Prince William Forest Park, Visitor Center

Prince William Forest Park, Visitor Center

Prince William Forest is not only Prince William County’s, but also Northern Virginia’s largest natural park. It’s under the stewardship of the National Park Service and is one of the few examples of Piedmont forest under the National Park System. The park is almost entirely tree covered with a self-reported 37 miles of trails and gravel roads. A Visitor Center offers books, posters, and maps (including a detailed orienteering quality map of the east end of the park). The park’s two major waterways join together in the southeast part of the park, not far from the Visitor Center. Several small waterfalls and rapids can be seen on both creeks. Catoctin greenstone rocks stand vertically in many areas. The waterways are especially beautiful in the spring and fall as flowering dogwoods and changing leave colors further grace the settings. Dams north of the Visitor Center create some small lakes. The history of the park goes back to 8800 B.C. with evidence of Native Americans. Tobacco farming also took place through the late 1600's and early 1700's. The tobacco trade ended as erosion silted the mouth of Quantico Creek on the Potomac River, but other farming and milling continued. In the 19^th century, deposits from a 500 million year old volcano were discovered, and soon, in 1889, a booming mining business was underway. Extracted were Pyrite (fool’s gold), sulphur, and other elements. Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) projects created cabins in the park in the 1930's. Park materials report that in World War II, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) used land in the park to train agents to radio secret messages. More recently in 2002, the Quantico Orienteering Club (serving the greater Capital region) hosted the U.S. Classic Orienteering Championships here. They will do it again in November, 2007. The land was made into a park in 1948. Many of the roads can be mountain biked but trails are only for pedestrians.

Getting There

From the Capital Beltway

Take Exit 1, for Interstate 95 headed south. Go approximately 22 miles, then take Exit 150 bearing right for Joplin Rd. Rte. 619. Take the second right into Prince William Forest Park and pay an entrance fee at the gate. Pass the Scenic Drive on the left, instead turning left at the next opportunity into the Pine Grove picnic area. Park. and start from the gate at the entrance to the Pine Grove picnic parking area.

Area Routes

Crossing, Laurel and Birch Bluff Trails (2.3, 2.95, or 2.45 miles, II, III or II)

The Crossing Trail was an old tobacco road, used to reach Quantico Creek Bay on the Potomac River. To get there, go past the Visitor Center on the paved road toward the Telegraph Road picnic area. Park materials report George Washington and his army having marched through on the Telegraph Road, then called Potomac Path. Telegraph road itself followed an early telegraph line from Richmond to Washington and Baltimore. Once you start the Crossing Trail, the path is wide initially. Follow red blazes down to a stream crossing, then climb a significant hill up to the Laurel Trail. The Laurel Trail descends to the South Fork Quantico Creek. After only a short way on the Laurel Trail, an opportunity to extend the route on the Birch Bluff Trail will come-up on your right. The Birch Bluff Trail is wide and straight for much of the way. It also descends to South Fork Quantico Creek and gets near to the confluence with Quantico Creek. On the way upstream along South Fork Quantico Creek, it passes a small waterfall/rapids area before joining the Laurel Trail to go further up the creek. Return on either the South Orenda Rd. or the Laurel Trail to the Pine Grove Picnic area. The South Orenda Rd. is gravel and more graded. Connect to the Pine Grove picnic area at the end of it by using a paved switchback trail near the Nature Deck (for bird observation). The climb up the Laurel Trail is steeper and ends at a field before the paved parking lot.

Quantico Creeks (10.5 or 4.3 miles, X or V)

To get a real feel for Prince William Forest Park, consider going up the North Valley Trail along Quantico Creek, crossing over the ridge on the Burma and Taylor Farm Roads, then returning on the South Valley Trail along the South Fork Quantico Creek. Sounds easy right? Valleys; farm roads? Unfortunately not. Multiple steep 100 foot hills will cross your path on uneven terrain. When I did this one, I made it past the North Valley Trail’s obstacles, then in a lapse of attention from fatigue stumbled once each on the relatively benign Burma and Taylor Farm Roads. Coming back on the South Valley Trail with an ankle twist was not what I had in mind. So if you’re not an orienteer who’s used to uneven terrain, why do this one? Do it simply because these are some of the prettiest trails around Washington.

Begin with a drop to the South Fork Quantico Creek, crossing it on a suspension bridge. As you go downstream to the right on the North Valley Trail, you’ll pass some small rapids, one of which can be considered a very small waterfall. At the confluence of the South Fork into Quantico Creek, continue along the shore, now going upstream. You’ll hardly notice the difference in the direction of the flow of the water; not because the way seems flat, but because a steep climb over a bluff is required to continue. The view of the creek is nice however. Eventually, the trail levels out again and hits the Pyrite Mine Rd. Progress northward on the North Valley Trail North was once interrupted, due to clean-up efforts around the Pyrite Mine. Soil PH around the mine was equivalent to that of vinegar. The trail had been closed from 1995 through at least 1999 but can now be traveled. You can still get the extra hill by going up the Pyrite Mine Rd. After a 150 foot climb over 0.63 miles, you can turn right on the Geology Trail and descend back to Quantico Creek. To significantly shorten the overall route, continue straight on the Pyrite Mine Rd, to the Scenic Drive, then take the easy way down the North Orenda Road back to South Fork Quantico Creek. Taking the Geology Trail, pass the old mining quarters on the return to Quantico Creek. The next mile is easy but after it is an abrupt climb (125 feet over a quarter mile) that moves away from the creek. By doing this the trail avoids the area around Quantico Falls, a man-made lake, and some sharp bends in the creek with cliff-like banks (the Quantico Falls Trail does go to the falls which are pretty but the way is steep). Steep descents along gullies return you to Quantico Creek again. Pass over at least one more similar climb before crossing Quantico Creek and reaching the Burma Rd.

