Claude Moore Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Claude Moore Park is a 357-acre natural park located in Sterling, Virginia.
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Summary
It is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts due to its various recreational activities, including hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking.
One of the main attractions of the park is the 18th-century Claude Moore farm, which is a living history site that offers visitors a glimpse into the daily life of a farming family during the colonial era. The farm features a farmhouse, a tobacco barn, a kitchen garden, and various farm animals, including cows, pigs, and chickens.
Another highlight of the park is the nature center, which has interactive exhibits that teach visitors about the local flora and fauna. The nature center also has a butterfly garden, bird-watching stations, and a pond with turtles and fish.
Other points of interest in the park include a fishing pond, a playground, and several miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through the forested areas of the park.
Interesting facts about the park include that it was the site of a former Nike missile site during the Cold War and that it was originally owned and operated by the Moore family, who were influential in the development of the Sterling area.
The best time of year to visit Claude Moore Park is during the spring and fall when the weather is mild, and the foliage is at its peak. However, the park is open year-round, and each season offers its unique activities and sights.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
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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