Explore a park: Wakefield Park

This article is part of our Explore a Park series on parks in the Annandale/Mason District area. The most recent piece in the series was on Deerlick Park.

Wakefield Park has a wide range of athletic facilities and a network of trails along Accotink Creek.

The 292-acre park at 8100 Braddock Road in Annandale stretches from Lake Accotink Park to Americana Park on Little River Turnpike.

Wakefield Park encompasses the Audrey Moore Rec Center and portions of the Accotink Stream Valley and the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.

Features: The paved section of the Cross County Trail in Wakefield Park runs for nearly two miles between an underpass at Braddock Road and an underpass at Little River Turnpike.

There are also numerous unpaved side trails. A mountain bike course under the Dominion power lines is maintained by Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE). The all-volunteer Friends of Accotink Creek conducts periodic stream cleanups.

According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Wakefield Park is one of the best places in the state for bird watching, as it’s on a major migration route.

Outdoor sports facilities include:

• A turf field that can be used for soccer or football
• Six baseball diamonds
• Two basketball courts
• Eight tennis courts
• Two pickleball courts
• Three flexible courts that can be used for tennis or pickleball
• A skatepark

There are also two playgrounds, picnic tables, and restrooms outdoors.

The Park Authority hosts a farmers market at Wakefield Park on Wednesdays, 2-6 p.m., from May through October. In the summer, there are children’s shows on Saturday mornings.

Related story: Report recommends Audrey Moore RECenter be demolished and replaced

Audrey Moore Rec Center has these amenities:

• A 50-meter swimming pool with three diving boards
• A fitness room
• A gym that can be used for volleyball, basketball, or other sports
• Four racquetball courts that can also be used for volleyball
• One squash court
• Five classrooms that can be used for fitness classes or other purposes
• A pottery studio
• A senior center

The rec center offers classes in swimming, yoga, painting, pottery, dog obedience, sewing, esports, pickleball, and more.

Access: There’s a large parking lot at Audrey Moore Rec Center and a smaller one closer to the baseball fields. There are numerous pedestrian access points, including trail connections at Accotink Parkway, Woodlark Drive, and Americana Park.

Improvements: A plan to upgrade the Audrey Moore Rec Center is in the works. It was built in 1977, making it the oldest rec center in Fairfax County.

A 2018 report by a consultant hired by the Park Authority recommended the Audrey Moore Rec Center be demolished and replaced. A park bond approved by voters in 2020 included $2 million for design and planning. There is no timeline for the project.

The Wakefield Skate Park was built in 2004 and upgraded in 2022.

Related story: Newly upgraded skate park reopens

History: According to a Master Plan for the Accotink Stream Valley, “Accotink” is an Algonquin name and the stream was named for an Algonquin village. It is not known where it was located.

This area was part of the Ravensworth Tract, a land grant purchased by William Fitzhugh in 1685.

Historical records indicate there was a Little River Mill Race on Accotink Creek but its exact location is not known.

Audrey Moore represented the Annandale District on the Board of Supervisors. She was one of the driving forces in creating what was then called the Wakefield Rec Center. It was renamed for her in 2002.

The trail through Wakefield Park was constructed in 1979, according to a 1995 Master Plan prepared for the Park Authority.

In 2014, the Cross County Trail was named for Rep. Gerry Connolly, a former chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.