A property of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, Potomac Overlook Regional Park is located in Arlington, Virginia.
Park staff present educational programs on a wide range of natural and human history topics.
Operating as usual
ITS A HOLIDAY MIRACLE! Our popular Search for Santa's Critters scavenger hunt has been extended for 3 additional days! You can now join us anytime between11am-4pm from December 27th to 29th. No reservations needed and meet at the nature center. $5 per participating child. We look forward to seeing you then! NOVA Parks
Meet our Animal of the Week, Stumpy, the Eastern Box Turtle! Typically, Eastern Box Turtles will be found in moist forest habitats. They are opportunistic omnivores, which means they will eat a variety of insects, fruit, and vegetation that they find on the forest floor. Stumpy got his name because he is missing part of one of his front legs, which was most likely an injury from a predator in the wild. Due to this injury, Stumpy would have difficulty digging himself underground in the wild during the winter. Stumpy is also our oldest animal at the Nature Center. Eastern Box Turtles have an average lifespan of 100 years, and we believe that Stumpy is somewhere around 60 years old! If you would like to come visit Stumpy, stop on by the Nature Center, he would love to see you!
Join us anytime from 11am-4pm today and tomorrow for our Search for Santa’s Critters holiday scavenger hunt! No reservations needed and meet at the nature center. $5 per participating child. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Search for Santa's Critters holiday scavenger hunt continues this Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:00am-4:00pm. No registrations needed, just $5 per participant at the door!
Santa’s animal friends are lost in our park and need rescuing! Go on a scavenger hunt to locate the critters so they can help Santa deliver candy and treats for the holidays!
December 17th to 21st from 11am-4pm each day. $5 per child. Appropriate for families and children of all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Check in at the nature center anytime between 11am-3pm to pick up your scavenger hunt sheet. No reservations required. Event cancelled for the day in the event of inclement weather. NOVA Parks
Our Animal of the Week is Abe, our Eastern Copperhead! The Eastern Copperhead is one of three pit vipers that can be found in Virginia. Pit Vipers have visible sensory pits in their head that can detect the amount of heat that is being emitted from their prey, which assists them in prey location. The Eastern Copperhead is a venomous snake that can be found in various habitats that include wooded areas, swamps, and fields. They often can be found close to places inhabited by humans, so it is important to stay on the trails and watch your step when outside, especially during the summer months. However, they will do their best to avoid humans and will give you your space if you do the same for them. If you come across this species, it is best that you leave it where it is or contact someone to relocate the snake to an area that is uninhabited by humans.
Santa’s animals friends are lost in our park and need rescuing! Go on a scavenger hunt to locate the critters so they can help Santa deliver candy and treats for the holidays!
December 17th to 21st from 11am-4pm each day. $5 per child. Appropriate for families and children of all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Check in at the nature center anytime between 11am-3pm to pick up your scavenger hunt sheet. No reservations required. Event cancelled for the day in the event of inclement weather. NOVA Parks
Meet our Animal of the Week, Squeaker, the Red Shouldered Hawk! Squeaker came to the Nature Center for rehabilitation in 2010 after being hit by a car, which broke her wing in three places. Although she did heal, she unfortunately never regained full use of her wing. Red Shouldered Hawks are some of the more vocal hawks in Virginia, and Squeaker is no exception! When it is time to eat, Squeaker often shows us how she excited she is by “squeaking” or “chirping” at us. Wild Red Shouldered Hawks can be seen in Virginia at any time of year, usually around forests, streams, or rivers where they can hunt for food. They eat many different types of mammals, frogs and even snakes! If you want to come visit Squeaker, come on by our outdoor Raptor Enclosure!
Meet the Animal of the Week, Monet, our Eastern Painted Turtle! Eastern Painted Turtles have colorful yellow and red markings on their head and neck. Monet has been at the Nature Center since 2008, however we have no idea how old he was when he arrived at the center. Painted Turtles can live an average of 20-30 years, and some have even been recorded to live for 50! They prefer to live in slow moving-fresh water habitats such as wetlands, creeks, and ponds. One of Monet’s favorite past-times is hanging out on his dock to bask in his heat lamp, and you can often find Eastern Painted Turtles doing the same with the sun in the wild. Monet would love to see you all visit him in the Nature Center, so come on by!
