Educator's Guide to Prince William Forest Park

Children of today learn in the same historic setting as children of the 1940s.

National Park Service

 

 

Make a Reservation for an Educational Visit to Prince William Forest Park!

Anyone can request a ranger program as long as they have a group of 10 or more people, and contact the park at least two weeks in advance of the planned program. Park entrance fees apply to all groups visiting the park unless they qualify for an educational fee waiver. Rangers will rely upon class instructors and chaparones for class control during the program. There must be one adult chaparone for every 10 children. If you are unable to meet this guideline, please contact the park at 703-221-7181 before your visit. There are limited indoor spaces available at Prince William Forest Park. Outdoor programs take place in all weather, unless the park is closed or there is a safety hazard. Please make sure your students are prepared for the weather and wear close-toed shoes for all hikes.

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Park Visit/ Field Trip

Name of Primary Contact Visiting if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested/Self-Guided

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates .

Anticipated Arrival Time (required)

Anticipated Departure Time (required)

Mode of Transportation (required)

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Next Step

Academic Fee Waiver

Visitors 16 years of age or older (including students, chaperones, and teachers) must pay an entrance fee at this site. Academic institutions (including schools) may apply for an academic fee waiver to cover the cost of these visitors. The number of teachers/chaperones that are covered with a waiver varies depending on the size of the group.

Would you like to request an academic fee waiver for your group?

Yes. I need to complete the fee waiver application. No I do not need a fee waiver.

For this section, all of the criteria fields and the acknowledgement checkbox are required for the waiver.

Certification

Academic fee waivers are not granted automatically. Applicant groups must show they qualify for the waiver. There are three criteria the group must meet to qualify for an academic fee waiver: eligibility, relevance of park resources or facilities to academic program, and academic purpose. Details of these qualifications are listed below. If your institution and purpose meet these criteria, submit this form.

Criterion One - Eligibility

Describe and/or attach current official recognition or accreditation as an educational institution by a federal, state, or local government or other documentation attesting to educational status, such as an accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter.

Attach Supporting Document for Eligibility (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and Google Doc

Criterion Two - Educational Purpose

Verify how this visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. For example, attach a course syllabus/description, course catalog, lesson plan, letter detailing the educational purpose, etc., and/or describe.

Attach Supporting Document for Educational Purpose (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Criterion Three - Relevance of Park Resources or Facilities

Identify the pertinent park resources and/or facilities and detail how they are relevant to support the educational purpose of the visit (attach letter or describe).

Attach Supporting Document for Relevance (if needed). Acceptable document types: are Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word and Google Doc

Authorized School / Organization Contact Name (required)

Title / Position

Acknowledgement (required)

The Recreation Fee Authority (16 USC 6802 Sections 3 a and b) allows for fee waivers only for bona fide educational and/or scientific institutions that are using the park for educational purposes. I hereby certify that the above detailed trip meets these requirements and therefore request that fees be waived.

Current official documentation of recognition of affiliation as an educational institution by a Federal, State or local government entity, or other evidence attesting to educational status is attached (e.g. accreditation letter, educational tax-exempt letter). It is insufficient to merely state or imply this on official letterhead.

By checking this box I acknowledge that I have read the Acknowledgement.

Date of Acknowledgement (required)
format mmddyyyy

Submit my Education Reservation Request

---

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

 

Request a Ranger from Prince William Forest Park to Visit Your Classroom!

Any school in Prince William County or Stafford County, Virginia can request a ranger from Prince William Forest Park to come give an education program to students in the classroom. Other areas can also request a ranger program, though travel time from the park will be considered when granting the request. Rangers can do programs on animals of the park, plants in the park, or park history. In classroom programs can be done as park staffing allows; contact the park at 703-221-7181 for more information. Please submit your request at least two weeks in advance of the planned program.

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Learning Accommodations

Does anyone in your group need any accommodations?

Yes No

If yes, describe the accommodation need.

Next Step

School / Organization Contact Information

School / Organization Name (required)

Name of Requester/Contact Person (required)

Title / Position (required)

Contact Email Address (required)

Contact Phone Number (required)
123-456-7890 extension if any

Mailing Address (required)

City (required)

State (required)

Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe Armed Forces - Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

ZIP (required)
Five digit ZIP code [99999]

Next Step

Group Details - Ranger in Classroom Program

Name of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Title / Position of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Email Address of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)

Phone Number of Primary Contact if Different Than Above (optional)
Format: 123-456-7890

Program Name or Subject Requested

How much time will the ranger have to conduct the program? (required)

Grade Level(s) of Students (required)

Number of Staff / Chaperones (required)

Number of Students (required)

Preferred Date of Visit (required)
format mmddyyyy

My preferred date has been confirmed by the park (required)

Yes No

Preferred Program Start Time (required)

Alternative Date(s) (required)
Enter one or more dates.

