Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
12 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
14 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
18 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
25 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Virginia McLean Burling Cabin Site
AO Edited

Burling Cabin Site

The local community brought back this land to transform it into a nature preserve.

McLean, Virginia

Added By
Ian Hall
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Burling Cabin Ruins.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Burling Cabin Ruins.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Burling Cabin Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Steep trail through the woods.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Trail blazed through the woods.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Burling Cabin Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Historical signage.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Creek crossing.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Trail map.   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Edward D. Burling, a founding partner of Covington & Burling law firm, once owned well over a 100-acre portion of the land that makes up present-day Scott's Run nature preserve. He built a cabin on the north side of the property as a place to relax and hold informal business meetings.

After Burling died in 1966, his family tried to sell the property to become a park. When that effort fell through, they sold the land to developers who planned to build luxury homes on part of the land—leaving just over half of the wooded land undisturbed. Concerned local residents joined together to stop the development.

Lobbying the government resulted in a referendum that involved local voters raising their own taxes and using the money, along with funds provided by federal and local governments to buy back the land.

All that remains of the cabin today is a large stone chimney with a bench and a trail map in the clearing where it stands, but the surrounding Scott's Run Nature Preserve still stands as a lush, beautiful example of the power of civic action. 

Related Tags

Parks History & Culture Cabins

Know Before You Go

Burling Cabin site is approximately one-half mile from Scott's Run parking lot at 7400 Georgetown Pike. It requires crossing two stretches of the creek on concrete pillars and traversing a pair of rather steep hills. Good hiking shoes are strongly recommended.

Community Contributors

Added By

blimpcaptain

Published

May 19, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Burling Cabin Site
7400 VA-193
McLean, Virginia, 22102
United States
38.965358, -77.200351
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Naval Surface Warfare Center

Bethesda, Maryland

miles away

Congressional Country Club

Bethesda, Maryland

miles away

Maryland Gold Mine Ruins

Potomac, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of McLean

McLean

Virginia

Places 3

Nearby Places

Naval Surface Warfare Center

Bethesda, Maryland

miles away

Congressional Country Club

Bethesda, Maryland

miles away

Maryland Gold Mine Ruins

Potomac, Maryland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of McLean

McLean

Virginia

Places 3

Related Places

  • Wormsloe Historic Site tree canopy.

    Savannah, Georgia

    Wormsloe State Historic Site

    The tabby ruin is Savannah’s oldest surviving structure.

    Sponsored by Visit Savannah
  • Fort De Soto Park is the largest in Pinellas County, spanning over 1,000 acres with five connected islands.

    Tierra Verde, Florida

    Fort De Soto Park

    Fascinating military history, awe-inspiring wildlife encounters, and endless outdoor adventures draw people to this sprawling park.

  • Historic Bridge Park

    Battle Creek, Michigan

    Historic Bridge Park

    Five restored historic road bridges in a park along the Kalamazoo River.

  • The Job Carr Cabin is a replica of the original 1865 cabin that founded Tacoma.

    Tacoma, Washington

    Job Carr Cabin Museum

    This Old Town cabin tells the story of Tacoma's settlement through a replica of its first non-Native building.

  • Take a break on top of the tumulus.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Suribachiyama Tumulus

    Unbeknownst to many, an ancient burial mound hides in plain sight in Ueno Park.

  • The statue, ‘Gzim och den frusna sjön’ (‘Gzim and the Frozen Lake’),  capturing the moment the boy learned he would be deported.

    Skellefteå, Sweden

    'Gzim och den frusna sjön' ('Gzim and the Frozen Lake')

    A sculpture capturing the emotional moment when a refugee boy realizes he is about to be deported.

  • Atlanta, Georgia

    1895 Exposition Steps

    Final remnants of the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition.

  • Huntington Sunken Gardens

    Huntington, Indiana

    Huntington Sunken Gardens

    A former limestone quarry has found a new life as a flourishing community garden.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.