Prince William Forest Park Comprehensive Trail Plan/EA FONSI

The NPS has approved a plan to create new trails, adjust trail routes and expand recreation opportunities at Prince William Forest Park, while protecting park wildlife, plants, streams and archaeological sites.

The plan allows for the following improvements:

- Create approximately 13 miles of new trails, adding new trail links and multiple loop options.
- Construct up to four miles of new trails that meet the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS) standards.
- Increase the number of trail segments suitable for horseback riding and mountain biking.
- Adjust the routes of more than 29 miles of existing trails to improve trail connectivity and to protect streams, plants, and archaeological sites.
- Establish better connections with local and regional trail systems beyond the national park.
- Expand parking at four existing trailheads in the park, and add new trailhead parking along the park's northern boundary.

Park managers plans to implement these actions incrementally as funding becomes available through a combination of appropriated funds and donations/partnerships. The Park also plans to establish cooperative agreements with a number of partners for the long term maintenance of the improved/expanded trails.

The NPS analyzed two alternatives and completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) before selecting the proposed plan. In completing the plan and EA, the NPS reviewed more than 200 comments and incorporated feedback from visitors and stakeholders.

A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed on May 28, 2019 by acting National Capital Regional Director Lisa Mendelson for the Comprehensive Trails Plan and Environmental Assessment (EA) for Prince William Forest Park. The FONSI is the decision-making document for the project, and it determined that the project will have no significant impacts.

Document Content:

Comprehensive Trail Plan - Finding of No Significant Impact   (704.0 KB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of Acrobat Reader from Adobe Systems.