Saturday Dec. 17 Christmas Bird Count: Free Program!
Come out to Winkler Botanical Preserve and join the NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist, Matt Felperin, with the National Audubon Society's 123rd annual Christmas Bird Count. This is a free program; bird identification knowledge is helpful but not necessary. Identification guides and some binoculars will be available for those need to borrow for the program.
Register Here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/activity/search/detail/6608?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&locale=en-US
More offering from NOVA Parks' new botanical preserve!
Wednesday Dec. 21st Learn to Letterbox program: Letterboxing is a scavenger hunt style adventure great for all ages that will take you to interesting locations all over the world, including Winkler Botanical Preserve, solving clues and searching for hidden treasures. Participants will learn all they need to know to get them started on this fun hobby, including where to find the clues, basic how-to's, and hints on deciphering clues and what to look for. Then off on an adventure in the Preserve to find some of the boxes hidden there. Participants will also receive a starter logbook and learn how to carve their own personal stamp!
Register Here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/activity/search/detail/6607?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&locale=en-US
Meet our Animal of the Week, Noodle, the Mole Kingsnake! It is unlikely that you would see a Mole Kingsnake in the wild due to their natural tendency to burrow under logs, rocks and underground. Since they are rarely seen in the wild, there is not much information known about the species. Mole Kingsnakes have light-brown colored blotches on their bodies that fade with age. As you can see, Noodle’s blotches have faded significantly because she has called the Nature Center home for over 20 years! Stop on by to say “Hello” to Noodle!
Saturday Dec. 10th Take a walk through the Preserve and learn about ancient geologic forces that formed the land. We will discover how the landscape and forest have changed over time due to the ebb and flow of the ancient Potomac River. Then we will discuss the urban forest we see today, the remarkable effort to conserve it and the "environmental services" it provides.
Register here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/activity/search/detail/6606?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&locale=en-US
Come out for a hike at the newest NOVA Park!
Sautday Dec. 3rd Join the NOVA Parks staff for a stroll at the Winkler Botanical Preserve and learn to identify some of the native hardwood trees in winter. We will look at bark, twigs, seeds and even habitat to discover the diversity of the trees in the forest. Several different Oaks, in addition to Blackgum, Tulip Poplar, Redbud, Cedar and Maples will be identified.
Register here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/activity/search/detail/6605?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&locale=en-US
Potomac Overlook has winter fun for the whole family! Do a holiday-themed scavenger hunt, take part in our popular Junior Naturalist day camp, and see how our owls celebrate Valentine’s Day! Learn more and book your spot today at the link below:
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events
Our Camping 101 class has been rescheduled to next Friday, November 18th because of inclement weather and we still have spots remaining! Learn how to pitch a tarp tent, use a compass, make a campfire and more! Follow the link below to learn more and register today.
https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/novaparks/activity/search/detail/6543?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&locale=en-US
Meet the Animal of the Week, Smoke, our Eastern Screech Owl! He is named Smoke due to the gray coloration of his feathers. The Eastern Screech Owl’s coloration will vary between gray and a rusty-brown color which allows them to camouflage easily. They are a resilient species that has been able to adapt very well to urban environments near humans, however they are not easy to spot. You may hear them without ever actually seeing them, as they have a whining call that you will often hear at night! Smoke would love to see you visit him at the Nature Center, so stop on by!
Potomac Overlook has Autumn fun for the whole family! Pick up tips on camping, go on a fall hike, learn about Geology, and meet our birds of prey! Learn more and book your spot today at the link below:
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events
Potomac Overlook has Autumn fun for the whole family! Pick up tips on camping, go on a fall hike, learn about Geology, and meet our birds of prey! Learn more and book your spot today at the link below:
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events
Meet Shelby the Snapping Turtle, our Animal of the Week! You can find Snapping Turtles in ponds, lakes, swamps, streams, and rivers. The average weight of a Snapping Turtle in Virginia is 10-35 pounds, and the record weight recorded in Virginia was an impressive 51 pounds! While the name Snapping Turtle sounds a bit intimidating, typically they are very docile while in the water. However, if they feel cornered while they are out of water, they can strike! If you see a Snapping Turtle like Shelby in the wild, it is in your best interest to leave them alone. Come visit Shelby at the Nature Center, she would love to see you!
