Park Authority

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open during regular business hours 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday
703-324-8700 TTY 711
12055 Government Center Pkwy.
Fairfax, Virginia 22035
Jai Cole
Executive Director

Department Resources

Related Resources

Model Aircrafts and Drones

 

Effective July 1, 2018, the use of unmanned aircraft (drones) is allowed on Park Authority lands. Pilots are expected to abide by all applicable FAA regulations, safety guidance and airspace restrictions.

Although the Park Authority is not able to regulate the use of drones, we are hopeful that operators will respect other park users, stay clear of wildlife and natural and cultural resource areas and generally, be respectful in their use of unmanned aircraft over parkland.

Latest News: REGULATION UPDATE

The Fairfax County Park Authority recently updated Regulation 1.17 of its Policy Manual to comply with the Virginia Code. Read the full press release.

This regulation change formalizes the practices that went into effect on July 1. UAS are welcome in the parks without prior permission. A permit is still required for model rockets and radio-controlled cars, boats and other non-aircraft.

Report an Incident

Flying a drone in a reckless or irresponsible manner is a violation of Federal law and FAA regulations that could result in civil fines or criminal action. Per FAA guidance, incidents are handled by local law enforcement, who will contact the FAA as necessary. Contact the Fairfax County Police Department if:

  • You see a drone operated in a reckless manner that could endanger other aircraft or people on the ground
  • A drone crashes in your yard, hurts someone, or damages your property.

Police Emergency: 911

Police Non-Emergency: 703-691-2131

To help the Park Authority track incidents of drone misuse in the parks, please also report the event to a staff member or email parkmail@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Where to Fly (and What's Off Limits)

The Model Aircraft Site at Poplar Ford Park is the recommended site for drone use. For more information, please contact the Northern Virginia Radio Control Club.

Per Virginia Code §19.2-926.3, park visitors in possession of a UAS may not enter areas where they would otherwise not be able to go (such as posted areas, construction zones, and park facilities - such as athletic fields - reserved for use by others). Please observe the established park operating hours and any posted signage.

To protect Fairfax County’s valuable natural and cultural resources, pilots are encouraged to select sites in areas actively maintained for recreational use, such as mowed fields. Pilots should select sites that fully allow FAA requirements and safety recommendations to be met.

The airspace around Washington, DC is more restricted than in any other part of the country. The following Park Authority properties are underneath the 15-mile DC Flight Restricted Zone, or airspace where the FAA generally prohibits drone flights without specific authorization. This list is provided as guidance only and accuracy is not guaranteed; all pilots should follow the appropriate FAA rules in place at the location and time of flight.

Fairfax County Park Authority Properties under the Washington, DC Flight Restricted Zone

For Information/Guidance Only – Accuracy not Guaranteed

July 1, 2018

Alexandria – 22303

  • Burgundy Park
  • Farrington Park
  • Heritage Hill Park
  • Huntington Park
  • Jefferson Manor Park
  • Loftridge Park
  • Mount Eagle Park

Alexandria – 22306

  • Bucknell Manor Park
  • Creighton Square Park
  • Groveton Heights Park
  • Historic Huntley
  • Hollins Meadows Park
  • Huntley Meadows Park
  • Hybla Valley Park
  • Lenclair Park
  • Little Hunting Creek Park
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
  • North Hill Park
  • South Kings Forest Park
  • Stephen Foster School Site (Walt Whitman)
  • Stoneybrooke Park

Alexandria – 22307

  • Belle Haven Park
  • Fort Willard Historic Site
  • Gilbert S. McCutcheon Park
  • Mount Vernon District Park
  • Westgrove Park
  • White Oaks Park

Alexandria – 22308

  • Carl Sandburg School Site
  • Collingwood Park
  • Fort Hunt Park
  • Hollin Hall Park
  • John Byers Park
  • Kirk Park
  • Stratford Landing Park

