Prince William Forest

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Prince William Forest Park Virginia Prince William Forest Park All photos except the mushroom and moth are by Valerie Haase Mclntyre. The land that is now Prince William Forest Park has long b e e n used by man. A m e r i c a n Indians used the land along Q u a n t i c o Creek for hunting and g a t h e r i n g . Scottish settlers established a s e t t l e m e n t and port on t h e estuary of Quantico C r e e k in 1756 and called it Dumfries. West of the port, the land was rapidly cleared and planted w i t h crops, such as c o t t o n and t o b a c c o . These w e r e harvested and s h i p p e d o u t t h r o u g h the port of D u m fries. Over the years poor farming practices d e p l e t e d the soil and caused extensive soil e r o s i o n . Soil e r o d e d f r o m t h e farmland was carried d o w n into t h e harbor by Quantico Creek, gradually filling in the harbor, w h i c h b e c a m e a marsh. A Woodland Watershed Picnicking Either Pine Grove or Telegraph Road pic- W h e n the old farmsteads w e r e first a c q u i r e d , m u c h of the land was in poor c o n d i t i o n . In the years since, most of the old farm Camping Suggested Activities The Nature Center Along history of exploitation with little regard for or understanding of conservation makes Prince William Forest Park especially suited for learning about the delicate balance in our natural environment. In the summer and on weekends throughout the year, begin your visit at the Nature Center. During the remainder of the year, goto park headquarters. If you see a plant or bird you cannot identify, or if you want to find out about nature's healing processes, go to the Nature Center. There, park rangers and volunteers can answer your questions. They give talks on a host of subjects, such as the seasonal blooming of wildflowers, how early settlers farmed this land, and recreational opportunities in the forest. Until the early 20th c e n t u r y , the land in the Dumfries area was farmed intensively, b e c o m i n g so d e p l e t e d of nutrients that the remaining farmers w e r e barely able to make a living. In 1933 the R e s e t t l e m e n t A d m i n i s t r a t i o n acquired t h e land and established the Chopawamsic Recreation D e m o n s t r a t i o n Area. The Civilian Conservation Corps was put to w o r k to show how land c o u l d be reclaimed and used for recreation. The area was later r e n a m e d Prince William Forest Park. nic grounds, both near the main entrance, is open at any given time. Each area has tables, campfire grills, trash containers, water, restrooms, and playfields. Pine Grove has a shelter for use on a first-come, firstserved basis. Carter's Day Camp is for use by groups for picnicking on a reservation basis. No firewood is provided. Bicycling Bicycle riding is permitted on all park roads. Ride on the right in single file; bicyclists and motorists haveequal responsibilities for safety. Fishing Bass, bluegill, perch, and catfish are found in the park's streams and lakes. A Virginia fishing license is required. The staff at park headquarters can give you a list of State and parkfishing regulations and tell you of the closest location for buying a Virginia license. Hiking Approximately 56 kilometers (35 miles) of trails and fire roads wind through the park. Parking areas along the park roads are adjacent to trailheads and provide convenient starting points for hiking. Each of the seven major trails is color blazed, so they are easy to follow. See the map on the reverse side for a blaze color key. The access trails into the cabin camps are for the use of the groups that have reserved the camps. Please respect their privacy. Four self-guiding nature trails are available to help you understand the natural processes at work. The Pine Grove Forest Trail, at the Pine Grove picnic area, is paved and accessible to the handicapped. Taped messages at audio stations along the trail tell about the different animals and environments. The Farms to Forest Trail, at Oak Ridge camp- ground, shows how wounds on the landscape are healing. The Living Forest Trail, near Travel Trailer Village, acquaints you with your surroundings and shows how the natural elements work together. The Crossing Nature Trail, at Telegraph Road picnic area, tells of the natural and human history in the park. Pick up leaflets for these trails at the nature center, park headquarters, or at thetrailhead. The park's campgrounds have different provisions: some are for tents and/or trailers and one is for primitive camping. Camping is limited to 14 nights in a year. Firewood is