Prince William Forest Park is a Park in Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Prince William Forest the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 243° | 9h 46m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 255° | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 283° | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 295° | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 301° | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 299° | 14h 36m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 289° | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 260° | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 247° | 10h 05m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 241° | 9h 29m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.5859, -77.3891); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Prince William Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:12 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
6 Estimated Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos.
Weather & best time to visit
Prince William Forest Park experiences all four seasons. Spring and fall are generally comfortable with precipitation possible. Summers can be hot and humid with average temperatures in the high 80s and with sudden thunderstorms possible. July and August are the hottest months. Winters can be cold with average temperatures in the winter of 41 degrees with variable precipitation. The main park roads can close due to snowy conditions, though cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing are permitted.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
From Washington, D.C. and points north: Take I-95 south to exit 150-B (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). The park entrance is the second right. From Fredericksburg and points south: Take I-95 north to exit 150 (VA Route 619/Joplin Road). Turn left at the bottom of the exit ramp and continue on VA Route 619 West approximately 1/4 mile to the park entrance.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Compass and GPS
- Orienteering
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hands-On
- Volunteer Vacation
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Junior Ranger Program
Nearby parks
VA
MD
MD
VA
MD
MD