Prince William Forest Park
Prince William Forest Park is an oasis, a respite of quiet and calm. In 1936, Chopawamsic Recreation Area opened its gates to house children's 'relief' camps during the Great Depression. Renamed Prince William Forest Park in 1948, these fragrant woods and trickling streams have welcomed generations of campers, hikers, bikers and nature lovers. Discover Northern Virginia's best kept secret!
About under an hour from Washington, 1.5 hours from Baltimore and 2 hours from Richmond by car.
Alerts
- ClosureParking Lot E Closed for Construction
Parking Lot E is closed for construction. The park is currently working to expand this parking area, and the lot will be closed while the expansion is being built. Visitors can still access the Mary Byrd Branch Trail and Quantico Cascades Trail by following trail reroute signs and parking vehicles in Turkey Run parking area.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Private VehicleValid seven (7) consecutive days. | $20 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. | $15 | |
| Per PersonValid seven (7) consecutive days. | $10 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThe Prince William Forest Park annual pass provides unlimited entry to the park for one year through the month of purchase (example - a pass purchased on January 1, 2022 will be valid through January 31, 2023). The pass covers admission for the passholder (who must be present) and all individuals in a single vehicle, or for the passholder and three adults who walk into the park. | $35 | |
A valid entrance pass must be presented or purchased to access the park. Vehicle, motorcycle, walk-in, and bike-in passes are valid for seven (7) consecutive days.
Hours
| Prince William Forest Park Operating Hours | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | Sunrise to Sunset |
| Nov 26, 2026Closed Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Closed Christmas Day | Hours not published |
| Jan 1, 2027Closed New Year's Day | Hours not published |
When to go
May draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Oak Ridge Campground | 99 sites | |
| $26 a night · This campground is designed for families and individuals. Large groups should reserve space at Turkey Run Group Campground. | ||
| Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground | 10 sites | |
| $65 a night · Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground (TRGC) is a wooded camping facility for organized groups of seven or more persons. The campground is open year-round. | ||
| Chopawamsic Backcountry Area | 8 sites | |
| Chopawamsic Backcountry Area (tents only) is an 8-site, hike-in/hike-out, backcountry campground. · 8 reservable | ||
| Cabin Camp 3 (Individual Cabins) ↗ | 13 sites | |
| $50 a night · Closed Nov 9 to Apr 17 · 12 reservable | ||
| Prince William Forest RV Park | 72 sites | |
| Campground is open year-round and is run by a park concessionaire. Call 703-221-2474 for more information. · Books through princewilliamrvpark.com | ||
Show all 10 campgroundsHide
| Camp Goodwill (Cabin Camp 1) ↗ | 1 site | |
| $780 a night · Closed Nov 1 to Apr 30 · Books through nps.gov | ||
| Camp Mawavi (Cabin Camp 2) ↗ | 1 site | |
| $725 a night · Closed Nov 1 to Apr 30 · 1 reservable | ||
| Camp Orenda (Cabin Camp 3 Group) ↗ | 1 site | |
| $550 a night · Closed Nov 1 to Apr 30 · 1 reservable | ||
| Camp Pleasant (Cabin Camp 4) ↗ | 1 site | |
| $750 a night · Closed Nov 1 to Apr 30 · 1 reservable | ||
| Camp HappyLand (Cabin Camp 5) ↗ | 1 site | |
| $900 a night · Camp HappyLand (Cabin Camp 5) is open year-round by reservation only. Check-in time is 3:00 pm. · 1 reservable | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The visitor center is located a half mile from the main park entrance (18511 Joplin Road, Triangle VA 22172). Visitor center operating hours are seasonal. During Daylight Savings (typically March-October) hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. From November - February, hours are 8:00 a.m. to…
Explore
Things to do
- Become a B.A.R.K. Ranger at Prince William Forest Park10-120 Minutes
Help your pet become a B.A.R.K. Ranger by bagging your pet's waste and properly disposing of it, always leashing your pet, respecting wildlife, and knowing where you can go with your pet. Pick up a B.A.R.K.
Opens on the Park Service site - Prince William Forest Park Junior Ranger20-60 Minutes
Join the Junior Ranger Corps at Prince William Forest Park today to learn more about the park's history and natural resources! Junior Rangers help protect national parks like Prince William Forest Park and explore the forests of this area.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Prince William Forest Park1-3 Hours
Discover Northern Virginia's best kept secret and bike along the park’s Scenic Drive.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike to the Taylor Farm Site30-120 Minutes
The Taylor Farm site is a short hike from the Turkey Run parking area or parking lot H. While slowly being reclaimed by the forest, this site is a great example of the farms that were once scattered throughout the forest before it became a national…
Opens on the Park Service site - Chopawamsic Backcountry1-14 Days
Chopawamsic (chop-ah-wahm-zik) Backcountry Area, which means by the small "divided streams" or "river flats" in Algonquian, is 1,500 acres of backcountry area with eight designated campsites. Campsites are accessible from the 2.2 mile loop trail.
Opens on the Park Service site - Biking in Prince William
For the on and off road cyclist, Prince William Forest Park is a favorite place for bicyclists. Over 12 miles of paved roads and 9.2 miles of gravel roads are available.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 7Hide
- Orienteering In Prince William
Orienteering is an activity for all ages and levels of fitness and skill, in which the object is to locate control points within the park using a map and compass.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 09:00 AM · runs through Oct 18 · freePark in the parking lot of Cabin Camp 3 off of the park's Scenic Drive and follow signs to the event.
