Field Trips
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Science,Social Studies
Learn the history of the park's Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine on this 2 mile hike that takes around 2 hours to complete. We will hike to the old mine site, where students will learn about the park's mining history by visiting several existing foundations and capped off mine shafts. Rangers will also explain the environmental impact of the mine and how the National Park Service restored the site. The hike touches on themes of environmental restoration, the industrial revolution, and geology.
Preparing for the Field Trip
This 2 mile hike involves several steep hills and sometimes narrow trails. Students should be prepared with good walking shoes, water, and weather appropriate clothing. Please contact us if you are interested. Maximum group size is 30 students.About the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine
Today, Pyrite Mine Road, North Valley Trail, and Cabin Branch Mine Trail all lead to a peaceful place where trees grow, birds sing, and Quantico Creek trickles by. From 1889 to 1920, a person in that very spot would hear the chugging of a narrow gauge railway, the grinding sounds of a mill, and the hoots and hollars of miners hard at work. The Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine employed up to 300 men and children and was the backbone of the local economy. When the mine closed its doors due to local and international events, it scarred the community and the environment. In the 1990s, the National Park Service used scientific planning to restore the landscape into the recovering ecosystem it is today.Schedule This Program
To schedule this program, visit the Prince William Forest Park Education page for more information on park field trips.Last updated: October 1, 2024