Silver Lake Regional Park in Haymarket, Virginia is a peaceful escape into nature, offering over 230 acres of scenic beauty. Other than its tranquil 23-acre lake which is open for fishing and non-motorized boats, it also features 4 miles of multipurpose trails.
As a family photographer, Silver Lake Park is one of our favorite locations for photoshoots. It offers a stunning mix of open fields, wooded trails, and a peaceful lakefront. And depending on the time of the year, you can also find beautiful seasonal landscapes here.
Location & Logistics
Address: 15800 Silver Lake Rd, Haymarket, VA 20169
There will be a fork in the road once you see the lake, but that is not the entrance to the actual park. Stay in the right lane and continue driving until you see a parking lot with a brick house on the left.
Cost: Free
Hours: Silver Lake Regional Park is open from 7:00 am to sunset
Parking: Parking is limited. Based on my personal experience, Saturdays are pretty busy. If you’re going here on a Saturday, I recommend arriving earlier than you need to be to ensure you are able to get a parking spot.
Dog-friendly: Yes
Family Friendly Park
Silver Lake Park is a family-friendly destination in Prince William County, VA which is perfect for outdoor adventures and making memories with your favorite people. In addition to being open to the public for fishing, the park also offers family-friendly programs like archery, guided hikes, and summer camps for kids.
Silver Lake Park Photoshoot Spots
Silver Lake Regional Park is one of our favorite locations to photograph our clients at. Its simple beauty is the perfect backdrop to allow the families to shine.
Timeless Open Field
Of the different photo spots at this park, this is probably my favorite area because of how it looks depending on the different times of the year. You’ll have some view of the lake and there are various trees that provide stunning visual interest for the photos. Not to mention that it’s the perfect spot for little kids to run around in and playfully make memories with their families.
Peaceful Lake
Of course, you cannot go here and not enjoy the beauty of the lake, right? There are multiple spots that you can use to give you different vantage point of the lake. And I have to say that all of them are equally beautiful. My personal favorite spot to have the lake in the background is to stay within the open field right next to it because it gives us a clear view of the like while giving my little clients plenty of space to be themselves.
Rustic Bridge
There is a small wooden bridge from the open field leading to the fishing area that is really cute to take photos at. However, there is a lot of foot traffic in this bridge; because most of the people who go at the park for photos use it, as well as the people who are fishing. If the park isn’t too crowded, I think this particular spot could work for family photos with little kids. Otherwise since you’d have to wait for your turn to use it, I would only recommend this spot for maternity sessions without an older sibling, as well as senior sessions.
Secluded Trails
I don’t see a lot of people using the trails for photoshoots nor hiking which makes it a great spot for photo sessions of any kind. This spot gets a lot of light during the day. However, this is not my favorite spot to do photos at because of all the green color cast you’ll get especially in spring and summer. But of course, if a client asks for photos here, we make it happen.
Why Photographers Love Silver Lake Park
Apart from all the beautiful spots Silver Lake Regional Park offers, Prince William County doesn’t charge a permit to do photoshoots here. They also allow the use of props within the park which is great for cake smash sessions. However, it goes without saying that you need to be respectful of the park and the people who manage it. If you are bringing any props, food & drinks, or anything during your visit, please make sure to clean up after yourself.
Seasonal Landscapes
Silver Lake Park transforms with each season, offering a fresh and ever-changing landscape.
Spring
In spring, the whole park becomes alive. Everything is just lush and vibrant. Although I wouldn’t necessarily go at Silver Lake Regional Park to see flowers because there aren’t many here, depending on the time of your visit in spring, you might be lucky and see a few of them in bloom.
Summer
The park is at its peak during the summer, bursting with life and color. The trees have fully grown providing nice shade during the heat of summer. The open fields are vibrant, while the lake shimmers under the bright sky.
Fall
I am pretty biased because fall is my favorite season; but Silver Lake Park is truly beautiful in fall. During the peak foliage season, the leaves turn into fiery golden yellow and orange giving us that warmth and richness that we long for in autumn. A few weeks later as the season shifts, the vibrant colors fade into soft, muted brown creating a more peaceful and rustic beauty.
However, depending on the weather, the winds here can get incredibly strong. This is something to keep in mind for photoshoots, as gusts can easily send hair flying into faces.
Winter
Winter at Silver Lake Park has a soft, understated beauty. While the trees stand bare, the open field has this muted green hue, blending seamlessly with earthy brown tones, especially with the scattered fallen leaves. The whole park takes on this gentle, golden brown glow. And it’s just the perfect landscape to document those special moments; not to mention that it is just as captivating as the more colorful seasons.
Loved Silver Lake Park?
If Silver Lake Park speaks to you, let’s chat and see if this is the perfect location for your photo session.
Keep The Fun Going
Making memories with my family is one of my favorite things to do. Whenever we have a photoshoot that is close to our meal time, I always make it a point to take them out for a meal. It’s my way of rewarding them for doing something for me (let’s face it, I’m the reason why we do family photos every year haha), but it is also an opportunity for us to explore new places together.
If you’re interested in taking your family out for a meal after your photoshoot to extend the fun adventure, here are some places for you to check out:
Old Dominion Tavern makes their food and drinks from scratch in a friendly neighborhood setting.
Cookies & Cream serves premium hand scooped ice cream, freshly baked cookies, and specialty drinks.
Thai Pepper offers authentic Thai dishes using the freshest ingredients. If you aren’t a fan of spicy food, just tell them you need it to be “No Spice” and they can prepare it for you.
Looking for Photo Sessions Done Here?
Check out the following photo sessions done at Silver Lake Park in Haymarket, VA.
Spring Mini Session By The Lake
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‘Til next time,
Belle
