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National park site · Virginia

Prince William Forest Park

Prince William Forest Park is a National Park Service (NPS) site in the U.S.

Photo: NPS, Public domain
Visitors in 2025
339K
record 361K in 2017 · National Park Service
Busiest month
October
2.7× January
Where
3 mi northwest of Quantico Base
4 places to stay in Quantico Base
Official site
nps.gov/prwi
In brief

A national park site, 3 mi northwest of Quantico Base

October is the busiest month

October averages about 37,106 visitors, 2.7 times January. When to go ↓

You can sleep inside the park

2 places to stay are inside the park: Oak Ridge Campground | Prince William Forest Park and Prince William Forest RV Campground. The nearest town with more is Montclair. Where to stay ↓

Best month: Apr

April is mild and quieter than average, with a high of 68°. When to go ↓

A day trip from Baltimore

Baltimore is about 65 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Crowds and weather, month by month

Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.

010K20K30K40K40°60°80°100°January: about 13,834 visitors, high 45°JanFebruary: about 16,629 visitors, high 49°FebMarch: about 24,378 visitors, high 57°MarApril: about 25,089 visitors, high 68°AprMay: about 35,022 visitors, high 76°MayJune: about 33,102 visitors, high 84°JunJuly: about 33,901 visitors, high 89°JulAugust: about 30,637 visitors, high 87°AugSeptember: about 31,078 visitors, high 80°SepOctober: about 37,106 visitors, high 69°OctNovember: about 25,203 visitors, high 59°NovDecember: about 15,210 visitors, high 49°Dec89° highs
Jan45° / 27°14K
Feb49° / 29°17K
Mar57° / 35°24K
Apr68° / 45°25K
May76° / 55°35K
Jun84° / 64°33K
Jul89° / 69°34K
Aug87° / 67°31K
Sep80° / 60°31K
Oct69° / 48°37K
Nov59° / 37°25K
Dec49° / 31°15K
Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Quantico Base. Quantico Base’s full climate →
About

Prince William Forest Park

Prince William Forest Park is a National Park Service (NPS) site in the U.S. state of Virginia within Prince William County (and very partially Stafford County), located adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Quantico near the town of Dumfries. Established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area in 1936, the park is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region at over 13,000 acres (5,300 ha).

The park serves as the largest example of Eastern Piedmont forest in the National Park System. The park also protects the Quantico Creek watershed. It is a sanctuary for numerous native plant and animal species.

Type
National park site
Area
25 square miles
Elevation
233 ft
Run by
National Park Service
Wikipedia readers
4.4K a year
Official site
nps.gov/prwi
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.
Plan your visit

Before you go

Address18170 Park Entrance Road, Triangle, VA 22172(703) 221-7181
HoursSunrise to sunsetPrince William Forest Park grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset for recreation use.
Entrance fees
  • Private Vehicle$20
  • Motorcycle$15
  • Per Person$10
Getting thereFrom Washington, D.C. and points north: Take I-95 south to exit 150-B (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). The park entrance is the second right. From Fredericksburg and points south: Take I-95 north to exit 150 (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp and continue on VA Route 619 West approximately 1/4 mile to the park entrance.
National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.
Where to stay

Where to stay near Prince William Forest Park

You can sleep inside the park (2 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Washington (247) and Montclair (9).

Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center2 in the park1234567Washington247Montclair9Hampton Oaks10Potomac Mills8Leesylvania5Alexandria44Arlington58Quantico Base4Arlington National Cemetery10 mi
Visitor centerPark landHighwaysRoads in the park12Places to stay in town
  1. 1White House
  2. 2Washington Monument
  3. 3Arlington National Cemetery
  4. 4United States Triumphal Arch
  5. 5Smithsonian Institution
  6. 6Lincoln Memorial
  7. 7Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Inside the park

Stay in the park

2 places · 1 campground · 1 RV park

  • Oak Ridge Campground | Prince William Forest Park campground
  • Prince William Forest RV Campground RV park
45 min drive

Washington

247 places to stay · 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

693,645 people

30 mi northeast of Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center · 27 mi to the park

5 min drive

Montclair

9 places to stay · 7 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park

22,387 people

4 mi north of Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center · at the park edge

10 min drive

Hampton Oaks

10 places to stay · 10 hotels

8 mi southwest of Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center · 6 mi to the park

Compare 8 towns
TownFrom the visitor centerDrivePlaces to stayPeopleTypical homeSafety
Washington30 mi northeast45 min247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds693,645$737KD−
Montclair4 mi north5 min9 7 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park22,387$578K—
Hampton Oaks8 mi southwest10 min10 10 hotels———
Potomac Mills7 mi north10 min8 8 hotels5,741$583K—
Leesylvania5 mi northeast5 min5 5 hotels21,632$532K—
Alexandria23 mi northeast35 min44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins160,662$735KC
Arlington26 mi northeast40 min58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins236,254$895K—
Quantico Base3 mi southeast5 min4 4 hotels5,840——

Day trip from

Straight-line miles.

Baltimore65 mi northeastRichmond71 mi south

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

DCARonald Reagan Washington National · major hub26 mi
IADWashington Dulles · major hub27 mi
BWIBaltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall · major hub56 mi
Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center; drive times are estimates.
Make a day of it

Also near Prince William Forest Park

Other well-known places within 36 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.

Big draw128 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a yearBig draw228 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a yearBig draw326 mi LandmarkArlington National CemeteryBig draw427 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal ArchBig draw528 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a yearBig draw628 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a yearBig draw726 mi LandmarkTomb of the Unknown SoldierBig draw36 mi Stadium & arenaNorthwest Stadium
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: Arlington National Cemetery, Public domain · Northwest Stadium: Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0

Visitors

339,015 visitors in 2025

Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2017).

344K2016361K2017314K2018340K2019334K2020325K2021295K2022296K2023355K2024339K2025
National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.
Common questions

Visiting Prince William Forest Park

What town is Prince William Forest Park near?

Quantico Base, VA, about 3 miles southeast.

When is the best time to visit Prince William Forest Park?

April, with a high of 68°. October is the busiest month (about 37,106 visitors).

How many people visit Prince William Forest Park each year?

339,015 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 360,540, set in 2017.

How far is Prince William Forest Park from Baltimore?

About 65 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.

What is the closest airport to Prince William Forest Park?

Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 26 miles away.

Where should I stay near Prince William Forest Park?

Inside the park: Oak Ridge Campground | Prince William Forest Park and Prince William Forest RV Campground. Nearby: Washington (30 mi, 247 places to stay), Montclair (4 mi, 9 places to stay) and Hampton Oaks (8 mi, 10 places to stay).

From locals

Tips from people in Quantico Base

No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Quantico Base’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Prince William Forest Park? Where do you eat after a visit to Prince William Forest Park? Is Prince William Forest Park worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Prince William Forest Park usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.