Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Visitor Center Closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

The Visitor Center will only be open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Visitor Center will also be closed on the following holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Park Closure Parking Lot E Closed for Construction

Parking Lot E is closed for construction. The park is currently working to expand this parking area, and the lot will be closed while the expansion is being built. Visitors can still access the Mary Byrd Branch Trail and Quantico Cascades Trail by following trail reroute signs and parking vehicles in Turkey Run parking area. For your safety, please follow all closures and only park in designated parking spots.

Overview

Prince William Forest Park is an oasis, a respite of quiet and calm. In 1936, Chopawamsic Recreation Area opened its gates to house children's 'relief' camps during the Great Depression. Renamed Prince William Forest Park in 1948, these fragrant woods and trickling streams have welcomed generations of campers, hikers, bikers and nature lovers. Discover Northern Virginia's best kept secret!

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Road Biking
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Car or Front Country Camping
  • Group Camping
  • RV Camping
  • Compass and GPS
  • Orienteering
  • Fishing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Hands-On
  • Volunteer Vacation
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Hunting and Gathering
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Playground
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Park Film
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Prince William Forest Park Operating Hours: Prince William Forest Park grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset for recreation use.

Fees and passes

  • Entrance - Private Vehicle — $20.00
  • Entrance - Motorcycle — $15.00
  • Entrance - Per Person — $10.00
  • Annual Entrance - Park — $35.00

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.

Getting there

From Washington, D.C. and points north: Take I-95 south to exit 150-B (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). The park entrance is the second right. From Fredericksburg and points south: Take I-95 north to exit 150 (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp and continue on VA Route 619 West approximately 1/4 mile to the park entrance.

Visitor centers

Campgrounds

  • Oak Ridge Campground (100 sites) — reserve
  • Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground (9 sites) — reserve
  • Chopawamsic Backcountry Area (8 sites) — reserve
  • Cabin Camp 3 (Individual Cabins) (13 sites) — reserve
  • Prince William Forest RV Park (72 sites) — reserve
  • Camp Goodwill (Cabin Camp 1) (1 sites) — reserve
  • Camp Mawavi (Cabin Camp 2) (1 sites) — reserve
  • Camp Orenda (Cabin Camp 3 Group) (1 sites) — reserve
  • Camp Pleasant (Cabin Camp 4) (1 sites) — reserve
  • Camp HappyLand (Cabin Camp 5) (1 sites) — reserve

Weather

Prince William Forest Park experiences all four seasons. Spring and fall are generally comfortable with precipitation possible. Summers can be hot and humid with average temperatures in the high 80s and with sudden thunderstorms possible. July and August are the hottest months. Winters can be cold with average temperatures in the winter of 41 degrees with variable precipitation. The main park roads can close due to snowy conditions, though cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing are permitted.

Phone: 703-221-7181

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Dirt trail surrounded by ferns and shaded by a green forest
Farms to Forest Trail in Summer · NPS Photo
Wooden cabin with a porch and nearby picnic table and grill shaded by a green forest
Cabin Camp 3 in Spring · NPS Photo
Pink and white flowers dot green bushes near the creek
Mountain Laurel Blooms · NPS Photo/Melissa Weih
An arched wooden bridge above a creek surround by a yellow and orange fall forest
Bridge along the South Valley Trail in Fall · NPS Photo/Melissa Weih
Yellow and orange fall colors reflect in a still pool of water along a creek
Quantico Creek in Fall · NPS Photo/Melissa Weih
Green crown of tall trees with blue sky above them
Tree on South Valley Trail · NPS Photo/Cecilia Lynch

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