Seneca Creek State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset (Mar 1 – Oct 31)
- Entrance fee
- $3 per person ($5 nonresident)Annual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- dnr.maryland.gov(301) 924-2127
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 45 acres, Seneca Creek State Park lies in Montgomery County, about 3 miles west of Gaithersburg.
The official site lists about 50 miles of trails.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | Mar 1 – Oct 31 |
| Daily | 10 a.m. – sunset | Nov 1 – Feb 28 |
Official wording
March through October: 8 a.m. to sunset November through February: 10 a.m. to sunset
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Day-use Admission Fee: April through October: Weekends and holidays (resident) | $3 · person |
| $5 per person for out-of-state residents *plus processing fee (nonresident) | $5 · person |
| For example, a total of | $3.40 |
| For example, a total of | $3 |
| For example, a total of | $3.60 |
| For example, a total of | $4 |
| 50-person capacity | $46.75 |
| 150-person capacity | $146.75 |
| 200-person capacity | $196.75 |
| 100-person capacity | $46.75 |
| 200-person capacity | $96.75 |
| Charge: (Base rate does not include transaction or other applicable fees) | $280 |
Official wording
Hours of Operations: March through October: 8 a.m. to sunset November through February: 10 a.m. to sunset Day-use Admission Fee: April through October: • Weekends and holidays: • $3 per person for Maryland residents *plus processing fee • $5 per person for out-of-state residents *plus processing fee • Weekdays: no fee Seneca Creek State Park is now using a new point-of-sale system at the park entrance, designed to make entry more convenient and allow visitors to pay by credit or debit card. Please note that a small vendor processing fee is added to cash and credit transactions made through the new system. Paying with cash? Due to the nationwide coin shortage, the availability of coins for making change is limited. As a result, cash totals are automatically rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Amounts ending in 49 cents or less are rounded down, while amounts ending in 50 cents or more are rounded up. For example, a total of $3.40 would be rounded down to $3, while a total of $3.60 would be rounded up to $4. Credit and debit cards are charged the exact transaction total. November through March: • No fee Shelters: Charge: (Base rate does not include transaction or other applicable fees) • 50-person capacity: $46.75 • 150-person capacity: $146.75 • 200-person capacity: $196.75 Picnic Grove: Charge: (Base rate does not include transaction or other applicable fees) • 100-person capacity: $46.75 • 200-person capacity: $96.75 Visitor Center: For reservations, please call the park office at 301-924-2127 Capacity: 140 people Charge: (Base rate does not include transaction or other applicable fees) $280 Dates: Year-round, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Maryland park passes
- Maryland State Park and Trail Passport (annual) — $75 resident / $100 non-resident. Unlimited day-use entry for everyone in the vehicle (up to 10 people), unlimited boat launching, 10% concession discount Details
- Golden Age Pass (62+) — $10 processing fee, lifetime. Free day-use entry, half-price camping Sun–Thu, waived boat launch fees Details
- Universal Disability Pass. Free lifetime entrance to DNR public lands for holder + one person Details
- Youth Group Pass. Youth-group day use (not peak weekends) and youth group camping; valid two years Details
From the Maryland state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- Maryland State Park Reservation Service (parkreservations.maryland.gov); day use via parkdayuse.maryland.gov
- Phone
- 888-432-2267
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: rental boats.
• Pets are allowed in Seneca Creek State Park. • Pets, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted in rental boats.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Cabins and lodging
A restored 19th century cabin and a self-guided path interpret the history of the area.
Things to do
Swimming
Note: Swimming and wading are not permitted in Clopper Lake at Seneca Creek State Park. The closest Maryland State Parks with lifeguarded lake swimming are Cunningham Falls State Park and Greenbrier State Park.
Getting there
- Address
- 11950 Clopper Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20878 - Nearest town
- Gaithersburg — about 3 mi west (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 39.1450, -77.2564 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (301) 924-2127
- senecacreek.statepark@maryland.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Maryland State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- Maryland Park Service 'Find a State Park' directory (SharePoint HTML, links to /publiclands/Pages/{region}/{park}.aspx)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: Wea02110 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg — Public domain (US federal government work), Eileen McVey, NESDIS, NOAA Central Library
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology