Carters Pond in Prince William Forest Park
Length: .3-mile out-and-back
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Carters Pond is located just off the main park road between the Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center and where the loop portion of Scenic Drive begins. If coming from the Visitor Center, be on the lookout for a dirt road to your left, the second road that you will come to. There is a parking lot right next to the pond along with a couple of picnic tables.
Picnic tables at Carters Pond in Prince William Forest Park
The walk to the pond starts off on a gravel road that quickly becomes an earthen trail. It does not circle the entire pond, but makes it about three-quarters of the way around before ending at a wooden observation deck.
Observation deck at Carters Pond in Prince William Forest Park
People have worn trails down to the shore if you want to get to the pond, otherwise just stick to the main trail. There are also a few log benches along the way.
Path down to Carters Pond in Prince William Forest Park
Benches along the bank of Carters Pond in Prince William Forest Park
Carters Pond is not particularly scenic, so I don’t really see much reason to visit it unless you are coming to fish (catch and release only), and this is the easiest fishing spot to access in Prince William Forest Park. All others require lengthy hikes along traditional trails. See the Fishing web page for more information.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on April 10, 2024
