Day Hike, Pyrite Mine RD, North Valley & Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trails, PWFP, Triangle, VA

This trip log may contain an afffiliate ad banner and/or text link. If one clicks/taps on one of these links and then makes a purchase, I sometimes receive a small commission. Please patronize our advertisers. This roughly 2.5 mile loop day hike took place on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. It was just me on this one.

Since we had a second week of record high temperatures I again got up at 4:00 AM, left the house at 5:00 AM, made it to Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA and was on the Pyrite Mine Fire RD by 5:45 AM. The temperature was 60 degrees on the way there and 61 degrees when I hit the trail.

It was a beautiful morning. The air was crisp and clean. I started along the Pyrite Mine Fire RD. I would be doing a loop around the former Pyrite Mine site. I have probably done this loop a hundred times or more as it was one of my loops when I was a trail maintainer here between 2015 and 2017. It was nice to do it again.

I took the Pyrite Mine Fire RD about a mile down to Quantico Creek North Branch. From there I turned left onto the North Valley Trail. The foliage had grown in more on this section of trail. It had masked a number of the blazes on it. When I got to the Pyrite Mine Overlook, I stopped and took a break on the benches there.

This was a bit past the half way point on the hike. I knew that I would have to climb over 200 feet for the next mile or so until I got back to my vehicle. So I drank an Ensure and took a Voke tab to give me some energy. I hiked another .2 miles and crossed a bridge over Quantico Creek North Branch. I took a selfie there.

Next I started a long up on the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail. It was tough but I felt good making the ascent. One of the reasons that I enjoy hiking is that I can think about all sorts of things. My mind wanders. It is liberating. After another .4 miles I made it back to the Pyrite Mine RD. I turned right, hiked another .5 miles and I was done around 7:00 AM. It was still 61 degrees when I finished this hike.

I was the first person to park in parking lot D this morning. A bicyclist pulled in right after me. I wished him a good ride and he wished me a good hike. The only other person that I saw on the trail was a lady and her dog. There were a number of people running and walking the scenic drive on the way in.

This morning was a good one. The weather was right. I got some exercise. I met some nice people and I learned a few things. And I can’t wait to take a nap to make up for the 1.5 hours of sleep that I lost this morning.