The Burma Road gradually climbs to the Scenic Drive. Cross the Scenic Drive and you’re on the Taylor Farm Road. Both are gravel. After a few rolling hills, the Taylor Farm Road becomes a trail and descends to the South Fork Quantico Creek, where you can begin using the South Valley Trail to return. With you now being on the south facing slope, the area is a little brighter than it is on the North Valley Trail. Along the way you’ll see Zen-like pools where odd shaped Catoctin greenstone rocks stand vertically and dogwoods bloom where the sun pokes through. Some tough hills are to be encountered as the trail veers away from the creek just as it did on the North Valley Trail; to avoid cliffs that drop into the water. The views from the tops of the cliffs are good however. Eventually, cross the Scenic Road two more times, and pass a waterfall from a side stream just before reaching the Orenda Road. From there, return to the suspension bridge and back up the hill to the Pine Grove parking area.

Left: The partially frozen South Fork Creek in Winter, 2004.

Left Most: Early Spring Solitude along the trail above Quantico Creek.

Immediate Left: A partial view off route of Quantico Falls

Nearby and Connecting Zones

Prince William Forest, Parking G

Prince William Parkway Trail, Chinn Park

What to do Afterward

Food and Drink

picnic

Montclair Family Restaurant - 703 331-4097

Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant - 703 441-1375

Brother’s Encore Italian - 703 680-0032

Entertainment and Edification

Prince William Forest Park - Turkey Run Education Center - 703 221-7181

Prince William Forest Park - Cabin Camp Reservations - 703 221-5843

Weems- Botts Museum - Dumfries - an example of 19^th century housing - 703 221-3346

Leesylvania State Park - 703 670-0372

Crossing, Laurel, and Birch Bluff Trails

Distance: 2.3, 2.95, or 2.45 miles

Rating: II, III or II; mostly natural trails with some park roads and some hills; shady

2.3 Mile Route

L 0.0 from Pine Grove parking onto the park entrance road

BR 0.15 on park road toward Telegraph Rd. picnic area; Visitor Center on L

0.3 trail X on L & R

L 0.35 Crossing Trail

0.55 trail on L merges; start red blazes

0.7 wooden bridge over gully at bottom of hill; start climbing

BR 0.9 to stay on trail; keep climbing

R 1.0 Laurel Trail; yellow & red blazes

L 1.15 to stay on Laurel Trail; Birch Bluff Trail is to R

L 1.55 at S Fork Quantico Cr to stay on Laurel Trail, Birch Bluff Trail on R

1.7 trail X on R; to bridge

<**

L 1.75 South Orenda Rd is S and R; L for Laurel Trail; start climbing

2.1 S at top of hill in field; to parking

2.2 trail to Nature Deck on R

>**

2.25 Laurel Trail head is to the L

2.3 parking & park entrance road

*2.95 Mile Route

BR 1.15 onto Birch Bluff Trail; L is to stay on Laurel Trail

BL 1.75 at S Fork Quantico Cr toward Laurel Trail; bridge on R is destroyed

2.0 waterfall/rapids on R; rocky (!)

2.15 Laurel Trail joins from L (pickup cues at mile 1.7 on 2.3 mile route)

**2.45 Mile Route

S 1.75 onto S Orenda Rd; Laurel Trail is L

L 1.75 to stay on S Orenda Rd

2.05 trail on R merges from Camp 3

L 2.15 at Nature Deck; switchbacks

R 2.35 parking (pickup cues at mile 2.25 on 2.3 mile route)

10.5 Mile Route

0.0 from the park entrance road go into the Pine Grove parking area

0.15 at end of parking, S across the field toward the concrete post

0.2 Laurel Trail head; concrete post

S 0.55 Laurel Tr goes R; S Orenda Rd on L

R 0.6 at T after suspension bridge over S Fork Quantico Cr; North Valley Trail

0.95 rapids/waterfall on R

1.2 remains of old bridge on R

L 1.3 Pyrite Mine Rd (begin climbing); confluence on R

R 1.95 Geology Trail (downhill)

L 2.35 North Valley Trail

L 3.3 at T; begin steep climb

3.5 Quantico Falls Trail

3.85 Lake One Rd

4.05 wooden bridge near bottom of hill before Quantico Creek

5.05 wooden bridge over Quantico Creek

L 5.1 Burma Rd

5.15 wooden bridge over Quantico Creek

5.6 Scenic Dr; Burma Rd becomes Taylor Farm Rd (Trail 7 sign)

6.2 Black Top Rd

6.5 High Meadows Trail

L 7.15 at T before S Fork Quantico Creek; South Valley Trail (SVT)(white blazes)

7.4 underpass of Scenic Dr

7.6 falls & rapids

BL 7.85 up steep hill that overlooks creek to stay on SVT

8.15 trail X on L to Parking C

8.6 trail X on L to Parking B

8.7 Scenic Dr

8.85 trail X on L to Turkey Run Trail

8.95 Turkey Run Trail on L

9.55 waterfall drops into creek

R 9.7 at T; N Orenda Rd

R 9.9 suspension bridge over creek to Laurel Tr; bear R at fork after bridge

9.95 Laurel Tr on L; S Orenda Rd on R

10.3 exit woods to field

10.35 Pine Grove parking

10.5 park entrance road