Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, McLean: Photos, Reviews & Location

Multiple trails fill these 336 riverfront acres of woodlands popular for hiking & wildlife viewing.

At a glance

#10 of 18 Tourist attractions in McLean

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.60

2.0 km from the center of McLean

Rating breakdown

5 ★71%
4 ★21%
3 ★4%
2 ★2%
1 ★2%

7400 VA-193, McLean, VA 22102, United States

fairfaxcounty.gov

+1 703-759-9018

Photos of Scott’s Run Nature Preserve (86)

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Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, McLean – photo 1

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Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, McLean – photo 12

Quick facts

What is the rating of Scott’s Run Nature Preserve?: Scott’s Run Nature Preserve is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 1,885 reviews.
How does Scott’s Run Nature Preserve rank in McLean?: Scott’s Run Nature Preserve is #10 of 18 Tourist attractions in McLean by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Scott’s Run Nature Preserve located?: 7400 VA-193, McLean, VA 22102, United States — 2.0 km from the center of McLean.
How can I contact Scott’s Run Nature Preserve?: Phone: +1 703-759-9018 · Website: fairfaxcounty.gov

Reviews (8)

Sarah Covelli 2023 Aug 08

This place had several trails. I read other review before going and stuck to a know easier trail and really enjoyed the visit! Just beautiful!

Kikumi Phelps 2023 Aug 06

Beautiful spot - free parking. Easy walk that will still get your heart pumping. You’re not supposed to go in the water but plenty do and jump off the rocks by the waterfall. It’s a short one but plenty of other things to do nearby.

Annabella Covalucci 2023 Jul 23

This place is so beautiful and is a great hiking spot if you want tree covered trails, however some of the trails are really steep and would not be good for elderly or younger children. Also it’s so sad that people litter beautiful places so kept an eye out for glass. Overall great hiking trail.

T D 2023 Jun 07

Decided to go here on Memorial day weekend. Great Falls was just to packed and crowded. You can probably finish this trail within an hour or shorter. Its short but has a variety of everything. High steep incline and decline. You can take your time and finish since the distance is very short. There's a small cliff/waterfall that's not bad. Some ppl came early and sat at the top having a picnic. If you want a quick getaway into nature, its not a bad pick me upper to gather your thoughts and get away.

Edmond Joe 2023 May 30

Such a great place to take a nature hike and see the Potomac River. The trails are nicely cleared. The paths are straightforward to follow. Lots of trees. Lots of nature. All free of charge!

Jisu Zuri Kim 2023 May 26

The park itself is extremely beautiful, and the hiking trails are extremely pleasant to walk or run. You can easily spend a few hours exploring all the different paths, flowers, and views of the Potomac River.

One gripe I have about this park is parking. The small parking lot near the expressway is tiny and fits only a few cars. The larger one at the corner of the preserve is much larger, but it's extremely narrow.

If you come very early in the morning, you'll have no problem finding parking. But the lots will be full by the time you finish your hike. Come later in the morning and you'll have trouble even coming into the parking lot. If you manage to drive in and find a parking spot, you'll have trouble driving out. I had to sit and wait about 30 mins for the cars to clear out because there was one driver who just couldn't maneuver their car in the narrow space between the parked cars and traffic, so everyone was held up the entire time until someone stepped up and pulled the car out for them.

Amanda Yang 2023 May 16

Our dogs loved it here! So many interesting smells, fun spots to splash in the water, and the trail itself is awesome for them - many different textures (rocks, sand, dirt, etc) and hills & bends to trek through. They were thoroughly happy and tired after an hour of sniffing and exploring! We missed the turn for the first parking lot and ended up at a different lot than we had planned so definitely keep your eyes peeled for the entrance.

Also - if you’re bringing your dogs, there weren’t any pet waste stations or trash bins along the trail that we were on (to the falls) so we ended up carrying their waste bags with us the entire time.

mei brown 2022 Sep 11

After 24 hours rainfall yesterday. The river has much more water volume。We decide to park next to the river , was 7:45 am. Only few spots left. Came here many times and always hard to find parking spots. Weekend is worse. Hiking trails are wet. Bc the rain. If you prepare the right shoes, were you should not any problem. Saw some trash and cans on the blue trail. Please don’t be a jerk. Leaving nothing behind. Respect to yourself and others. We picked up what we saw. Along the way out.Bag full!