- Yoga in the Park10/2105:00 PM · free · registration requiredYoga will take place outside on grass in a small open area shaded by a large tree beside the park's visitor center.
- Fall Foliage Hike10/2510:00 AM · freeMeet the ranger at Parking Lot I along the park's Scenic Drive.
- Graveyards and Ghosts Hike10/3110:00 AM · freeMeet the ranger outside the park's visitor center at 10:00am.
- OSS Day11/1408:30 AM · freePhysical address 17175 Mawavi Road, Triangle, VA. Park in the parking lot of Cabin Camp 2 off of Joplin Road and follow signs to…
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 9× · Red Fox 6× · Belted Kingfisher 2× · Osprey 2× · Barred Owl 1× · Coyote 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 115 birds, 36 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Barred Owl · Black Vulture · Broad-winged Hawk · Eastern Screech-Owl · Great Horned Owl · Osprey · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersCanada Goose · Great Blue Heron · Hooded Merganser · Tundra Swan · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · European Herring Gull · Killdeer · Ring-billed Gull · Spotted Sandpiper
Gamebirds & dovesCommon Pigeon · Mourning Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-bellied Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAcadian Flycatcher · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · Baltimore Oriole · Belted Kingfisher · Black And White Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Blue-headed Vireo · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Carolina Chicadee · Carolina Wren · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Common Grackle · Common Starling · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Wood Pewee · Field Sparrow · Fish Crow · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Hooded Warbler · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Kentucky Warbler · Louisiana Waterthrush · Mallard · Northern Cardinal · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Orchard Oriole · Ovenbird · Pine Warbler · Prairie Warbler · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Finch · Purple Martin · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rusty Blackbird · Scarlet Tanager · Song Sparrow · Summer Tanager · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Tree Swallow · Tufted Titmouse · Veery · Warbling Vireo · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-eyed Vireo · White-throated Sparrow · Willow Flycatcher · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Worm-eating Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-throated Vireo
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · American Pygmy Shrew · Brown Rat · Eastern Chipmunk · Eastern Cottontail · Eastern Gray Squirrel · Eastern Harvest Mouse · Eastern Mole · House Mouse · Meadow Jumping Mouse · Meadow Vole · PINE VOLE · Pine Vole · Southeastern Shrew · Southern Bog Lemming · Southern Flying Squirrel · Star-nosed Mole · White-footed Deermouse · bee shrew · mole shrew
PredatorsAmerican Mink · Common Gray Fox · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · River Otter · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsWhite-tailed Deer
BatsBIG BROWN BAT · Black Bat · Eastern Pipistrelle · Eastern Red Bat · Evening Bat · Little Brown Bat · Northern Bat
Also on the checklistOPOSSUM
Activities
Activity guides for this park Camping in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
Prince William Forest Park experiences all four seasons. Spring and fall are generally comfortable with precipitation possible. Summers can be hot and humid with average temperatures in the high 80s and with sudden thunderstorms possible. July and August are the hottest months. Winters can be cold with average temperatures in the winter of 41 degrees with variable precipitation. The main park roads can close due to snowy conditions, though cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing are permitted.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Prince William Forest?
Entrance is $20 per private vehicle, $15 per motorcycle, and $10 per person on foot or bike. Valid seven (7) consecutive days.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Prince William Forest?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Prince William Forest-only annual pass is $35.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Prince William Forest takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Prince William Forest free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Prince William Forest?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Prince William Forest. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Prince William Forest?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Prince William Forest?
Yes. The Park Service lists 10 campgrounds in Prince William Forest: Oak Ridge, Turkey Run Ridge Group, Chopawamsic Backcountry Area, Cabin Camp 3 (Individual Cabins), and Prince William Forest RV Park, and more. 9 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Which Prince William Forest campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: Oak Ridge, Cabin Camp 3 (Individual Cabins), Prince William Forest RV Park, Camp Goodwill (Cabin Camp 1), Camp Mawavi (Cabin Camp 2), Camp Orenda (Cabin Camp 3 Group), Camp Pleasant (Cabin Camp 4), and Camp HappyLand (Cabin Camp 5). Dump station: Prince William Forest RV Park. Electric hookups: Prince William Forest RV Park.
Source: Campgrounds
Do camping fees at Prince William Forest include the entrance fee?
No. Camping is charged per night on top of the entrance fee or a pass; Oak Ridge is $26 a night.
Source: Campgrounds
Do Prince William Forest campgrounds book through Recreation.gov?
Not all of them. Prince William Forest RV Park and Camp Goodwill (Cabin Camp 1) take reservations through princewilliamrvpark.com and nps.gov.
Source: Campgrounds
When do Prince William Forest campgrounds close for the season?
Cabin Camp 3 (Individual Cabins) is closed Nov 9 to Apr 17, Camp Goodwill (Cabin Camp 1) is closed Nov 1 to Apr 30, and Camp Mawavi (Cabin Camp 2) is closed Nov 1 to Apr 30; 2 more have posted closures.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Prince William Forest right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Parking Lot E Closed for Construction.
Source: Alerts
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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