Alexandria – 22309

  • George Washington Park
  • Grist Mill Park
  • McNaughton Fields Park
  • Mount Vernon Manor Park
  • Mount Vernon Woods Park
  • Mount Zephyr Park
  • Muddy Hole Farm Park
  • Old Mount Vernon School Site
  • Pole Road Park
  • Summers Cemetery
  • Vernon Heights Park
  • Washington Mill Park
  • Woodlawn Park
  • Woodley Hills Park

Alexandria – 22310

  • Bush Hill Park
  • Clermont Park
  • Franconia Forest Park
  • Greendale Golf Course
  • Lee District Park
  • Manchester Lakes Park
  • Mark Twain Park
  • Ridgeview Park
  • Tara Village Park
  • Virginia Hills School Site
  • Wilton Woods School Site

Alexandria – 22311

  • Dowden Terrace Park

Alexandria – 22312

  • Backlick Run Park
  • Bren Mar Park
  • Glasgow Park
  • Glen Hills Park
  • Green Spring Gardens
  • Heywood Glen Park
  • Joseph F. Barnes Battery Park
  • Monch Farm Park
  • Mulberry Hill Park
  • Parklawn Park
  • Pinecrest Golf Course

Alexandria – 22315

  • Amberleigh Park
  • Beulah Park
  • Hayfield Park
  • Island Creek Park
  • Kingstowne Park
  • Olander & Margaret Banks Park
  • Wickford Park

Annandale – 22003

  • Americana Park
  • Annandale Park
  • Backlick Park
  • Barcroft Knolls Park
  • Broyhill Crest Park
  • Camelot School Site
  • Canterbury Woods Park
  • Eakin Community Park
  • Fairfax Hills Park
  • Fitzhugh Park
  • Howrey Field Park
  • Kendale Woods Park
  • Larchmont Park
  • Long Branch Falls Park
  • Manassas Gap Railroad Park
  • Mason District Park
  • Masonville Park
  • Oak Hill Park
  • Ossian Hall Park
  • Pine Ridge Park
  • Poe Terrace Park
  • Red Fox Forest Park
  • Valley Crest Park
  • Wakefield Chapel Park
  • Wakefield Park
  • Wilburdale Park
  • Willow Woods Park
  • Winterset Varsity Park

Bailey’s Crossroads - 22041

  • Belvedere Park

Burke – 22015

  • Burke Ridge Park
  • Burke Station Park
  • Lake Braddock Park
  • Rolling Valley West Park
  • Silas Burke Park

Fairfax – 22031

  • Armistead Park
  • Briarwood Park
  • Eakin Park (Mantua Section)
  • East Blake Lane Park
  • Hideaway Park
  • Mosby Woods Park
  • Sally Ormsby Park
  • Towers Park
  • Villa D’Este Park
  • Villa Lee Park

Fairfax – 22032

  • Ashford East Park
  • Crooked Creek Park
  • George Mason Park
  • Greenfield Park
  • Herzell Woods Park
  • Kings Park West Park
  • Lakeside Park
  • Monticello Park
  • Olde Forge Park
  • Rolling Woods Estates Park
  • Royal Lake Park
  • Rutherford Park
  • Smokewood Park
  • Surry Square Park
  • Twinbrook Road Park
  • University Park

Fairfax Station – 22039

  • Burke Lake Park/Golf Course (part)
  • Lake Mercer Park

Falls Church – 22041

  • Bailey’s Elementary School Site
  • Bailey’s Park
  • Boyd & Charlotte Hogge Park
  • Clark House at Barcroft Mews
  • Lillian Carey Park
  • Munson Hill Park
  • Skyline Park
  • Spring Lane Park

Falls Church – 22042

  • Azalea Park
  • Bel Air Park
  • Broyhill Park
  • Devonshire Park
  • James Lee School Site
  • Jefferson District Park
  • Jefferson Village Park
  • John & Margaret White Gardens
  • John Mastenbrook/Greenway Downs Park
  • Larry Graves Park
  • Luria Park
  • Merrifield Park
  • Pine Spring Park
  • Providence RECenter
  • Rose Lane Park
  • Roundtree Park
  • Sleepy Hollow Park
  • Tyler Park
  • Walnut Hill School Site
  • Westlawn School Site
  • Woodburn School Site

