Seneca Creek State Park contains 6,300 acres of land in Montgomery County, Maryland. The park has more than 50 miles of hiking, biking, and horse riding trails including a 16.5 mile trail along the length of Great Seneca Creek all the way down to the Potomac River. There are four historic landmarks inside of the park: the Woodlands dedicated to the Clopper family, Black Rock Mill, the Seneca Schoolhouse, and the Seneca Quarry which supplied the construction of the Smithsonian Castle in D.C.
The most popular section is the Clopper Lake day-use area easily accessed from I-270 via MD-117 (Clopper Road) in Gathersburg, MD. Clopper Lake is a man-made lake with pavilions, picnic areas, and easy trails going all the way around the lake. The day use area has a boat center and launching area for renting/launching watercraft for recreation or fishing on the lake. Clopper Lake day use area also has a 27-hole disc course, and in the winter, a drive-through lights festival. I recommend hiking or paddling around the lake in order to enjoy the beautiful views and wildlife. The lake is a great place to visit during the autumn months when all of the leaves have changed colors.
