Pohick Bay Regional Park gears up for summer season

As Memorial Day weekend rapidly approaches, Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton is preparing to extend its marina hours and wrap up the renovation of the main restroom, shower and laundry building serving its family campground.

According to park manager Brad Jackson, Comfort Station #1 is nearly done with its upgrade, which includes an updated exterior façade and interior bathrooms, new partitions, showers, fixtures, tile work and walls. The facility should be ready just in time for the official start of camping season, which promises to be busy.

Comfort Station #1 renovations in early 2022 (Credit: Pohick Bay Regional Park)

“As a whole, everything is nearing capacity for summer,” said Jackson, who attributed the increase in bookings to the pandemic trend of spending more time in nature. Busy campgrounds have become “the new normal,” he said.

Starting Memorial Day weekend, Pohick Bay’s marina will be open Fridays and holidays in addition to having expanded hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Visitors can rent pedal boats, single and double kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. The park occasionally offers guided paddling tours.

Besides the marina and a boat launch, Pohick Bay Regional Park has fishing, hiking trails, shelters, mini golf and disc golf. Pohick Bay Golf Course and Pirate’s Cove Waterpark are also nearby.

“The pandemic has gotten more people out in the parks, and Pohick Bay has a variety of opportunities,” said Jackson.