Day Hike, The Other Maintainer’s Loop (Counterclockwise), PWFP, Triangle, VA

This 3.3 mile counterclockwise loop took place within Prince William Forest near Triangle, VA on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. It was just me on this one.

Today was going to be one of the last days above 70 degrees. So I had to get out there and take a hike. The route that I took was the 3.3 mile counterclockwise loop in PWFP consisting of North Orenda RD, South Valley Trail and Pyrite Mine RD. This was another one of the routes that I used to take when I was a trail maintainer here about nine years ago. I started this hike around 11:00 AM. It was in the high 60’s and a slight breeze when I started.

I parked my vehicle in Parking Lot D. I was about to hike this route clockwise. But I forgot my water bottle. When I went back to get it, I decided to hike this look counterclockwise. I first hiked on North Orenda RD in a southeastern direction. There was supposed to be an old family cemetery about halfway down this fire road on the left side. However, I didn’t see any of it’s remnants when I passed it. Maybe they were covered by leaves.

After about 1.1 miles I got onto the South Valley Trail. I was now hiking in a northeastern direction and the trail and road were shared for about a quarter mile. When I got to the bridge across Quantico Creek South Branch, I continued past it and was now on trail only. This stretch paralleled the creek and was flat for about a quarter mile, then went up a few hundred feet to avoid a rock outcropping, then came back down. In another quarter mile I would reach the confluence of the north and south branches of Quantico Creek and the intersection with the Pyrite Mine RD.

There was a mistake on the trail sign at this intersection. The North Valley Trail used to turn left, then right onto what is now the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail. However, at some point, the North Valley Trail was rerouted such that it crossed Quantico Creek North Branch and continued on the east side of Quantico Creek North Branch, then re-crossed the creek and proceeded in a northwestern direction.

Now I was on the home stretch. The Pyrite Mine road was slightly up the entire last mile that I hiked. I hiked in a northwesternly direction on this stretch. I felt good at this point. My knee felt weird but it did not hurt. Between the parking lot and the loop that I hiked I encountered at least 15 other people. It was 73 degrees when I finished this hike. On a late November day, I think that was amazing. I got done a bit after 12 noon. It was the perfect day for a hike.

Mike C

Map of where I hiked