About Us
Friends of Royal Lake (FORL) is a volunteer group of individuals that work to help preserve, protect, and improve Royal Lake and its surrounding parkland in Fairfax, Virginia.
Our Friends group works with the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) to support, enhance, and advocate for specific parks and lake projects that are most important to the FORL community. Our voice is more strongly heard when we come together as a community and we pool our energy and expertise.
In the eyes of the FCPA, we are a Park Volunteer Team (PVT) and our relationship with them is mutually beneficial. They provide liability coverage for all the work FORL undertakes in the parks and we help them with projects that they are not able to do for one reason or another. This donation in kind to the county of our “sweat equity” can result in greater support from the county.
FORL also works closely with the Kings Park West Civic Association (KPWCA) for coordination of joint activities. In addition, KPWCA provides some funds for FORL-related activities.
Our Mission
FORL’s mission is to preserve Royal Lake and its surrounding parks' ecosystems, while helping to maintain the park’s varied open green space, woodlands, lake, and stream landscapes.
​
In addition, FORL seeks to promote the varied recreation offerings provided by the parks for small groups, families, and individuals, thereby inspiring community use and involvement in taking care of the parks.
Royal Lake Park
Introduction taken from Fairfax County "Small Lakes" section: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/small-lakes
​5344 Gainsborough Drive, Fairfax
​
Royal Lake Park is a 46-acre park not far from the intersection of Guinea Road and Burke Road in Fairfax. The park has a J-shaped, 38-acre lake. There are street entries and parking lots at each end of the “J.” The park also is accessible from area hiking trails.
​
Lakeside Park is near the top of the J at the Pommeroy Drive entrance to Royal Lake, where there are picnic tables, a playground, a basketball court, a multi-purpose athletic field, trashcans and parking. A one and three-quarter mile loop trail around the lake begins from the parking lot. You can stretch that to almost two miles by taking optional side trails, such as hiking along the top of the nearly quarter-mile dam instead of along its base. Bikes are prohibited on the natural-surface trail, which has steep grades in spots, steps, quite a few tree roots, and even a tree or two in the middle of the path. There are a few benches along the trail for a quick rest.
​
The developed area at Royal Lake Park off Eastlake Drive on the short, northwest wing of the lake’s J-shape includes a parking lot, a playground, a basketball court and tennis courts. The maintenance access road leading to the lake is not available for boat launching. Concerts are held next to the lake in the summer.
​
There is a small, natural area, and wildlife watchers may see turtles, signs of beaver, squirrels, ducks, geese and other waterfowl.
​
The 38-acre lake was dredged in 2016. A fish save was conducted at the lake in October 2015 prior to the dredging. Staff relocated juvenile bass and crappie to Brookfield Pond along with a large number of bluegill and redear sunfish. Lakes Barton and Braddock received all the large game fish along with a considerable number of juveniles and various forage species.
​
The Park Authority occasionally conducts nature programs at Royal Lake, including campfire programs. The park has a Friends support group – The Friends of Royal Lake.
​