Seneca Creek State Park

Seneca Creek State Park is a nature reserve in Montgomery County, Maryland, covering roughly 25 square kilometers along a winding creek that flows through woodlands and meadows. The terrain shifts between dense tree stands and open areas that provide habitat for deer, birds, and smaller mammals.

The area became a protected park starting in 1958, with most land parcels added between 1965 and 1968. Camping and recreation facilities were developed toward the end of the 1960s.

The restored schoolhouse displays wooden benches and chalkboards from when quarry families lived in the area. Children used this space for learning before many later joined the stone-cutting workforce.

More than 80 kilometers of trails cross the grounds and work well for walking, cycling, and horseback riding. The park opens from March through October, usually in the morning and closing at sundown.

The old quarry pit from 1837 supplied red sandstone for the Smithsonian Castle in Washington and remains preserved as a protected ground monument. Visitors can still see the steep cutting walls and tool marks left by workers.

Location: Montgomery County

Inception: 1958

Elevation above the sea: 63 m

Operator: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Park Service

Address: 11950 Clopper Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Opening Hours: March-October 08:00-sunset; November-February 10:00-sunset

Phone: +13019242127

Email: senecacreek.statepark@maryland.gov

Website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/seneca.aspx

GPS coordinates: 39.14500,-77.25640

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28