Prince William Forest Park - Virginia

Address:18100 Park Headquarters Road
Triangle, Virginia
Tel: (703) 221-4706

Explore an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC. Enjoy 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails which traverse the 15,000 acre Prince William Forest Park.

Prince William Forest Park has evidence of human history which dates back to 8,000 B.C., but the real treasure at the park lies in the opportunity for outdoor recreation. The park is mostly Piedmont forest, with several streams flowing through, and features the Chopawamsic Backcountry Area, Quantico Creek and South Fork, waterfalls, and many small streams, 18 miles of which are open for fishing bluegill, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass and channel catfish. If you're visiting during the winter months, there's great opportunity for cross-country skiing & snowshoeing, aw well as wildlife viewing along ridges and into ravines where you can see animals as they move through the winter landscape.

The Prince William Forest Park has 37 miles of hiking trails, and there are 4 campgrounds and over 100 cabins for those who want to stay some extra time. And if you do stay the night, be sure to check out the summertime Saturday night campfire programs or visit the visitor center to talk to a park ranger and watch the park movie.

To get th prince William Forest Park from Washington, D.C., take I-95 south to exit 150-B (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). The park entrance is the second right.

Established in 1936, Prince William Forest Park, located in Prince William County, Virginia, is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region at over 15,000+ acres. Today, the park is a window into the past, a view of what much of the east coast once looked like centuries ago.
The park serves as the largest example of eastern piedmont forest in the National Park System (one of the most heavily altered ecosystems in North America). The park also protects the Quantico Creek watershed. It is a sanctuary for numerous native plant and animal species.
The park's cultural resources are also varied. They include the remnants of Joplin and Hickory Ridge, two small communities existing prior to the park's establishment and the works of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), who built the facilities, roads and lakes during the 1930s. The U.S. Army's Office of Strategic Services (OSS) used the land exclusively for training spies and radio operators between 1942 and 1945.