Start of Pyrite Mine Road in Prince William Forest Park
Length: 1.1 mile, one way
Difficulty: Strenuous
Pyrite Mine Road is one of the gravel fire roads within Prince William Forest Park that is open to both hikers and bikers. Access is from Parking Lot D on Scenic Drive. The road runs to the junction of the North Valley and South Valley trails at Quantico Creek and also passes the trailhead for the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail. You can bike the road, but not the trails.
Level section of Pyrite Mine Road in Prince William Forest Park
Pyrite Mine Road is an easy road to describe—straight downhill to the end, straight uphill on the way back. There are a few level plateaus along the way, and the hills aren’t very big until the last .2 mile when the trail drops off a cliff. I didn’t even attempt to ride back up, opting to push my bike instead—there is no shame in it. However, other than that, Pyrite Mine Road is one of the easier bike trails in Prince William Forest Park, which is not to say that it is easy. It is also one of the better maintained roads, free of the ruts and gullies that plague many of the other gravel roads.
Uphill return trip on Pyrite Mine Road in Prince William Forest Park
The intersection with the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail comes at the half-mile point. Unfortunately, all of the building ruins from the old mine are at the very end of the trail near Quantico Creek, .4 mile from the road. Trails are for hikers only, so leave your bike at the trailhead if you want to walk to the ruins.
Pyrite Mine Road ends at a bridge built in the late 1800s, the North Branch Quantico Creek Bridge. There are some ruins of the old mine within a half mile if you continue over the bridge, though you are not supposed to ride your bike beyond this point.
End of Prince William Forest Park’s Pyrite Mine Road at North Branch Quantico Creek Bridge
Most of the gravel roads in the park serve no real purpose other than to get some exercise, but with access to the mine site, there’s actually a reason to bike or hike Pyrite Mine Road. It’s not the only way to get to the historic site, but it certainly is the fastest. The only other way is by hiking the South Valley Trail, which has various entry points throughout the park.
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Last updated on April 12, 2024