Fall is here at Potomac Overlook but maintaining our park never stops! Come out on Saturday, October 15th from 10am-1pm and assist with trail maintenance, habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, and other projects as needed.
Come prepared to work outside. Meet at the nature center. To reserve a spot, please email us at [email protected] with your name(s) and ages. Free and appropriate for ages 9 and up. In the event of inclement weather, the clean up will be rescheduled to Sunday, October 16th from 10am-1pm.
Event posting at the link here: https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/fall-clean-up-event
We still have room in our 1pm Talkin Bout Turtles program today! Come out and meet some of our shelled friends and help us feed them too. Registration ends at 12pm today, book your spot at the link below and we hope to see you soon!
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/talkin-bout-turtles
Come out of your shell and join us for a turtley awesome program! Meet some of our resident turtles and learn about their adaptations, habitat, and what sets them apart from each other. Then help us “race” our turtles with some live food to see who is the fastest (or rather the least slow!) Follow the link below to learn more and book your spot today!
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/talkin-bout-turtles
Meet Al the Pine Snake, our Animal of the Week! The Pine Snake is a burrowing species that is rarely seen in the wild despite their size. They can live in burrows they’ve made themselves or even in abandoned animal burrows! There is little known about the habits of Pine Snakes that live here in Virginia, since there are so few of them recorded in the state. While its normal for wild Pine Snakes to stay hidden, Al can often be seen out and about in his enclosure. If you want to see Al in person and learn more about native animals in the area, come visit our nature center!
Come out of your shell and join us for a turtley awesome program! Meet some of our resident turtles and learn about their adaptations, habitat, and what sets them apart from each other. Then help us “race” our turtles with some live food to see who is the fastest (or rather the least slow!) Follow the link below to learn more and book your spot today!
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/talkin-bout-turtles
Come out of your shell and join us for a turtley awesome program! Meet some of our resident turtles and learn about their adaptations, habitat, and what sets them apart from each other. Then help us “race” our turtles with some live food to see who is the fastest (or rather the least slow!) Follow the link below to learn more and book your spot today!
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/talkin-bout-turtles
Thanks to everyone who stopped out to Pepper Fest 2022 this past Sunday. What a great way to celebrate and sample the pepper harvest from the Organic Vegetable garden. And of course a big thank you goes out to all of the volunteer from the Virginia Cooperative Extension - Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia who put the event together.
Family programming is back again at Potomac Overlook for fall! Meet our birds of prey, carve Halloween pumpkins, explore our vegetable garden and more in these fun offerings! Follow the link below to learn more and to book your spot today.
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events
Family programming is back again at Potomac Overlook for fall! Meet our birds of prey, carve Halloween pumpkins, explore our vegetable garden and more in these fun offerings! Follow the link below to learn more and to book your spot today:
https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events
Pepper Fest: Free event in the Organic Vegetable Garden! Sunday, September 18th, 1-4pm. Taste mild to hot Perrier varieties, sample prepared dishes, and learn how to grow your own. No registration required, just stop by!
Pepper Fest: Come celebrate the end of summer in the Organic Vegetable Garden! Sunday, September 18th, 1-4pm. FREE EVENT! Taste a wide variety of peppers from mild to hot, taste dishes prepared by the Master Gardeners, and learn more about how to grow your own!
Potomac Overlook is hiring naturalists! Help maintain our park, care for the nature center animals, lead interpretive programs for the public, and more. A great position for those looking to start a career in the natural world! Apply and learn more at the link here: https://www.novaparks.com/employment?p=job%2FongBkfwi NOVA Parks
Many thanks for providing input to help guide the future of NOVA Parks! Over the course of four weeks, NOVA Parks solicited input about its draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan through partners, stakeholders, and residents, with 92% of survey respondents indicating that NOVA Parks' strategic plan was important or very important to the Northern Virginia region. Feedback was incorporated and the final 5-year Strategic Plan is now available at novaparks.com/StrategicPlan.
Potomac Overlook is hiring naturalists! Help maintain our park, care for the nature center animals, lead interpretive programs for the public, and more. A great position for those looking to start a career in the natural world! Apply and learn more at the link here: https://www.novaparks.com/employment?p=job%2FongBkfwi NOVA Parks
Make your voice heard!
