Allentown Road Recreation Center And Park

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Last Updated: December 5, 2025

The Allentown Road Recreation Center and Park is a popular destination in Prince George's County, Maryland.


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Summary

Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities on the park's 176 acres, including hiking, fishing, and picnicking. There are also several athletic fields and courts for sports enthusiasts.

One of the main attractions of the park is the 4.7-mile hiker-biker trail, which winds through wooded areas and along streams. The park also features a large playground and a splash park for children to enjoy.

Interesting facts about the area include that it was once a hunting ground for Native Americans and later became a plantation owned by the influential Bowie family. The park is also home to the National Capital Trolley Museum, which showcases the history of trolley cars in the region.

The best time of year to visit Allentown Road Recreation Center and Park is in the spring and fall, when the weather is mild and the foliage is at its most beautiful. However, the park is open year-round and offers activities for visitors in every season.

       

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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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