Trails in Prince William Forest Park

Chopawamsic (chop-ah-wahm-zik) Backcountry Area, which means by the small "divided streams" or "river flats" in Algonquian, is 1,500 acres of backcountry area with eight designated campsites. Campsites are accessible from the 2.2 mile loop trail. Access for day hiking in the backcountry area is also available.

Cost: Free

Permits are required to enter Chopawamsic Backcountry. If day hiking, permits can be obtained at the visitor center on a first come, first served basis. If camping, visit recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777 to obtain a permit (small flat fee for use of the reservation system does apply - $8 for internet reservation, $9 for phone reservation)

Know Before You Go

Chopawamsic Backcountry has eight designated tent camp sites which are identified by a post marker and are accessible from the circuit trail. Please indicate which tent site you wish to use on the permit application.

There is a single vault toilet at the trailhead for Chopawamsic. Please use 'Leave No Trace' practices and dispose of human waste no less than 200 feet from a water source and cover all waste with leaf matter if camping. Please do not use toilet paper or leave litter.

There are no trash cans at Chopawamsic. Please pack out what you packed in.

Tents must be located within 40 feet of the post marker.

Maximum stay is seven consecutive days or 14 days in one calendar year.

Open fires are strictly prohibited. All cooking must be done on a camp stove.

Trenching, leveling or digging is not permitted in any campsite. Bringing straw, hay, pine boughs or any vegetative materials to any campsite is prohibited.

Ropes, clotheslines, tent lines and nails are not to be attached to trees or other vegetation. Hammocks are allowed with straps that are at least 1 & 1/2" and are not affixed to a tree less than 6" in diameter.

The following are prohibited in the backcountry: fireworks, pets, swimming, use of power tools, hunting and trapping, any weapon (excluding firearms) including BB and pellet guns, paintball and paint guns, and bows and arrows.

Firearms are permitted in accordance with Virginia State laws .

Camping is limited to groups consisting of four people or less per site in the Chopawamsic Backcountry area. Chopawamsic is not designed for groups. Group camping is available at Turkey Run Ridge Campground.

Fishing

Fishing is permitted from the National Park Service' side of the Breckenridge Reservoir with a valid Virginia state fishing license. To fish from a non-motorized boat or from Quantico Marine Corps Base' side of the reservoir, a Marine Corps base permit is required. Call the base at 703-784-5270 Wednesday through Sunday for information on obtaining a base permit.

Safety

Camping in the Chopawamsic Backcountry area can be very rewarding and peaceful. There are precautions that should be taken when camping in the backcountry. Campers should be prepared for changing weather conditions. It is always a good idea to let someone know where you are going and how long you will be gone. Many supplies are recommended for primitive camping, including a flashlight with extra batteries, pocket knife, first aid kit, nylon cord, waterproof matches, topographic map and compass, and plenty of food.

Always carry a supply of drinking water or have a method for purifying such as a filter, tablets, or boiling. Untreated water can harbor a microscopic organism called Giardia.

Prince William Forest Park was built from land that had belonged to quite a few different family farms. Evidence of these farms can be seen in the remains of the foundations of farm houses and buildings, the fruit trees and flower beds that still grow nearby, and the occasional pieces of dishes or other artifacts found on the forest floor. If you see any of these artifacts, please leave them where you found them and let a ranger know!

The Taylor family farm was one of the farms located near the center of what is now Prince William Forest Park in the early 1900s. The Taylor family farmed wheat, corn, and oats as well as a vegetable plot and orchard with walnut and a variety of fruit trees. They also raised cows and hogs and operated a small country store on their property. While not much evidence of the farm remains, an open field in the forest as well as the wisteria that grows throughout the area are indicators of this old farm site.

To visit the Taylor Farm Site, park in the Turkey Run Parking Area and follow Old Blacktop Road at the end of the parking area until its junction with Taylor Farm Road. Turn left to go south on the Taylor Farm Road until its junction with the High Meadows Trail and follow that trail south a short ways to the farm site. Alternatively, park at parking lot H and follow the High Meadows Trail northeast to the Taylor Farm site. Either way is a little over a mile out and back hike.