Go Visit: Lake Needwood

If you are looking for a place nearby to get out and enjoy some fresh air, Lake Needwood is a great place to visit.  It is a man-made lake just outside of Rockville, MD where you can picnic, walk on trails, bike, and boat.  There is no entrance fee for this park which is run by the Montgomery County parks department.

In the main area there is a boat rental place that rents canoes and paddle boats.  You can also bring your own boat, but you have to either pay a day-use fee or get a season pass.

 There is a trail that runs all the way around the lake (about 2.7 miles) as well as a number of other loop trails that branch off from it.  Parts of the trail are gravel and other parts are packed dirt.

I went on a Sunday afternoon, and the picnic areas and parts near the parking lot were busy, but once you got a little ways away it was quiet.  Lots of people walk around the lake, but it is a big loop so it is easy to keep appropriate distance.

At the south end of the lake is a large dam.  You can't roll down the grassy side of the it because of fences, but you can get a good view of the lake.