Hillandale Recreation Area

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Parks

Maryland

Nearby: Paint Branch Park Powder Mill Community Park

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Hillandale Recreation Area is a popular destination in Montgomery County, Maryland, for outdoor enthusiasts and families.

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Summary

It covers over 130 acres and offers a variety of activities, including hiking, picnicking, fishing, and bird watching.

One of the main attractions at Hillandale Recreation Area is the lake, which is stocked with fish for catch-and-release fishing. Visitors can rent boats and kayaks in the summer months, or simply relax on the sandy beach. The park also offers numerous trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

Other points of interest at Hillandale Recreation Area include the historic Hillandale Schoolhouse, which was built in 1916 and is now a museum, and the Hillandale Golf Course, which is adjacent to the park.

Interesting facts about Hillandale Recreation Area include its designation as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat, thanks to its abundant flora and fauna. Visitors can see a variety of birds, including woodpeckers, warblers, and raptors, as well as small mammals such as rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks.

The best time of year to visit Hillandale Recreation Area is during the spring and fall, when temperatures are mild and the foliage is at its most colorful. However, the park is open year-round and offers winter activities such as ice fishing and sledding.

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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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