Carter’s Pond Trail (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

The 0.15-mile Carter’s Pond Trail is poorly advertised and excluded from the official park literature on hiking in Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park. Nonetheless, it does indeed exist, accessed by way of the park’s Scenic Drive. The easy and short path ends at a viewing platform overlooking the namesake pond. The hike From the park …

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Muschette Trail Loop (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

The Muschette Trail is one of a pair of very short loop hikes that take off from the Pine Grove Picnic Area in Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park (the other is the wheelchair-accessible Piedmont Forest Trail). There’s not much to it – except an opportunity to stretch your legs and explore the area’s piedmont forest. …

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Piedmont Forest Trail (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

The Piedmont Forest Trail is the only wheelchair-accessible hike in Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park and, with its numerous curves, looks something like an amoeba or an octopus on maps. Situated steps from the Visitor Center and Pine Grove Picnic Area, it is an easy and convenient walk in the hardwood forest for which the trail …

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Top 10 Hikes of 2016

Live and Let Hike hit its stride in 2016, nearly tripling the number of visitors and page views seen in 2015. I also passed a new milestone—my 200th blog post—and greatly expanded the geographic breadth and depth of hike descriptions, including posts from Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, DC, and Quebec. Taking a break …

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Visitor Center Loop (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

- Revolutionary War Series - Forming a 1.1-mile circuit starting and ending at the Visitor Center, I’ve dubbed this hike in Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park—for lack of a better label—as the “Visitor Center Loop.” This is an ideal walk for those looking for a short and convenient stroll near the park entrance—perhaps an afternoon …

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The Crossing Trail (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

- Revolutionary War Series - The Crossing Trail in Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park is effectively a walk in the woods with a historic twist: the highlight of this short, easy circuit is where it crosses the old Telegraph Road, which served as the main artery for north-south travelers in the area for centuries. It …

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Birch Bluff Trail Loop (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

Prince William Forest Park spans 17,000 acres of peaceful woods, hills, and rolling streams on the edge of the Tidewater region of eastern Virginia, roughly 30 miles southwest of Washington, DC. The Birch Bluff Trail Loop offers a short but pleasant stroll that takes off just behind the Visitor Center near the park entrance. The …

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North Valley – South Valley Trail Loop (Prince William Forest Park, VA)

Prince William Forest Park—situated about 30 miles south of Washington, DC—preserves a 17,000-acre slice of what was once a vast sea of oaks, hickories, and chestnuts spanning much of modern-day Virginia. Surprisingly, many DC residents are oblivious to its existence, but those who have been to Prince William Forest Park know it for its serenity, …

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