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Friends of Mason Neck State Park
2025 "Picture the Magic"
Photo Contest
Photo by Randy Streufert
The Friend’s 2025 Picture the Magic photography contest is now open for submissions. We’re looking for images that highlight the park’s magic such as striking images of Mason Neck State Park’s scenery, flora, fauna, and aquatic activities.
For this year’s contest, only images taken by young photographers will be eligible for a cash prize.
The young photographer (someone under 18 as of October 15, 2025) who submits the best image will receive a $300 prize and be designated the Grand Prize winner. The next top three submissions will earn the young photographers $200 each. Each photographer is eligible to receive only one cash prize.
The top four submissions by adults will be awarded Grand Prize, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, but will not receive cash awards.
The best youth and adult photos will be published in our newsletter, website, and social media.
The Photo Contest closes on October 15, 2025, Prize winners will be notified by October 31, 2025.
2024 Grand Prize Winning Photograph by Peter Thiringer
Here are the 2025 Photography Contest rules.pdf
And here is a downloadable 2025 Picture the Magic Entry Form.docx
All-terrain Wheelchair
The Park has a Trackmaster All-Terrain battery-powered wheelchair available for guests with limited mobility. The chair can be used on most of the park's trails, and is available without charge. Call the Park at 703-339-2385 for more information.
Join the Fight Against Disposable Plastic
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park are doing their part to slow the production and disposal of plastics. Plastic bottles take as long as 450 years to decompose in the environment. Before they do, they break down into "micro-plastic" bits that are eaten by animals and can end up in our own bodies. On land, plastic adversely affects soil fertility, and can choke our streams and rivers.
Mason Neck State Park also is committed to reducing the use of disposable plastic bottles and has installed water bottle filling stations at the Visitor Center and the picnic area.
Do your part too: find ways to limit your use of disposable plastics, including those grocery store bags that have a typical useful life of 15 minutes -- the time to get from store to home -- and take 1000 years to decompose in a landfill.
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park
The Friends of Mason Neck State Park is a Section 501(c) (3) organization that works to conserve, enhance and interpret the park’s natural, educational, recreational and cultural resources. The Friends provide financial support for the park’s activities, and its volunteers assist at the park’s events and activities. The Friends also sponsor events designed to showcase the park; publish a monthly newsletter and website that highlight events at the park; and work to improve the accessibility of the park.
You can donate to the Friends here.
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Mason Neck State Park is located on the Mason Neck peninsula in southeastern Fairfax County, Virginia. The Park's wetlands, forest, water, ponds, and fields are home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles, osprey, geese, ducks, swans, and other birds living on or near the Potomac River, Kane's Creek, and Belmont Bay.
The Park has hiking trails, three miles of paved multi-use trails, a large picnic area, a playground, a car-top canoe and kayak launch, and a visitor center. Canoe, kayak, and bicycle rentals are available.Y