Disclaimer:

A park representative will follow-up to confirm group details once this request has been received and reviewed.

Submit my Education Reservation Request

---

NPS Form 10-1750 (Rev. 04/2021)
National Park Service

OMB Control No. 1024-0228
Expiration Date 11/31/2025

Notices

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: Public Law 114-289 National Park Service Centennial Act and 54 U.S.C. 100701 Protection, interpretation, and research in System.

Purpose: To administer education programs for education audiences including but not limited to school groups, scouting groups, extracurricular groups, and home school groups.

Routine Uses: To effectively manage requests for education received by the NPS, the Education Reservation Request Form is used to collect basic education reservation information to facilitate operational aspects of scheduling groups for park education programs, including in-park education programs, ranger in classroom programs, and/or online distance learning programs.

Disclosure: Voluntary, however, failure to provide the requested information may impede the ability to grant your education reservation request.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to provide park managers and educators the information needed to schedule and conduct education program activities. All applicable parts of the form must be completed in order for your request to be considered. You are not required to respond to this or any other Federal agency-sponsored information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection of information and assigned control number 1024-0288.

Estimated Burden Statement

Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Do not send your completed form to this address.

 

About Prince William Forest Park

Prince William Forest Park has been providing recreation and respite for people, and habitat for plants and animals since its founding in the 1930s. Originally named Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area, Prince William Forest Park was an escape from the city for children and families of the Washington, DC area during the great depression. Over two hundred rustic buildings, arranged into cabin camps, housed these children and their families during summer ‘nature’ camps. Over 150 of those cabins still stand today within the 15,000 acres of forest-covered park, now the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The park protects the largest example of eastern piedmont forest in the National Park System. Here you will find northern species such as Hemlock along with southern species such as Poplar and Virginia Pine. The park also protects a large portion of the Quantico Creek and its watershed. Scientists have used the Quantico Creek as a benchmark in water quality for the area.

For those interested in history, Prince William Forest Park also protects and interprets a history that stretches from Native Americans and Early Colonial Life to the Great Depression and World War II. Franklin Roosevelt’s “Tree Army”, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), constructed buildings, roads and lakes here during the 1930’s, including the 5 historic cabin camps. From 1942 to 1945, the United States Office of Strategic Services, forerunner to the CIA, used this land exclusively for the training of spies and radio operators. Since World War II, generations of Americans have spent their first night camping under the stars here at Prince William Forest Park.

Today, groups visiting Prince William Forest Park can use its 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails to experience this unique natural area and learn about the native Virginia plants and animals. If you're looking for lessons in history or the natural world, educational opportunities abound in Prince William Forest Park.

 

 

Facilities in the Park

Day Use Facilities

Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center (20 students)

The Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center is a great place to start your visit to the park. Its exhibits house museum artifacts from the park’s history and include tactile displays and hands-on activities for kids of all ages. Near the visitor center is an outdoor classroom area with row seating for small talks. The park orientation video can be viewed at the visitor center at any time, free of charge and is a great introduction to the park for your students. Building capacity for the visitor center is 50 people and larger groups can be split up to explore this space.

Pine Grove Picnic Area

Pine Grove Picnic Area is available on a first-come, first serve basis. Located adjacent to the visitor center and less than 1 mile from the park entrance, this picnic area is the perfect place for a quick picnic lunch on your way into DC. This picnic area has ample parking, a pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, bathrooms and charcoal grills. Several park trails leave from the picnic area, including the Piedmont Forest Trail which is mostly accessible. The park entrance fee are required, unless you have an educational fee waiver.

Telegraph Picnic Area

The Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion is a thirty foot by twenty foot roof-covered porous brick pad with twelve picnic tables (six of them wheelchair accessible), six cooking grills and electric outlets. It is adjacent to a comfort station with food-service sinks and flush toilets, and there is wheelchair access to the pavilion from the picnic area's 73 parking spaces. There are approximately twenty additional picnic tables scattered throughout the adjoining woods of Telegraph Road Picnic Area, most with its own grill. A short path leads to the spacious William's Ballfield, which is suitable for softball, volleyball, frisbee and other activities.

Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion and comfort stations are closed for the season from November through Mid-April. The pavilion may be reserved for $80 per day on Recreation.gov. When not reserved, it is available without charge on a first come, first served basis from 9:00 a.m. to dusk. Please note that the educational fee waiver does NOT waive the cost of the pavilion, just the entrance fee.

Built with funds provided by park fees, the Telegraph Road Picnic Pavilion is a good example of how the National Park Service uses fee monies.

