Taylor Farm Road in Prince William Forest Park

Length: 1.5 mile, one way
Difficulty: Strenuous

Taylor Farm Road is one of the old gravel fire roads in Prince William Forest Park that is open to hikers and bikers. It is located directly between Parking Lots E and F on Scenic Drive, so no matter where you park you have a .75-mile hike or bike ride to reach it.

The road starts off on a short downhill run, then levels out a little. In a half mile it reaches the intersection with another gravel road, Old Black Top Road. The two meet just as Old Black Top is curving, and it is easy to mistake this as a curve in Taylor Farm Road when in fact it is an intersection. After all, the only other way to go is down what looks to be a narrow hiking trail. That’s Taylor Farm Road.

Intersection of Taylor Farm and Old Black Top Roads in Prince William Forest Park

The lower half of the road is about as close to a true mountain bike trail as you will find at Prince William Forest Park. It is dangerous to go too fast because you’ll hit one of its many ruts and gullies and could damage a wheel or yourself. Some of these look like man-made drainage ditches and basically double as speed bumps for bikers. On top of that, there are plenty of loose rocks and lots of mud if it has been raining recently.

Ruts and gullies on Taylor Farm Road in Prince William Forest Park

Since the start, Taylor Farm Road has been heading downhill towards a ravine through which a small creek runs. Once across the creek, it heads up a slight hill until coming to the intersection with the High Meadows Trail. The historic Taylor Farm site is down the trail to the west. There’s nothing much there today other than a family cemetery. Feel free to make the short detour if history interests you, though you must leave your bike at the road because they are not allowed on hiking trails.

Once past the High Meadows Trail, Taylor Farm Road takes a steep dive all the way to the end. With the road as rutted as it is, a biker could get seriously injured and possibly killed if attempting to go full speed.

Gullies on Taylor Farm Road in Prince William Forest Park act as speed bumps for bikers

Taylor Farm Road comes to an end at a boardwalk that is part of the South Valley Trail.

Prince William Forest Park’s Taylor Farm Road dead ends into the South Valley Trail

By the time I arrived at the end of the road, I had already hiked eight miles and biked a few other very strenuous roads. I probably could have made it back to the start on my bike, but I was just too tired and had to walk up the steep hill at the end. I was able to bike back the rest of the way.

Like nearly all fire roads in Prince William Forest Park, there’s no point in biking Taylor Farm Road unless you are trying to get to a particular spot or are just looking for exercise. You won’t see anything particularly scenic, and due to the terrain, this isn’t a pleasure ride that the whole family can enjoy.

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