Good Hope Park

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Parks

Maryland

Nearby: Colesville Park Upper Paint Branch Park

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Good Hope Park is a 1,000-acre recreational park located in Montgomery County, Maryland.

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Summary

The park offers various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, picnicking, and camping. Visitors can also enjoy bird watching, wildlife observation, and nature photography in the park's natural setting.

One of the main attractions of the park is the 75-acre Lake Needwood, which is an excellent spot for fishing and boating. Visitors can rent paddle boats, rowboats, and canoes to explore the lake's calm waters. There are also several hiking trails around the lake, with varying difficulty levels for different skill levels.

Good Hope Park also has a golf course and a mini-golf course for golf enthusiasts. The park's picnic areas are equipped with grills, tables, and restrooms, making it a perfect spot for families and groups to enjoy a picnic lunch with a scenic view.

Interesting facts about the park entail it being home to a variety of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, foxes, raccoons, and various bird species. The park was also used as a filming location for the popular TV show, The X-Files.

The best time to visit Good Hope Park is during the spring and fall seasons when the weather is mild, and the leaves change color, providing a beautiful backdrop for outdoor activities. Additionally, visiting during weekdays or early mornings on weekends can help avoid crowds and allow visitors to enjoy the park's natural beauty in peace.

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.

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