Looking for adventure in the Potomac River basin? Over the years we have covered many cultural, historical, and recreational sites in our weekly About the Basin posts (through social media and our website). All the points of interest are now conveniently located on a StoryMap!

Take a moment to check out the website to wander the watershed and explore the many interesting places the basin has to offer. Future stories will be added as they are published.

Find the website here: https://arcg.is/191jiX0 

Lost River State Park

About the Basin, July 23, 2021

Lost River State Park is an excellent choice for a weekend away from the DC Metropolitan area. It is only a 2.5-hour drive to the eastern panhandle of West Virginia but the park seems a world away.

Cranny Crow Overlook. Photo Credit: WV State Parks

The namesake for the Lost River State Park is not, in fact, lost. The 31.1-mile river temporarily dips underground near McCauley, W.V. then reappears as the Cacapon River. Around 81 miles later, the Cacapon joins the Potomac River.

Whether you want an easy, kid-friendly stroll along a stream (Howard Lick Trail) or a rigorous climb with a breathtaking summit (Big Ridge Trail), there is a hike for everyone at Lost River State Park. Horses, bikes, and hikers are welcome along the trails. The most popular destination is the Cranny Crow overlook which offers a view of the surrounding 6 counties and two states.

Many visitors enjoy swimming and wading in the river on a hot summer day before enjoying a barbecue at one of the many picnic pavilions.

Several campsites are available, including 6 Tentrr sites. Tentrr are pre-set sturdy canvas tents placed on wooden platforms located throughout the park.

Tentrr along the creek. Photo Credit: WV State Parks

A unique hike-in cabin option, the Primitive Outpost Cabin, is available on top of the Big Ridge Mountain. With no electricity or running water, this is the perfect place to decompress from modern comforts next to a roaring fireplace. For a more luxurious stay, check out their 26 other cabins. These come equipped with water, electricity, and even Wi-Fi.

The land was originally the home of the Massawomeck tribe which was part of the Iroquois Native Americans. The area is part of the Fairfax Grant, the massive area of land promised to the allies of the then exiled English King Charles II as a last-ditch effort to hold onto to the throne. By 1719, Thomas Lord Fairfax had inherited much of the land. In 1756, the Battle of Lost River occurred during the French and Indian War.

After the Revolutionary War, the Fairfax Land Grant property was granted to American patriots. The father of General Robert E. Lee, Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee acquired property and built a summer cabin which has since become a museum in Lost River State Park. It is open weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Prince William Forest Park

July 16, 2021

Looking for a “a drop-dead beautiful place” (Tripadvisor review, Oct. 2019) that is also a quiet respite from the activity of the big city and was once training ground for spies? That’s pretty specific, but we found it for you. Prince William Forest Park (PWFP) is located only 35 miles south of Washington, D.C. along the I-95 corridor. At 15,000-acres, it is the largest park in the National Park Service’s Washington Capital Region and one with an eventful past.

Archery Lesson. Credit: National
Park Service Museum Collection

Recreation

The park has 37 miles of hiking trails, rustic cabins, an RV campground, and primitive hike-in campsites. The park covers much of the Quantico Creek watershed with several streams and ponds for fishing and exploring.

Are you up for a navigational challenge? Grab a map and a compass from the visitor’s center to try your hand at orienteering. This Scandinavian sport uses a map and compass to navigate to various checkpoints throughout the forest. The park has 30 orienteering courses for all navigational skill levels. You will have a chance to practice your spy skills, like park residents of the past.

Park’s Past

Like many parks in the National Park Service, PWFP has a storied past. Prior to the Great Depression there were several well-populated African American communities in the area including Hickory Ridge and Batestown. These towns had been well established for hundreds of years. The towns grew after the Civil War as many formally enslaved people moved in and called it home. Many of the residents worked in the local Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine until the mine closed in 1920.

When the federal government instituted the Resettlement Administration (RA) program in 1935 to provide land to struggling farmers, they bought or condemned much of the property and forced the community out of their homes. Many residents resisted. The federal government continued to acquire land as part of the Recreational Demonstration Area program which claimed to protect forestland, provide jobs, and create recreational opportunities for nearby city-dwellers. This stretch of Eastern Piedmont forest would soon become the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area. It was thought to be a shining example of what the RA program could do. In 1948 the park was renamed Prince William Forest Park.

War-time Efforts

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, area residents who had not left by the 1940s were forcibly removed to make way for a training camp for the Office of Strategic Services (now known as the CIA). The Quantico Marine Corps Base abuts the park to the south. The park’s relationship with the base was fraught, but fruitful, for both parties. The military used the camp cabins, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, to train spies and radio operators. There was even a “Little Tokyo” training facility. At one point, the park administrator convinced the military to build roads and other infrastructure in the park as part of their training operations. In honor of its war-time history, the park now holds a 3-day Spy Camp each summer.

A more detailed account of the park’s fascinating history can be found in Prince William Forest Park: An Administrative History.

A Visitor’s Center with maps and information is located at 18170 Park Entrance Road in Triangle, Virginia. The PWFP staff frequently update the COVID-19 operating status so please check online prior to heading out.