There’s still time to provide input to help guide the future of NOVA Parks! Northern Virginia residents, businesses, visitors, and community organizations are asked to review the Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide feedback online by 5 p.m. Monday, July 11. Responses will take only a few minutes and will help inform NOVA Parks' upcoming priorities. Visit novaparks.com/StrategicPlan to view the plan and provide feedback.
Tell us what you think! NOVA Parks manages 34 regional parks and recreational facilities across three Northern Virginia counties and three cities. Residents, business owners, and community organizations in the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun are asked to review NOVA Parks’ Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide feedback. Tell us which initiatives are most important to you and the region. Responses will take only a few minutes and will help inform NOVA Parks' upcoming priorities. Visit novaparks.com/StrategicPlan to view the plan and provide feedback online by 5 p.m. Monday, July 11.
Please provide input to help guide the future of NOVA Parks.
Northern Virginia residents, businesses, visitors and community organizations are being asked to review the Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide feedback online by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 8.
Input received will help inform NOVA Parks’ priorities through 2027. The draft plan is organized into 5 pillars—Environment, Belonging, Our Team, Building the Future, and Revenue and Efficiency—with 2 short questions per section and 2 overall questions. Responses will take only a few minutes and will help inform NOVA Parks' upcoming priorities.
Visit http://ow.ly/i2lE50Jx4Ax to review the plan and provide feedback by July 8.
2845 Marcey Road
Arlington, VA
22207
Visit www.wmata.com for bus access to the park. The park is roughly 2 miles north of the Ballston metro station on the Orange Line.
Park features include 2+ miles of hiking trails, a picnic area, covered shelter space (for rent), playground, a nature center, live animal exhibits, gardens, and more!
| Tuesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 10am - 5pm |
| Friday | 10am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 10am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm - 5pm |
Birthday Parties, Camp Overlook, Field Trips
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Celebrating our last week of camp with a little “tree building”!
Make your voice heard! There’s still time to provide input to help guide the future of NOVA Parks! Northern Virginia residents, businesses, visitors, and community organizations are asked to review the Draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and provide feedback online by 5 p.m. Monday, July 11. Responses will take only a few minutes and will help inform NOVA Parks' upcoming priorities. Visit novaparks.com/StrategicPlan to view the plan and provide feedback.
We’re going to need a bigger boat!
Potomac Overlook’s first ever Florafest kicks off this Sunday, May 1st! Join us for an event all about gardening, pollinators, native and invasive plants, and how you can help keep our park beautiful! Free to participants of all ages and no reservations required. Meet at the nature center anytime between 1-4pm. Click the link below for more information! https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/florafest NOVA Parks
Potomac Overlook’s first ever Florafest kicks off on Sunday, May 1st! Join us for an event all about gardening, pollinators, native and invasive plants, and how you can help keep our park beautiful! Free to participants of all ages and no reservations required. Meet at the nature center anytime between 1-4pm. Check the event link below for more information: https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/florafest
Spring is here and the Easter Bunny is back at Potomac Overlook with their new egg hunt! Join us anytime on April 9th-10th and 12th-17th between 11am and 4pm for a different kind of egg hunt for you and your family! $8 per participating child, paid the day of at the nature center. Hop on over!
Spring is here and the Easter Bunny is back at Potomac Overlook with their new egg hunt! Join us anytime on April 9th-10th and 12th-17th between 11am and 4pm for a different kind of egg hunt for you and your family! $8 per participating child, paid the day of at the nature center. Hop on over!
