Winkler Botanical Preserve

This is a lovely little preserve right in the midst of Alexandria. You can’t pretend you’re not in the city thanks to the traffic noise and buildings, but it’s a nice nearby escape nonetheless. No dogs allowed.

It is pretty quiet and hidden in Alexandria but it’s nothing special. The walk is sort of boring and fairly short. It is located behind what looks like low income housing and the area is shady at night.
If you have nothing better to do and life very close then it’s worth checking out. If you can, go to Great Falls.

Such a relaxing little preserve nestled between neighborhoods in Alexandria. Too bad the hours barely allow me to partake :-(

I’m particularly fond of natural areas set in among concrete-​and-​asphalt urban environments, so I made a point of visiting this little bit of urban nature just off 395. And I’m so glad I did; it’s a pleasant and restful place, intimate yet still spacious. It has the feeling of being in a little «bowl». As another reviewer noted, it’s great for strolling with family or with your sweetie. A great place to stop off for a dose of greenery that offers respite from hard surfaces.

The entrance is not obvious and driving through the apartment complex, you might almost think to turn back because you went the wrong way — keep going. There are about 5 or 6 parking spots right inside the gates, geese and ducks hanging out in the large pond, and a few little bridges. It’s pretty and peaceful. Will totally be back!

This is a beautiful, well-​maintained little park in the middle of a bustling, jam-​packed residential area. You’d never, ever know it was here unless someone told you, or you got curious about that green patch on Google Maps.
It’s not for camping or picnicking or anything really, except for walking around with your sweetie or family. I can’t imagine it’d take anyone more than an hour to see the whole park, which includes a lovely little man-​made waterfall and some cute bridges and stone outcroppings. It’s just a nice retreat in the middle of the city.
There’s a lodge-​type building and a challenge course. The internet is ridiculously not forthcoming on information about these things, but if you had the wherewithal, I’m sure you could procure the information.
I’m glad the Friends of Winkler managed to save this space — it’s definitely somewhere I’ll return to when I need a breath of fresh air.

The Winkler Botanical Preserve is incredibly well-​hidden in plain sight: between 395 and Seminary Road, nestled amidst upscale townhouses, worn-​out apartments, Mark Center office park, and the colossal BRAC building. It’s 44 acres of flora indigenous to the area, with well-​maintained meandering paths, water features incorporating suburban storm water runoff, and a Ropes course used by local schools… right smack in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Alexandria.
The Winkler Preserve is a great place to get away from it all in the heart of it all. Of course, its location means that you can’t *quite* escape the woosh of cars on the highways and byways. And you can’t *quite* escape the sight of buildings, especially the towering new BRAC. But the Winkler remains a super convenient place to take a leisurely stroll (don’t come expecting a vigorous workout) among shade trees and an abundance of flowers in spring and summer, and to spot birds you don’t normally see in the middle of the city like Blue Heron and Eastern Towhee. Because it’s a wildlife preserve, however, no pets are allowed.
VDOT threatened for awhile to destroy nearly ¹⁄₃ of this already small preserve in order to build an on/​off-​ramp from 395 directly to the BRAC building (its construction already impedes upon Winkler’s perimeters as it is). It would have been a major loss for Alexandrians, not to mention all manner of wildlife. But Friends of the Winkler mobilized enough community outcry that it appears VDOT has dropped these plans, leaving the Winkler Botanical Preserve for northern Virginians to enjoy indefinitely.