 

 

Overnight Facilities

Cabin Camps (70-200 students)

Prince William Forest Park houses 5 different historic cabin camps built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s and 1940s. In the early days of public recreation, the park’s cabin camps were a model for national, state and local park facilities around the country. The cabin camps come equipped with electricity, running water, showers, toilets, amphitheaters with fire pits, modern kitchens and mess halls.

For more information on rates and facilities, please visit our Cabin Camping page or call 703-221-5843. (Day use of the cabin camps is available at the cost of $125.00 per day).

Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground

Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground has nine group camp sites. Six of these sites can hold up to 25 campers. Three more sites can hold up to 40 campers. Each site has fire pits and picnic tables, and the campground has centralized restrooms.

An amphitheater with semi-circular bench seating around a fire pit is also available to rent to groups. All campsites and the amphitheater can be reserved on Recreation.gov.

The Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground is located in the center of the park. To learn more, visit our Camping page or contact 703-221-7181.

 

Getting Your Group To The Park

Visit the park's Directions & Transportation page for detailed directions. You can also check out our Maps page for various maps including the overall park map. If you are visiting a cabin camp, please note that you may enter the park in a different entrance from the main park entrance. Visit the Cabin Camps page for cabin-specific directions.

A Note About Traffic
Please note that the main entrance to Prince William Forest Park is accessible only off of Route 619 - Joplin Road. This leaves the park subject to both morning and evening rush hour traffic problems. Please allow for rush hour traffic when planning your visit as rangers may not be able to extend your program to accomodate a late arrival.

 

 

Important Safety Information

Preparing For Your Ranger-Guided Program

For Ranger-led activities, please note the following:

• Ranger activities at Prince William Forest Park take place rain or shine. Please ensure that your group is dressed for changes in weather.
• Unless separated into small groups by the Park Ranger, students must stay together as a group.
• Rangers will rely upon class instructors and chaperones to provide discipline and control as needed. There must be one adult chaperone for every 10 children. If you are unable to meet this guideline, please contact the park at 703-221-7181 before your visit.
• Students will not be allowed to join a Ranger-led hike without closed-toe shoes.
• It is essential that students bring their own drinking water on any Ranger-led hikes over 1 hour in length. There are no vending machines available in the park though there are water fountains in the picnic area (seasonal) and a water fill up station at the visitor center.

Preparing For Your Self-Guided Program

For self-guided activities, please note the following:

• Please bring a well-stocked First-Aid kit with you.
• Cellular phones do not work in all areas of the park. Please bring your cellular phone with you on your visit. However, in case your cellular phone does not work please take the following precautions:
  • Always check-in to the park’s visitor center upon your arrival. Let them know how many are in your group, where you are going in the park and when you should return.
  • Inform someone from your educational institution of your visit to Prince William Forest Park and instruct them as to what time your expect to return. Give them the park’s Emergency Dispatch telephone number to call in case you do not return within a reasonable time -1-866-677-6677.
  • Any emergencies while conducting a self-guided program should be reported immediately to the National Park Service Emergency Dispatch at 1-866-677-6677 or to 911.
  • If you are truly lost, keep all members of your group together. Sit down, relax and wait for someone to contact you.
• Students should be prepared for their time in Prince William Forest Park. Measures include:
  • Dressing for weather changes
  • Bringing their own drinking water and snacks
  • Bringing insect repellant with them.
  • Bringing with them any medical necessities (medications etc..)

Additional Safety Notices

Ticks are common in Prince William Forest Park. They are usually found in grassy and bushy areas in the spring, summer and autumn. Stay on trail and ensure that students have their parents conduct a “tick check” on their clothes, hairline, ankle and foot area when they go home. Individuals attending the park should use insect or tick repellant as recommended by a medical professional.

Poison ivy is ever-present in Prince William Forest Park. It has shiny leaves in groups of three and grows either as a shrub or on a fuzzy vine. “Leaves of three, let it be” or "Hairy vine, no friend of mine" are good advice for students to avoid the plant. Wash with soap and water after contact.

Snakes are an essential part of the Prince William Forest Park ecosystem. Do not purposely approach any snakes within the park. If you encounter a snake on a trail, either go around it at a wide circumference or back-track. Snakes often rest on rocks to enjoy the sun, or hide in cool, damp places to stay cool. Please tell your groups not to reach under logs and rocks unless inspecting the area first.

 

Protecting The Park During Your Visit

As a unit of the National Park Service, Prince William Forest Park protects natural and historic resources that belong to all generations of Americans. Your groups are an important part of keeping Prince William Forest Park pristine for future generations.

• Please take measures to prevent any littering during your groups visit

• Any vandalism, graffitti or defacement of the resources within Prince William Forest Park will be prosecuted.

• Consider adding volunteering or litter pick-up to your group's visit as a service opportunity!