During our month in the Washington DC area, we stayed at two campgrounds: Cosca Regional Park on the Maryland side of DC and Lake Fairfax Park on the Virginia side. Camping at Lake Fairfax Park is a great way to enjoy nature while staying close to all the attractions of Northern Virginia. Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway or an extended stay, this guide covers everything you need to know about the campground, amenities, and activities available.
Lake Fairfax Park Campground: Camping Options, Amenities, and Policies
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-fairfax/camping
1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston, VA 20190
If you’re looking for a convenient camping spot in Northern Virginia, Lake Fairfax Park Campground in Reston is a solid option. It’s a county-run campground with a mix of wooded and open sites, making it a great base for exploring the D.C. metro area while still enjoying a bit of nature.
Camping Options
Lake Fairfax Park Campground offers both regular campsites and group camping areas. Whether you’re in an RV or pitching a tent, there’s a spot for you. The sites are fairly spacious and include a picnic table and fire ring, so you’ll have everything you need to settle in and enjoy the outdoors.
Amenities
While this isn’t a luxury resort-style campground, it has all the essentials to make your stay comfortable:
- Electric hookups: Options include 20/30 amp or 20/30/50 amp service.
- Water: Available at many sites, though not all.
- Shower house: A clean and functional facility for campers.
- Dump station: Free for campers, but if you’re just passing through, it’s $25 to use.
- Wi-Fi: Available at the registration office if you need to check emails or plan your next adventure.
- Fire rings & picnic tables: Every site includes these, so you can enjoy meals and a campfire.
Lake Fairfax Park Camping Costs
- Non-electric sites: $32 (weekdays) / $37 (Fri-Sun)
- 20/30 amp electric sites: $40 (weekdays) / $44 (Fri-Sun)
- 20/30/50 amp electric sites: $50 (weekdays) / $55 (Fri-Sun)
3 Campground Essentials: 1) Andersen Levels for quick and easy leveling 2) X-Chocks for added stability and less movement 3) Gas Stop Propane Gauge for safety and peace of mind
Rules & Policies
Before booking, keep in mind a few important policies:
- Reservations & Cancellations:
- Changes made more than 60 days before arrival: No charge (call the park office).
- 14-59 days before arrival: $25 processing fee.
- 2-13 days before arrival: $25 fee + forfeit the first night.
- Less than 2 days before arrival: $25 fee + forfeit the first two nights.
- Fire & Wood Rules:
- No outside firewood allowed (to prevent invasive pests).
- Campfires are prohibited from midnight to 4 AM between Feb 1 – April 30, per Virginia law.
- Quiet Hours & Visitors:
- Quiet hours are from 10 PM – 7 AM.
- No visitors after 10 PM.
- Pets: Must be attended at all times.
- Alcohol: Not permitted.
- Where You Can Sleep: No sleeping in your truck cab, truck bed, car, or directly on the ground without a tent.
- Length of Stay Limits:
- In-season (Apr 1 – Nov 30): Max 14 consecutive nights.
- Off-season (Dec 1 – Mar 31): Max 28 consecutive nights.
- Campers must spend 4 nights off-site between visits.
- Check-in & Check-out:
- Check-in noon
- Check-out 10 AM
Our Review of Lake Fairfax Park Campground
After our two week stay at Louise Cosca Regional Park in Clinton, Maryland, we headed over to Lake Fairfax Park in Reston, VA to explore more of the Virginia-side of Washington DC. While this campground was farther out from downtown than Cosca was, it was definitely the nicer park of the two. Lake Fairfax is a large park with tons of activities in the park- and was clearly a very popular place for locals because it was always busy.
We had one of the center campsites, which wasn’t as nice as the ones on the outer edges. It was spacious enough, but there was no privacy from neighbors on all sides. We even had an issue with one neighbor covering our security camera up while we were on the train into DC. We got a camera notification and all we could see was a hand reach around and cover the camera, so of course we were worried! Because we were on the train, we called the park (didn’t get a hold of them at first) and the police to ask them to check for us. It ended up just being the rig next to us because they didn’t like our camera being able to see them. Other than that, though, we didn’t have any issues with other campers and even met another full-time RV couple our age!
We had an electric-only campsite and chose one near the showerhouse, which is also where the dump station and water spigot are. This was our favorite kind of showerhouse- each shower stall had its own outside locking door. The showers were kept pretty clean (as long as you timed it right, since it was a busy campground).
Overall, we would definitely recommend Lake Fairfax if you’re looking to stay in northern Virginia!
Activities at Lake Fairfax Park
One of the best things about staying at Lake Fairfax Park Campground is all the fun you can have without even leaving the park. Whether you’re into water activities, trails, or just relaxing outdoors, there’s something for everyone.
Water Activities
- Fishing: The lake is stocked with catfish, bass, sunfish, black crappie, bullhead, and bluegill. Free pole rentals are available!
- Boating: Enjoy the 18-acre lake by renting a kayak or pedal boat. Rental rates start at $15 for a single kayak, $19 for a tandem kayak, $16 for a two-person pedal boat, and $26 for a four-person pedal boat (minimum rental time: 1 hour). If you have your own boat you can launch for $6 per day or get a season pass for $40 (no motorized boats allowed).
- Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole: A seasonal water park with slides, a lazy river, a water obstacle course, and a toddler-friendly play area. Tickets are priced by height, and season passes are available for individuals and families.
Land Activities
- Hiking & Biking Trails: The park has a variety of trails to explore, whether you’re on foot or on a bike. Find the park’s trail maps here.
- Birdwatching: A great spot for birding, with diverse species throughout the year. Find birding tips for Fairfax County here.
- Orienteering Course: Test your navigation skills with a self-guided orienteering course through the park. Find the course map on the park website here.
- Skate Park & Inline Rink: The skate park includes a shark fin, manual pad, euro gap with ledges and rails, and a bowl. The inline rink is 85 x 185 feet and open to the public when not reserved.
- Pump Track: A fun biking area designed to be ridden by pumping rather than pedaling. It’s a great option for beginner and experienced riders alike.
- Playground: Perfect for kids to burn off energy while parents relax.
Getting to Washington DC From Lake Fairfax Park
Lake Fairfax Park Campground is just under a 15 minute drive to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station. There’s a parking garage here that’s $5/day on weekdays. Wiehle-Reston East is on the silver line and takes about 40 minutes to get to the mall. We also visited Arlington, VA via the Metro, which meant transferring to the blue line at Rosslyn Station.
Things to Do Near Lake Fairfax Park
Check out our full NoVA itinerary from our stay at Lake Fairfax!
And if you want to explore farther, check out everything we did in DC from the Maryland side too!
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