provided at the campgrounds. Oak Ridge campground has 113 camp- sites, available on a first-come, firstserved basis. The spaces are for tents and small recreational vehicles less than 5.5 meters (18 feet) long. Each has a paved Group Camping parking slip. There are no hookups. Water, restrooms, tables, campfire grills, and trash containers are provided. Travel Trailer Village (enter from Va. 234), which is operated by a park concessioner, has sites for trailers divided into three types of services: (1) hookups for electricity, water, and sewage; (2) hookups for electricity and water; and (3) hookups for electricity only. It has showers, coin-oper- ated laundry, and a swimming pool. Call 703-221-2474 for more information. If you long for the hushed quiet of the woods and enjoy primitive conditions, Chopawamsic Backcountry Area, south of the main park off Va. 619, is for you. The campsites are 0.8 to 2.4 kilometers (0.5 to 1.5 miles) from the trailhead,soyou must pack in your gear and supplies, including drinking water. Only pit toilets and campfire grills are provided. Please carry out all trash and place it in the containers at the parking lot. To camp in the Chopawamsic Backcountry Area you must get a use permit at park headquarters. Call or write the park for an application; telephone reservations are not accepted. You may pick up your permit, plus litter bags, at park headquarters during business hours. For groups, two types of camping are available: cabin camps (for groups of 50 or more) and tents. The five cabin camps have sleeping cabins, a central kitchen-dining hall, restrooms and showers, staff quarters, a nature lodge, and an administrative building. Groups must sites have b e c o m e o v e r g r o w n w i t h v e g e t a t i o n . Pines w e r e usually the first trees to c o m e into t h e c l e a r e d areas, to be f o l l o w e d later by the shade-tolerant h a r d w o o d s , such as oak and hickory. Today, blackberries and b l u e b e r r i e s can be f o u n d g r o w ing w i l d in t h e park, many of t h e m marking old homesites. The park also supports populations of whitetail deer, w i l d turkey, and beaver, as well as n u m e r o u s smaller animals, such as raccoons and gray squirrels. Prince William Forest Park has a short history as a park, but the land here tells a longer story of man's use of the land. W e l c o m e ! are due by mid-June. For further information call or write to the park. For organized groups interested in tent camping, the Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground is available. Each site is for 15 to 30 people with picnic tables and You can help protect the park by leaving plants and animals undisturbed. Those who come after you will enjoy the park more if you leave camping and picnic areas the way you would like to find them. All natural features in the park are protected. Destruction, injury, defacement, or removal is prohibited and is a violation of law. Report emergencies or suspicious activities as soon as possible to a park ranger or to a park office. Secure your property and park in designated areas only. Do not drive or park motor vehicles on grassy areas or on the road shoulders. Please observe posted speed limits. provide their own bedding and cooking utensils. Reservations for April through August are due in the park by mid-February; for the fall season,September and October, they Further Information Safety Regulations campfire grills. Reservations are required. Call or write to the park for an application. Fires are permitted only at established picnic areas and campgrounds, and then only in the campfire grills that are provided. No firewood is provided at the picnic areas. Extinguish fires completely before leaving, even for a temporary absence. Hunting is prohibited. Firearms, fireworks, knives with blades more than 7.6 centimeters (3 inches) long, archery equipment, slingshots, and other weapons are not allowed in the park unless adequately cased, broken down, or otherwise packed to prevent their use. Prince William Forest Park is administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. For more information, write to the superintendent, whose address is Box 209, Triangle. VA 22172. To telephone park headquarters, dial 703-221-7181. The number for the Nature Center is 703221-2104. To reach the Travel Trailer Village, call 703-221-2474. Pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited within the park. Lost and found items should be reported to or turned in at park headquarters. Climbing trees and park structures is dangerous and is not permitted. Swimming in the park is prohibited. r GPO 1983-381-578/267