Prince William Forest Park (Rating: A)
Details
You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "I accept" to be permitted on the hike.
Hike Overview: This will be an 11-mile hike in Prince William Forest Park with 900 feet of elevation gain. I plan to hike at a moderate pace of about 2.0 – 2.5 but will modify the pace if the weather is hot and humid.
Route: We’ll go down the Laurel Trail Loop Trail from the parking lot, right onto the South Valley / North Valley Trail, right onto the Quantico Cascades Trail to the waterfalls and then on to the Mary Bird Branch Trail to pick up the High Meadows Trail. We continue down the High Meadows Trail and turn left onto the South Valley Trail to continue back to the Laurel Trail Loop where we take a right turn back to the starting point (parking lot).
Park Entrance Fee: This is a National Park, and the Park entrance fee varies: it's free with a National Park pass. Please see https://www.nps.gov/prwi/planyourvisit/fees.htm#pass__7
for fee schedule.
Carpool Meetup location: The carpool location is in the commuter parking lot at GPS coordinates 38.801230, -77.591288 which is across from the new Sheetz convenience store / gas station located at 7201 New Stable Way, Gainesville, VA 20155.
Those wishing to carpool should be at the meetup location no later than 7:45 AM. Note: Hike leader will leave the lot at 8:00 AM.
It is about a 30-mile, 50 minute trip from the carpool location to the Prince William Forest Park trailhead depending on traffic. The hike leader will be at the carpool location in a gray Subaru Outback (Virginia license plate VTS-2219).
Neither the Club nor the hike leaders are responsible for coordinating transportation to/from the trailhead. Hikers are not guaranteed to get a ride to the trailhead from the carpool location. Carpooling is organized by the participants, and they participate at their own risk.
Carpool Fee: The suggested carpool fee is $3.50.
Trailhead: The trailhead / hike starting location is at the Prince William Forest Park Pine Grove parking lot at GPS Coordinates: 38.560788, -77.349690
Meetup Time: For those meeting at the Pine Grove parking lot please be there no later that 9:00 AM.
Pets: Dogs are permitted on this hike in accordance with NVHC's dog policy: https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicy.
Leader: Jim Hollis (703-927-7189… please use text)