page_title: Dyke Marsh
section_title: Uses
hierarchical_section_title: Dyke Marsh / Uses
caption_attribution_description: English: Boardwalk section of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail — traversing above wetlands of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. Local access is from the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
context_page_description: Dyke Marsh is located on the west bank of the Potomac River south of Alexandria, Virginia between Old Town Alexandria and Mount Vernon. Dyke Marsh consists of about 380 acres of tidal marsh, floodplain, and swamp forest. It formed 5,000 to 7,000 years ago. With a total size of 485 acres, Dyke Marsh is one of the largest remaining pieces of freshwater tidal wetlands left in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The marsh is managed by the National Park Service as part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Dyke Marsh contains a wide array of plant and animal life. "Haul Road" is a trail that leads visitors into the marsh. It is frequented by area birdwatchers. Dyke Marsh is located off the George Washington Memorial Parkway at the Belle Haven Marina exit.
  Here the fresh water of the upper Potomac mixes with the salt water of the lower Potomac. The fresh water tends to float above the tidal salt water producing a tidal freshwater marsh.
context_section_description: Dyke Marsh is just east of the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Mount Vernon Trail. Thousands of bicyclists, walkers, and runners go through Dyke Marsh on a weekly basis on the Mount Vernon Trail. Just off of the trail, there is a sitting area on a boardwalk over the marsh. The interior path is J-shaped and goes south from the marina entrance and then turns east onto a peninsula. Birdwatchers, animal lovers, and nature enthusiasts often visit the sitting area in an effort to catch a glimpse of what Dyke Marsh has to offer. Visitors also come at night to watch the fireflies in the marsh and trees.
caption: Dyke Marsh and the Mount Vernon Trail seen from the G.W. Parkway
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