Tucked behind a thick plot of forest, just about a mile from bustling Baltimore Avenue, the waters of Lake Artemesia fill with kayakers and anglers during the summer as cyclists and hikers exercise on the trails surrounding it.

“It’s really peaceful and quiet here,” Lor Saenz, a Lanham resident who frequents the trails, said. 

For most locals, Lake Artemesia Natural Area at Lakeland, located in both College Park and Berwyn Heights, is the perfect spot to unwind and spend time in nature year-round, but especially during warm-weather months.

“I come here to kind of like blank out and just be,” Xyla McDowell, a Silver Spring resident who visits Lake Artemesia monthly, said.

A paved, ADA-accessible, 1.35-mile hiker-biker trail loops around the lake and connects to surrounding trails, drawing runners, walkers, cyclists and birders. 

Fishing is open year-round, making it one of the most popular pastimes at Lake Artemesia, which the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stocks with rainbow and golden trout every spring. Anglers can cast lines from the shore, from the park’s piers or from a metal dock that extends into the middle of the lake. 

“It’s a great activity for children,” Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) Park Ranger Ben Sweet said. “It’s a great activity for families and individuals that want to come out and spend some time at the lake.” 

Anglers 16 and older must purchase a nontidal/freshwater fishing license through DNR and may take up to five trout home each day. Younger children do not need a license.

“The park rangers are really big into education, so we’re always going around talking to people about the environment and why it’s important,” Sweet said. 

The lake is a habitat for wildlife, including osprey and wood ducks. Prince George’s Audubon Society and Patuxent Bird Club organize bird walks at the lake twice a month.

“It’s just a beautiful sight to see new habitat and new life at Lake Artemesia,” Sweet said. 

Two major rules apply: Swimming and private boats are not allowed in the lake. 

“A lot of people are not aware that Lake Artemesia has some very deep areas … that could be up to 30 [feet] or deeper,” Sweet said. “We have to make sure that we do not allow anyone to go on the lake, especially when the lake has ice on it.”

Visitors can rent kayaks at the lake by downloading an app called Rent.Fun and using it to unlock a locker containing a hard plastic kayak, paddles and life jacket. Two-hour rentals, costing $25, are available during summer from sunup to sundown for visitors age 13 and up. 

“It’s nice to have a place like this accessible near campus,” University of Maryland student Nicholas Dunford said. “It’s just a great place to walk through the woods, get some sun, get some exercise, and you get to see a beautiful lake.”