has a wealth of options for recreation, and we love to showcase that.
Best MoCo Spots for Fall Foliage
Whether it’s the taste of a warm pumpkin-flavored latte, the cool breeze of a crisp fall morning, or the yellow glow of the sun on a tall birch tree, autumn is often a contender for MoCo residents’ favorite season (however short it may be). Many locals are looking forward to combining all the best parts of fall and enjoying the foliage outdoors.
This year, the Farmer’s Almanac has Maryland’s peak for fall foliage set for October 12-28, less than a month away! Traditional favorites in MoCo include Rock Creek Regional Park, Brookside Gardens, Black Hill Regional Park, and Seneca Creek State Park. Where are your favorite places to check out the leaves in MoCo?
Featured photo courtesy of Visit Montgomery.
By Daniel Garay
Two Gaithersburg Parks To Be Closed for Renovation
Travis Park and Diamond Farms Park of Gaithersburg will close on September 8 and September 14, respectively, as the city plans to replace playground equipment.
While they are closed, the city will remove the old equipment and wood carpet, and to prep for the new equipment, new plastic border timbers, drainage, landscape fabric, gravel base and safety surfacing will be installed.
The city government’s website provides drawings of the new equipment sets for each park, which can be found here.
In the Travis Park drawing, there are two sets. The larger contains three slides, two bridges and a miniature rock climbing wall, among two other climbing pieces. The smaller has two slides and two climbing pieces. There are also six swings near the smaller set.
The Diamond Farm Park drawing shows a set with three slides, a bridge and multiple different climbing pieces. It also shows two swings and a playcube.
Travis Park will open back up in mid-October with new playground equipment, which is intended for ages 2-12 while Diamond Farms Park will reopen later in the month with new equipment designed for ages 2-5.
Featured photo courtesy of the Gaithersburgmc.gov website.
By Adam Levine
Montgomery Parks and Little Bennett Campground (located in Clarksburg) now have you covered…literally. They have added cabins that can accommodate groups of four to six people.
Each cabin includes running water, an in-cabin bathroom with shower, coffee maker, refrigerator, charcoal grill, heat & air conditioning, and TV for playing DVDs. That’s my kind of camping!
The information below is courtesy of Montgomery Parks:
With the addition of three new cabins at Little Bennett Campground (LBC), your next camping adventure just got a lot more glamorous!
Tucked inside Little Bennett Regional Park, the campground is conveniently located off I-270 between Frederick, MD and Washington, D.C., and offers 91 campsites including tent sites, Yurts, Full Hook-Up RV sites and now cabins. The smaller cabins accommodate groups of four while the large cabin offers sleeping space up to six. Each cabin includes running water, an in-cabin bathroom with shower, coffee maker, refrigerator, charcoal grill, heat & air conditioning, and TV for playing DVDs.
“We wanted to make it easier for people to reconnect with nature. Cabins offer an option to those who want to get outdoors but might want a few comforts of home,” said Jacob Holland, campground manager. “We are excited to welcome those new to the camping experience and welcome back longtime campers who are excited by this option.”
There’s lots to do at Little Bennett Campground. On weekends from April to October, families partake in arts and crafts activities, take guided nature hikes, race pedal carts, make tie-dye t-shirts, do ceramics, enjoy the jumping pillow and more. On Friday and Saturday nights, relax while watching movies under the stars. Campers don’t have to leave the campground during their visit as hiking opportunities abound, with more than 25 miles of trails, with many of the trailheads for hikes in Little Bennett Regional Park starting in the campground. But, if campers want to explore beyond the campground, guests can go to Little Seneca Lake, where they rent kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards.
Group camping (up to 60) is also available. The yurts, cabins, RV sites, and group site book months in advance, so make your reservations early. Reservations can be made up to a year in advance.
Don’t own camping gear or never camped? Try the Camper Ready program. For a modest fee, the staff will set up a tent, and provide you with two camp chairs, a lantern, and a propane grill. All you have to bring are sleeping bags and food.
