Prince William Forest Hike: Western Loop - 12 Miles

Prince William Forest Park is an often overlooked gem in the Washington DC area. This 15,000 acre park protects the largest piedmont forest in the national park system and the largest green space in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Located just 30 miles from Washington, the park was first established in 1936 during the great depression. During World War II, it was used as a training ground by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which later became the CIA.

There are numerous hiking trails in the park, spanning the stream valleys of the North and South Branches of Quantico Creek. Most of the hiking is moderate with a few steep ridges and some rocky sections. All the trails pass through mature hardwood and pine forests and many of them follow one of the streams.

For this hike, we will follow a counterclockwise circuit starting from the Turkey Run Ridge Campground. We'll head west on the Old Blacktop Road, then pick up the Oak Ridge Trail to the Oak Ridge campground. We will hike the Farms to Forest Trail Loop and then begin our return route on the South Valley Trail to the High Meadows Trail for a total length of 12 miles and a modest 1000 feet of ascent.

Time to Meet:
Please meet at 9:45 for introductions and sign in. We will start hiking promptly at 10:00

Directions to Trailhead:
Meet at the Parking Area for the Turkey Run Ridge Campground. The GPS Coordinates are:
38.58268231218298, -77.3735523919373

Route:
Here is a link to the route in AllTrails:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-42f73e8?u=i&sh=pzrvpp

Park Entrance:
This park is a national park, so annual national park passes are accepted. The park fee is $20 per single-passenger vehicle (fewer than 14 passengers) or motorcycle, valid for seven consecutive days. The park does not accept cash.

Contact Information:
The hike Leader is Peter: 703-999-9435. Call or text as needed.

Hike Details:
Rating: Moderately difficult due to the distance of 12 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 1,000 ft
Pace: 2.25 to 2.5 miles per hour
Facilities: Toilets and water can be found near the Turkey Run Ridge campground.

What to Bring:
Bring sturdy hiking shoes, hiking poles, insect repellent, and rain gear if the forecast warrants it. Also, we will be on the trail for 4 to 5 hours so bring at least 2 liters of water and something to eat. We will stop for lunch along the way.

A well-mannered, leashed Fido is welcome on this hike!

Cancellation:
In the unlikely event that the hike needs to be cancelled, it may be cancelled up to the evening before the hike. Hikers will be notified through comments on this posting.

Notes:
-Please note, you must sign up at by 9:00 PM the day before the hike.
-Please do not show up unregistered.
-Please keep this a fragrance free event.
-To find out more about PATC, click here.
-Consider becoming a member of PATC. To join, click here.