Elklick Woodlands Natural Area Preserve
Elklick Woodlands Natural Area Preserve is a protected 226-acre area in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is owned and managed by the Fairfax County Park Authority and kept safe with a local conservation easement.
The preserve protects a rare forest type called northern hardpan basic oak-hickory forest. This forest grows on diabase soil with a dense clay layer that swells and shrinks with moisture, making conditions tough for trees.
Because of these conditions, the trees stay short and the canopy is open, which allows many grasses and wildflowers to grow underneath. This forest used to be common in northern Virginia but has disappeared in many places due to development. Elklick Woodlands is one of Virginia’s most diverse upland forests.
The tree canopy includes white oak, pignut hickory, white ash, tulip poplar, eastern red cedar, and Virginia pine. The trees are usually about 20 feet shorter than typical forest trees in the region. The understory plants include redbud, ironwood, flowering dogwood, and hawthorn.
Public access has no facilities; visitors must arrange a visit with the Fairfax County Park Authority in advance. The preserve is part of the Elklick Preserve and is connected to other greenspace, including the nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:58 (CET).