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Firewood
Outside firewood is prohibited in Prince William Forest Park, unless it is certified USDA 'bug free' firewood. Any dead and downed wood can be collected in the park for in-park use. Help us protect the forest from invasive species!
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Oak Ridge Campground B and C Loops Full 5/26
The B and C Loops of Oak Ridge Campground are full for Saturday night, May 26th. A loop is a first come, first served loop of the campground so you can arrive early to get a site. Call the visitor center from 9 to 5 for a current A Loop site count.
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Sold Out of the Military Pass
We have sold out of our cache of the new InterAgency Military Pass. We have ordered 500 more and will post here and on our facebook/twitter pages when our shipment arrives.
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Warm Wet Spring = More Ticks
Please check yourself and your pets for ticks continually during and after your visit. Ticks are less prevelent if you stay on trail or in mowed areas. Wearing light colored clothing helps you spot them before the attach.
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Warm Wet Spring = More Ticks
Please check yourself and your pets for ticks continually during and after your visit. Ticks are less prevelent if you stay on trail or in mowed areas. Wearing light colored clothing helps you spot them before the attach.
North Valley Trail
National Park Service Burma Road bridge and adjacent foot bridge North Valley Trail (2.6 miles, 4.2 km) North Valley Trail is a beautiful, moderately-difficult hike that follows alongside Quantico Creek. The trail can be reached from many different areas. To take the trail from north to south, follow Burma Road down from Scenic Drive for about 10 minutes until you reach a road bridge and an adjacent foot bridge. Go over the road bridge and the trail head will be to your immediate right. Follow the light blue blazes to remain on North Valley Trail.
National Park Service Footbridge North Valley Trail is one of the park's longer trails with many opportunities to connect up with other trails and fire roads. These include Burma Road, Lake One Road, Quantico Falls Trail, Cabin Branch Mine Trail, Pyrite Mine Road, and South Valley Trail. Not too far down from Burma Road, you will come upon a small footbridge crossing over Quantico Creek 
National Park Service (Above) Trail surrounded by mountain laurel. (Below) Birch tree As you travel down the path you will notice the many different types of plants and trees. This particular part of Prince William Forest Park is heavily populated with mountain laurel, different oak species, and birch trees. 
National Park Service (Above)Moss on a downed log (Below)Moss and Fungus on the edge of Quantico Creek Near the creek's edge, the moist environment and many downed logs provides wonderful conditions for moss and fungus to grow. This not only provide good habitat for moss and fungus, but also habitat for many of the park's animal life. 
National Park Service Footbridge 
National Park Service Footbridge and Quantico Creek As you travel back in the woods you will cross over Lake One Road and Quantico Falls Trail. About 20 minutes after leaving the creek's edge, you will meet back up with Quantico Creek and pass the end of Quantico Falls Trail. 
National Park Service Quantico Falls Shortly after meeting back up with Quantico Creek and passing Quantico Falls trail for the second time, you will come upon Quantico Falls. Though small, the falls make for a great view and resting point. 
National Park Service Blue Blazes of North Valley Trail As you are traveling along North Valley Trail, be careful of tree roots and slippery conditions. With the trail being so close to the creek, erosion has become a problem in a few areas. 
National Park Service Quantico Creek Shortly after the falls, the trail levels out and remains relatively flat for the remainder of the hike. 
National Park Service Beaver activity There are many small tributaries that you will come upon along North Valley Trail. Keep your eyes open for beaver activity. 
National Park Service Pyrite Mine Foundation About 20 minutes south of Quantico Falls, you will come upon a series of old foundations. These are the foundations of the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine's three main buildings. The Boiler Room supplied power to run the mine. Machinery in need of repair would travel on a spur of a railway track to the Machine Shop and Engine Room. 
National Park Service (Above) Old Pyrite Mine foundation After passing the foundations, cross over a small bridge on the left towards the Old Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine viewing platform. About five minutes down the trail, you can look across the creek to see the open hill side where the mine use to operate. One foundation still remains on the hillside. During the mine’s operation, more than 200,000 long tons of pyrite was brought to the surface and processed into sulfuric acid and used in making soap, fertilizer, and gunpowder. 
National Park Service Foundation near Pyrite Mine Just after the boardwalk ends, the foundation of the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine's Commissary building can be seen on the left. From here it is only a short walk to the Pyrite Mine Road bridge, where the North Valley Trail trail ends. From here you can access Pyrite Mine Road or South Valley Trail. |
Did You Know?
Prince William Forest Park preserves the largest inventory of Civilian Conservation Corps structures (153) in the National Park System. Four of the five cabin camps are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as historic districts.