Falls Church – 22043

  • Fisher Park
  • Griffith Park
  • Hartland Green Park
  • Haycock-Longfellow Park
  • Hollywood Road Park
  • Idylwood Park
  • Lee Landing Park
  • Lemon Road Park
  • Lisle Park
  • Longfellow School Site
  • Mount Royal Park
  • Olney Park
  • Pimmit Hills Park
  • Pimmit View Park
  • Ruckstuhl Park
  • Tysons Pimmit Park
  • Westgate Park

Falls Church – 22044

  • Justice Park

Falls Church – 22045

  • Pimmit Barn

Great Falls – 22066

  • Colvin Run Mill Park
  • Great Falls Grange Park
  • Hickory Run School Site
  • Lexington Estates Park
  • Riverbend Park

Lorton – 22079

  • Laurel Hill Park (part)
  • Levelle W. Dupell Park
  • Lorton Park
  • Lower Potomac Park
  • Mount Air Historic Site
  • Newington Commons Park
  • Newington Heights Park
  • Pohick Estates Park
  • Southgate Park

McLean – 22101

  • Alfred Odrick Homesite
  • Bryn Mawr Park
  • Chesterbrook School Site
  • Churchill Road Park
  • Clemyjontri Park
  • Cooper Intermediate School Site
  • Dolley Madison Estates Park
  • Franklin Woods Park
  • Kent Gardens Park
  • Kirby Park
  • Langley Fork Park
  • Langley Oaks Park
  • Lewinsville Center Park
  • Lewinsville Park
  • Linway Terrace Park
  • Marie Butler Leven Preserve
  • McLean Central Park
  • McLean Knolls Park
  • Potomac Hills Park
  • Salona Park
  • Saucy Branch (McLean High) Park

McLean – 22102

  • Falstaff Park
  • Greenway Heights Park
  • Holladay Field
  • Ken Lawrence Park
  • McLean Hamlet Park
  • McLean Hunt Estates Park
  • Park at Tysons II
  • Scotts Run Nature Preserve
  • Spring Hill Park
  • Timberly Park
  • Tollbrook Ridge Park

Oakton – 22124

  • Blake Lane School Site
  • Borge Street Park
  • Oakborough Square Park
  • Oakton Community Park

Springfield – 22150

  • Brookfield Park
  • Byron Avenue Park
  • Franconia Park
  • Hooes Road Park
  • Lake Accotink Park
  • Lee High Park
  • Loisdale Park
  • Lynbrook Park
  • Monticello Woods Park
  • Springfield Forest Park
  • Springvale Park
  • Trailside Park

Springfield – 22151

  • Deerlick Park
  • Edsall Park
  • Flag Run Park
  • Kings Park
  • Leewood Park
  • North Springfield Park
  • Royal Ridge Park

Springfield – 22152

  • Cardinal Forest Park
  • Carrleigh Parkway Park
  • Fairfax Park
  • Greentree Village Park
  • Hidden Pond Park
  • Hunter Village Park
  • Orange Hunt Estates Park
  • Rolling Forest Park
  • Shannon Station Park
  • West Springfield Park
  • West Springfield Village Park

Springfield – 22153

  • Chapel Acres Park
  • Cherry Run Park
  • Huntsman Park
  • Rollingwood School Site
  • Saratoga Park
  • South Run District Park

Vienna – 22027

  • Dunn Loring Park

Vienna – 22180

  • Cunningham Park
  • Peterson Lane Park

Vienna – 22181

  • Ashlawn Park
  • Fox Hunters Park
  • Kemper Park
  • Lawyers Road Park
  • Nottoway Park

Vienna – 22182

  • Ashgrove Historic Site
  • Briarcliff Park
  • Clarks Crossing Park
  • Eudora Park
  • Foxstone Park
  • Freedom Hill Park
  • Heritage Resources Park
  • Lahey Lost Valley Park
  • Raglan Road Park
  • Symphony Hills Park
  • Tamarack Park
  • Tysons Woods Park
  • Waverly Park
  • Wolf Trails Park
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