Spring is here and the Easter Bunny is back at Potomac Overlook with their new egg hunt! Join us anytime on April 9th-10th and 12th-17th between 11am and 4pm for a different kind of egg hunt for you and your family! $8 per participating child, paid the day of at the nature center. Hop on over! #novaparks #happinesshere #springbreak #easterbunny
Spring is here and the Easter Bunny is back at Potomac Overlook with their new egg hunt! Join us anytime on April 9th-10th and 12th-17th between 11am and 4pm for a different kind of egg hunt for you and your family! $8 per participating child, paid the day of at the nature center. Hop on over! NOVA Parks
Tadpole update: our wood frog tadpoles are continuing to grow and their activity has really picked up! They continue to swim around the tank and are feeding on algae and plant matter. #woodfrogtadpoles #novaparks
There’s still time to register for our Raptors of the Potomac program! Join us tomorrow from 1-2pm as we learn about birds of prey and watch them feed. You’ll even meet the live raptors we care for, like Twiggy here, our Barred Owl! Click the event link below to book your spot. Registration closes tomorrow at 11am! https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/raptors-of-the-potomac-1
Tadpole update: the wood frog eggs in our tank have hatched and we have tadpoles swimming about! Over the next week they’ll begin to grow, their tails will fully develop and their activity will increase. #woodfrogs #tadpoles #novaparks
Soar on down to our Raptors of the Potomac program! Join us on March 19th from 1-2pm as we learn about birds of prey and watch them feed. You’ll even meet the live raptors we care for, like Squeaker here, our Red Shouldered Hawk! Click the link below to book your spot today! https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/raptors-of-the-potomac-1
Warmest Thoughts and Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday and a very Happy New Year.
Looking for a great gift for a nature lover this holiday season? Try our popular “Adopt an Animal” campaign! For just $50, you can symbolically “adopt” one of our lovable animals at the nature center and help us continue to provide them quality care. In return, you will receive a plush of that animal, a “Thank-You!” card in the mail from your critter with their photo, and your name will be displayed as a certified sponsor! Stop by the nature center to learn more and make your adoption today! 🦉 🐍 🐢 NOVA Parks
Santa’s sleigh crashed and now he needs your help! From December 18th to 22nd, go on a scavenger hunt and find Santa’s missing Helpers! Explore our park and locate the Helpers so they can get back to the North Pole in time. Appropriate for families and children of all ages. $5 per child. Check in at the nature center anytime between 11am and 3pm to pick up your scavenger hunt! NOVA Parks
Want to meet our gorgeous Red Shouldered Hawk, Squeaker? Come down to our Raptors of the Potomac class this Saturday the 4th from 1-2pm, and see her and her fellow birds of prey chow down on some tasty mice! Follow the link below to book your spot today. NOVA Parks https://www.novaparks.com/parks/potomac-overlook-regional-park/events/raptors-of-the-potomac-0
THIS JUST IN: Santa’s sleigh crashed and now he needs your help! From December 18th to 22nd, go on a scavenger hunt and find Santa’s missing Helpers! Explore our park and locate the Helpers so they can get back to the North Pole in time. Appropriate for families and children of all ages. $5 per child. Check in at the nature center anytime between 11am and 3pm to pick up your scavenger hunt! NOVA Parks
Meet our Animal of the Week: Yoshi the American Toad! Frogs and toads use their eyes to help them swallow food. They close and push their eyes downward which then pushes their meal further down their throat. Watch as Yoshi closes and opens their eyes during this mealtime!
Our Adopt an Animal Campaign has returned for another season! Help support ongoing animal care and receive your very own plush of one of our lovable critters. Stop by the nature center to learn more and make your adoption today! NOVA Parks
What a sight! Our Park Naturalist managed to capture these videos of a truly wild encounter: a European Hornet attacking and eating a species of dragonfly! These non-native hornets are quite large, and the worker seen here was likely an inch and a half long. They typically feed on large insects and pack quite a wallop with their sting. Luckily the individual here was fully focused on its prey! NOVA Parks
Iranian American Bar Association San Diego Ch
Washington D.C. 20016Blacksmiths' Guild of the Potomac Inc.
Military RoadDepartment of Forensic Sciences, The George W
Foxhall Road NW, Washington D.C.French-American Chamber of Commerce - Washing
Reservoir Road NW, Washington D.C.Isabella & Ferdinand Academia de Español
Newark Street NW, Washington D.C.Transatlantic Policy Symposium at Georgetown
Washington D.C. 20007Center for Information Technology and the Glo
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington D.C.Center for Congressional and Presidential Stu
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington D.C.French Program at American University - World
Massachusetts Avenue, Washington D.C.American University - Office of Information T
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington D.C.Global Game Jam: American University
Washington D.C. 20016
VIVA, The Virtual Library of Virginia
Fairfax Drive
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP
Wilson Boulevard
ARNG - Soldier and Family Support Division
S George Mason Drive
American Association for Homecare
18th Street
Marymount University Class of 2011 Gift
N Glebe Road