Rock Hill is a small county park dominated by a fenced dog run area, a large soccer field, and parking lot. The developed areas are surrounded by about 35 acres of fallow fields which are steadily growing in — there is not much “meadow” left, around the briars, small trees, and other vegetation. Bluebird houses and a very successful Purple Martin colony house guarantee plenty of activity in the breeding season.
There are a number of cedars and oaks around the park, which usually have Orchard Orioles, and sometimes nice migrants like Scarlet Tanagers. The north side of the park adjoins Pleasant Valley Golf Course, while the west half is wooded (covering the eponymous “rocky hill”). Those woods are very open and easy to walk through. The orange-blazed trail in the woods has an access at the southwest corner of the big soccer field.
There are three other nearby trails, not technically part of Rock Hill District Park itself, but frequently birded in tandem. One path leads from a small pullout on the sharp elbow turn on Old Lee Road (directions below). From there you can walk west along the south border of the golf course, and eventually reach the aforementioned woods. This shaded path continues — and is often muddy and flooded after rain - clear through westward to Pleasant Valley Road. Along this trail you can peek into the golf course, which often has surprisingly good bird activity; you can also bushwhack into the north side of Rock Hill.
From the same pullout location, you can also head north on a wooded trail between the golf course (to the west) and Cub Run stream (to the east). That trail eventually leads around the golf course.
The third adjacent trail runs along the east side of Cub Run, east of Old Lee Road (directions below). From there you can either walk north between Cub Run and Westfields High School; or walk south along Cub Run. The latter option follows an asphalt path south through a cleared area with bluebird nest boxes, and is frequently active with sparrows, phoebes, and others.
There is a year-round pond north of the soccer field, and small marshy areas both west and east of the parking area, and south of the dog run. The marshy areas and the pond always have Red-winged Blackbirds, and have attracted many flycatchers including Olive-sided, Yellow-bellied, Acadian, Willow, and Least.
The fields have Yellow-breasted Chat, Common Yellowthroats, Prairie Warblers, and Blue Grosbeaks every summer. Barred Owls are found here all year.
Besides the designated dog run, the soccer field is frequently used by dog owners with their dogs off leash (contrary to the posted sign) and also by law enforcement K-9 teams training their dogs.
Accessibility: The main parking lot has ample space. You can walk around the dog run and the two soccer fields with ordinary shoes (beware the fields sometimes have standing puddles after rain). There are only informal paths through or around the overgrown fields — to explore them you’ll want sturdy shoes or Wellingtons. The woods on the west half of the park are very open and easy to walk through. The best access to them is at the southwest corner of the big soccer field.
There is one informal, rough path along the north boundary of the park, i.e. the south boundary of Pleasant Valley Golf Course. You can park for that path at a small pullout at the northwest corner of Old Lee Road, at 38.8823, -77.4702. A second, larger parking area (with access to asphalt paths heading both north and south along the east side of Cub Run) is on Old Lee Road, at 38.8826, -77.4692.
Check the county deer control website for the most up-to-date information on hunting in the park. There is never any hunting on Sunday. Beware of ticks at this location.
Owner/Manager: Fairfax County Park Authority
eBird Hotspot: Rock Hill District Park
—Steve Johnson, October 2020