Prince William Forest Park
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| Prince William Forest Park | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location: | Virginia, USA |
| Nearest city: | Dale City, Virginia |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 19,377 (78.42 km²) |
| Established: | November 14, 1936 |
| Visitation: | 232,213 (in 2005) |
| Governing body: | National Park Service |
Prince William Forest Park was established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area in 1936 and is located in eastern Prince William County, Virginia. The park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region at over 15,000 acres (61 km²). Today, the park is a window into the past and serves as an example of what much of the East Coast once looked like centuries ago.
The park serves as the largest example of Eastern Piedmont forest in the National Park System (arguably, one of the most heavily altered ecosystems in North America). The park also protects the Quantico Creek watershed. It is a sanctuary for numerous native plant and animal species.
A variety of recreational opportunities are available, which include:
- Wildlife viewing.
- 37 miles (60 km) of hiking trails. Most of these trails either go to a historical/cultural destination such as Pyrite Mine or follow Quantico Creek with views of its small waterfalls.
- 21 miles (34 km) of bicycle accessible roads and trails.
- Several tent camping options, including family, group and backcountry camping are available as well as rustic cabin camping, and a full-service, concessionaire-operated RV campground, are available.
The park’s cultural resources are also varied. They include:
- the remnants of Joplin, Hickory Ridge, and Batestown, three small communities existing prior to the park’s establishment
- the reclaimed remnants of the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine along Quantico Creek
- the reclaimed remnants of the Greenwood gold mine
- products of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which built the facilities, roads and lakes during the 1930s
- the U.S. Army’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS) which used the land exclusively for training spies and radio operators between 1942 and 1945
[edit] References
- "A Ground Electromagnetic Survey Used to Map Sulfides and Acid Sulfate Ground Waters at the Abandoned Cabin Branch Mine, Prince William Forest Park, Northern Virginia Gold-Pyrite Belt" by Jeff Wynn, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 20192, retrieved April 7, 2006
[edit] External links
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