The largest contiguous public parks-preserves within 30 miles of either Baltimore, Md. or Washington, D.C.:

1. Prince William Forest * - Locust Shade, Virginia 18,255 acres* — *about one-third is generally closed to the public.
2. Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge* - Fran Uhler (Patuxent River Park), Maryland 13,300 acres* — *about one-third is generally closed to the public.
3. Seneca Creek - McKee Beshers - C & O Canal - Germantown, Maryland / Algonkian, Virginia 12,435 acres
4. Upper Patapsco, Maryland 9575 acres
5. Patuxent River Park - Merkle - Jug Bay Wetlands - House Creek, Maryland 8415 acres
6. Mason Neck - Accotink Bay - Pohick - Meadowood - Gunston**, Virginia 7690 acres
7. Patuxent River State Park, Maryland 6650 acres
8. Sugarloaf Mountain** - Monocacy River - C & O Canal, Maryland 5790 acres
9. Lower Gunpowder Falls, Maryland 5325 acres
10. Chapmans - Myrtle Grove - Mattawoman, Maryland 5305 acres
11. Manassas Battlefield, Virginia 4355 acres
12. Little Bennett, Maryland 3700 acres
13. Great Falls, Virginia - C & O Canal, Maryland - Riverbend, Virginia - Scotts Run, Virginia - Carderock, Maryland 3440 acres
14. Lower Patapsco - Rockburn Branch, Maryland 3435 acres
15. Cedarville, Maryland 2848 acres
16. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center** Maryland 2800 acres - generally closed to the public
17. Upper Gunpowder Falls (Hereford), Maryland 2755 acres
18. Rock Creek Regional (Lake Needwood - North Branch) 2670 acres
19. Susquehanna State Park, Maryland 2645 acres
20. Fountainhead, Virginia 2450 acres
21. Nanjemoy Creek**, Maryland 2415 acres - generally closed to the public
22. Mid-Gunpowder Falls (Baldwin-Fork), Maryland 2300 acres
23. Eastern Neck, Maryland 2285 acres
24. Broad Creek** (Harford County), Maryland 2005 acres - generally closed to the public
25. Douglas Point - Mallows Bay - Purse State Park (Nanjemoy Wildlife Area), Maryland 1920 acres
26. Soldiers Delight, Maryland 1920 acres

Rock Creek Park, D.C. - 1750 acres

** quasi-public

This list does not include interrupted, scattered parts of administrative units, but rather entire, contiguous park-preserve tracts. All contiguous public park-preserve land is included in the above acreages, but strip park acreage (<1000 foot width for more than 1/2 mile) and public utility land (reservoirs) are excluded.) Much of the 72,500 acre Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. and 56,000 acre Quantico Marine Base, Virginia are undeveloped, and constitute the largest such areas within 30 miles of either Baltimore or Washington. Neither is generally open to the public. Quantico is contiguous with Prince William Forest Park. Washington and Baltimore are 33 miles apart.

External links

• Prince William Forest Park
• Locust Shade Park
• Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge
• Fran Uhler Natural Area
• Seneca Creek State Park
• McKee Beshers Wildlife Area
• Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
• South Germantown Park
• Algonkian Park
• Patapsco Valley State Park
• Patuxent River Park
• Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
• Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
• Mason Neck
• Pohick Bay Park
• Gunston Hall
• Meadowood Recreation Area
• Patuxent River State Park
• Sugarloaf Mountain
• Monocacy Wildlife Area
• Gunpowder Falls State Park
• Chapman Forest
• Chapman Forest

• Myrtle Grove Wildlife Area
• Mattawoman Natural Area
• Manassas Battlefield
• Little Bennett Park
• Great Falls, Va.
• Great Falls Park, Va.
• Riverbend Park
• Scotts Run Preserve
• Carderock Recreation Area
• Rockburn Branch Park
• Cedarville State Forest
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
• Rock Creek Park, Md.
• Susquehanna State Park
• Fountainhead Park
• North Branch Park
• Nanjemoy Creek Preserve
• Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge
• Douglas Point/Mallows Bay (Nanjemoy Wildlife Area)
• Douglas Point/Mallows Bay (Nanjemoy Wildlife Area)
• Purse State Park
• Soldiers Delight Natural Area
• Rock Creek Park, D.C.
• Aberdeen Proving Grounds
• Quantico Marine Base

Geography of Maryland | Geography of Virginia