Trailhead for the Farms to Forest Trail at Prince William Forest Park

Length: 3-mile loop (long version)
Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Lower Loop: easy; Upper Loop: moderate

If you plan to hike the Farms to Forest Trail, park in the spaces that you come to just before entering Prince William Forest Park’s Oak Ridge Campground. The trailhead is actually located on the road, about fifty feet before the parking area.

The idea behind the Farms to Forest Trail is that you are walking through a forest that was a farm until being taken over by the National Park Service in the early 1930s. However, there are no old barns or rusty farm equipment, just a new forest. The trail is laid out in a Figure-8, with the lower loop—the official Farms to Forest Trail—being a short and easy one mile, and the second loop—the Farms to Forest Extension—being a little more difficult two-mile trail.

A short connector leads from the roadside trailhead to where to loop actually begins. My plan was to hike both loops as one big oval by starting in the counterclockwise direction (right at the junction), though it really makes no difference as to which way you go.

Typical terrain of the Farms to Forest Trail at Prince William Forest Park

There are numbered posts along the lower loop, so there either is or was a trail brochure that describes the environment at the different stops. When I was at the Visitor Center I picked up over a dozen brochures, but none were on the Farms to Forest Trail, so most likely this is a discontinued feature.

Numbered markers along the Farms to Forest Trail at Prince William Forest Park

I saw some sort of salamander hiding near a downed tree. It stuck its head under a twig to cover its eyes. Whenever I moved closer, it moved to cover its eyes again. I suppose it felt that if it couldn’t see me, I couldn’t see it.

Salamander

At the #3 post, a quarter mile from the start, is a short spur trail—perhaps a hundred yards—that leads back to the main road. On the other side is a cemetery. You actually pass this cemetery when driving to the campground, but there is no parking, so stopping by while hiking the Farms to Forest Trail is a good option for those who like cemeteries. Graves date from the early 1900s all the way up until 2010, so it must still be in use by family members.

Graveyard along the road to the Prince William Forest Park’s Oak Ridge Campground

Tombstone of Civil War veteran Shirley Jones in the graveyard along the road to the Prince William Forest Park’s Oak Ridge Campground

Tombstone of Champ Jones in the graveyard along the road to the Prince William Forest Park’s Oak Ridge Campground

Recent tombstone marking the grave of Steven Lloyd in the graveyard along the road to the Prince William Forest Park’s Oak Ridge Campground

The intersection with the second loop comes at .6 mile into the hike; take a right to get on the Extension. Intersections at Prince William Forest Park are marked with concrete posts that have a metal band around the top with trail directions embossed into them. The first time I saw one of these I nearly walked right past it thinking it was something left over from an old building. They are easy to miss if you are expecting traditional, wooden trail signs.

Concrete trail marker typically found at Prince William Forest Park

The Extension is definitely hillier—the lower loop was pretty much flat. I use hiking poles on hilly trails and kept them packed away on the first loop, but I got them out for the extension.

At 1.6 miles into the hike, the trail comes to Quantico Creek, and it is here that the terrain changes almost instantly. You are walking through a forest one minute and surrounded by ferns the next. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a sudden change in scenery.

Terrain along the Farms to Forest Extension Trail as it follows along Quantico Creek in Prince William Forest Park

The trail follows the creek for the next .75 mile, though most of the time there are too many trees in the way to see it. The trail is flat during this stretch, but as soon as it veers away from the creek it heads back up a short but very steep hill.

The Extension loop meets back up with the Farms to Forest Trail at the 2.6 mile mark. Keep straight to continue around the trail in the counterclockwise direction. A left will take you to the first intersection and back the way you originally came in.

Intersection of the lower and upper loops of the Farms to Forest Trail at Prince William Forest Park

Once back on the lower loop, the terrain levels out and the hiking becomes easier. There are still some hills, but they tend to be small.

West side of the Farms to Forest Trail at Prince William Forest Park

The last intersection is with the original connector trail to the parking lot. Take a right and you’ll be back in a tenth of a mile.

The Farms to Forest trail is nothing more than a walk in the woods. The ferns and creek add a picturesque diversion from the thick forest, but if scenery is what you are after, look elsewhere. Exercise is ultimately all the trail has to offer.

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