State(s): Virginia
Link: https://www.nps.gov/prwi/index.htm
Month: April
During a recent family visit, we turned the drive into an adventure of its own — weaving in a remarkable string of historic and natural stops along the way. From the storied grounds of Fort Monroe National Monument and the rich colonial history of Colonial National Historical Park, to the Civil War echoes of Richmond National Battlefield Park and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, each stop offered a deeper look into the stories that shaped our nation. We also carved out time for the serene trails of Prince William Forest Park, the hallowed fields of Monocacy National Battlefield, the breathtaking scenery of Ohiopyle State Park, and the historic grounds of Fort Necessity National Battlefield — rounding out the journey with a truly unique visit to First Ladies National Historic Site. It was the kind of road trip that reminds you just how much history and beauty there is to discover, even on the way home.
Info
Prince William Forest Park is a national park located in Triangle, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. It is the largest protected natural area in the National Capital Region, encompassing over 15,000 acres of Piedmont forest. The park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing, while preserving the historic Chopawamsic Civilian Conservation Corps camp buildings from the 1930s.
What We Did
We hiked the Laurel Loop Trail on an unusually hot day, with temperatures reaching 87°F. Despite being generally considered an easy trail, there are quite a few tree roots to navigate, and one non-obvious right turn to watch for. We extended the hike by adding the Birch Bluff Trail to the route, 1.9 miles easy+.
We then made our way to the Mary Bird Branch Trail, easy 0.5 mile out and back, parking at the Turkey Run lot since the main lot was under construction. From there, we followed a downhill path to a stream before heading back up — a simple but pleasant out-and-back. Overall, it’s a lovely park, though the heat made it a tough day; we’d love to return in the fall when the temperatures are more forgiving.
After the hike, we stopped at Pretzel & Pizza Creations, where we enjoyed a small BBQ chicken pizza, a cinnamon and sugar pretzel, and pretzel-wrapped Oreos. The pizza and pretzel were both excellent, while the Oreos were decent but not particularly memorable. We wrapped up the evening with a short walk to Hoffman Brothers Ice Cream, where the Chocolate Lover and Black Cherry Chunk flavors were both a delicious finish to the day!
