Prince William Forest Park · VA
John Palmer Trail
Live · updated
Today
Workable day for mountain biking.
Today's best: mountain biking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Marginal conditions for hiking.
Trail running
Workable day for trail running.
Mountain biking
Workable day for mountain biking.
Dog walking
Workable day for dog walking.
Score breakdown
- · 80°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- ✓ Trail: prime — Paved/boardwalk surface — rainfall does not affect traction.
- − 42 min of daylight — You need at least 46 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 1.62 mi
- Elevation gain
- 142 ft
- Surface
- boardwalk
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.5281, -77.3609 — VA.
Park
Part of Prince William Forest Park (official site →).
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is John Palmer Trail?
John Palmer Trail is a 1.62-mile route with 142 feet of elevation gain. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at John Palmer Trail?
John Palmer Trail is elevated boardwalk over wet ground — stays passable year-round. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages John Palmer Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
John Palmer Trail is in Prince William Forest Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.