Looking for a pawsome place to take your pooch? Grab the leash and head over to Jones Point Park. It’s located in Old Town Alexandria right on the banks of the Potomac. Operated by the National Parks Service, this green space was once an impawtant location for Alexandria’s shipping and manufacturing industry. Today, it’s a furrific park with plenty to see and do.
Two legged visitors can enjoy the park’s basketball
courts and multi-use fields. Two playgrounds are available as are picnic tables
and the historic Jones Point Lighthouse. The park also has a couple boat
launches for kayaks and two fishing piers. While all of these amenities are
great, your pooch will be more interested in the park’s trails.
If your pooch is a history buff, follow the gravel interpretive
trail and read about the human and natural history of the area. Your doggo will
learn about the freshwater marsh habitat, local Native Americans, and the town’s
shipping and manufacturing industry. Jones Point Park also has a section of the
Mt. Vernon Trail. This 18 mile trail extends well beyond the park, so if your
pooch is bounding with energy hop on this trail and walk until they are all
tuckered out.
For something a bit more casual, head over to the
hardwood forest that neighbors the park. As they meander around these trails,
your pooch can get a healthy dose of nature. They’ll love listening to the
chirping birds and tracking the smells of all the little critters. One of the
spur trails leads down to the water’s edge, so your furry BFF can get an up
close look at the Potomac. Wherever you wander, make sure you have a clean up
bag on hand and pick up after your doggo. It’s also a good idea to carry plenty
of drinking water.
No bones about it, this park will truly make your pup’s
tail wag!