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

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.