Venues & Directions
The meet venue, Prince William Forest Park (PWFP), is located about 30 miles south of Washington, DC via US Interstate 95. The park entry fee is $20 per vehicle and is good for seven days. If you have a National Parks or Prince William Forest Park pass, entry is free. Park entry fees are detailed HERE.
Please adhere strictly to the speed limits in the park. Dress for the weather and consider bringing umbrellas if rain is predicted as there will be no indoor facilities available in the start/finish area. Restroom facilities will be available.
Embargoed Areas
Per OUSA Rules of Competition, the Oak Ridge and Pine Grove areas of PWFP are off limits for all purposes (including hiking, training or orienteering) for those competing in this event. An overview of these embargoed areas is here.
Arena Maps
Maps of the venue showing parking, registration, and start areas for Oak Ridge and Pine Grove will be posted here.
Note: There will be no parking available at the Oak Ridge competition area. Spectators will need to take one of the competitor shuttles to Oak Ridge. Priority on all shuttles will be for competitors.
Model Event: Friday, March 10
There will be a model event between 12:00–4:00 PM in the Turkey Run Ridge Area of Prince William Forest Park starting near Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground. The model event will also be open Saturday and Sunday. No QOC personnel will be present at Turkey Run Ridge.
Directions to Model Event [Google map link]
From the North, head South on Interstate 95. Take exit 150B merging onto 619W towards Prince William Forest Park. In 0.2 miles turn right onto Park Entrance Road. In 0.5 miles turn left onto Scenic Drive. In 2 miles turn left towards Turkey Run Group Camping Area. In 0.3 miles turn right to stay on Turkey Run Road. Follow signs to parking.
From the South, head North on Interstate 95. Take exit 150 to 619W towards Prince William Forest Park. In 0.2 miles turn right onto Park Entrance Road. In 0.5 miles turn left onto Scenic Drive. In 2 miles turn left onto Turkey Run Road. In 0.3 miles turn right on Turkey Run Road. Follow signs to parking.
There are about 40 parking slots at Turkey Run Ridge. To avoid the risk of receiving a parking ticket, do not park along the park road. Please consider carpooling.
Model Event Maps
You must print your own model map. Model maps at scales of 1:7500 and 1:10000 are now available here and here, respectively. The PDF files should be printed on letter sized paper in portrait mode at 100% scale (actual size).
The start and finish locations indicated on the map will have a streamer hung as close by as possible to mark them on the terrain. Control locations will have a stand and flag, but no e-punch box.
Day 1: Saturday, March 11
Directions to Day 1&2 Parking [Google map link]
Prince William Forest Park is located at I-95 Exit 150B (Joplin Rd - Rt 619 West). Stay right as you exit I-95, and as you travel westbound on Joplin Road, the park entrance is your second right. Parking will be on Williams Ballfield (follow signs towards the Visitor Center); stay to the right on the park road until you see parking volunteers who will guide you to the field.
Day 1 of the competition will be held on the Oak Ridge map, newly created in 2020 and covering a large section of the pristine and little-used northwestern part of Prince William Forest Park abutting the North Branch of Quantico Creek. There will be no parking available at Oak Ridge for either competitors or spectators. All parking will be at Williams Ball Field near the park main entrance. Once inside the park, follow signs and parking volunteer instructions.
Buses leaving approximately every 20 minutes from near the Williams Ball Field parking area will take competitors and spectators to the administrative location adjacent to Oak Ridge Campground. The duration of the shuttle will be approximately 15-20 minutes. Spiked O'shoes can be worn in the bathrooms and on the buses.
Please do not enter the campground itself unless you have rented a camping slot. Camping slots for March 2023 are now available for rental HERE.
If you are not staying at Oak Ridge Campground, the only restroom facilities authorized for use by Royal Romp participants at Oak Ridge will be the port-a-johns located near the shuttle bus drop-off/pick-up site and the e-punch table.
On Saturday, there will be two separate starts – one for White and Yellow, and another for Orange and advanced courses. Walk to the start for white and yellow courses is ~300m from the shuttle drop-off location/arena area; walk to orange and advanced courses’ start is ~100m. A warm-up area is available when you at the arena; please see Day One layout map. Competitors will have a traditional 3-line call up. You will be called to the first line 3 minutes before your assigned start time to check in and enter the start chute. Control descriptions will be on the map and also available at the second line. White and Yellow course orienteers (both competitive and recreational) will NOT be assigned a start time. Instead, please check in with the start crew to receive a time when you are ready to begin your course. The wait will be minimal. You will receive your map and control description sheet once you are called to the first line, giving you 3 minutes to review the map before punching the start. There will be a clothing drop at each start with clothing being returned to the arena. Please be sure to collect clothing BEFORE getting on the shuttle.
Directions to Happy Hour at Bar Louie - Stonebridge [Google map link]
Come join us for our social Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30pm at Bar Louie, Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center, 15001 Potomac Town Pl, Woodbridge, VA. Make sure to mention ‘QOC’ to mix and mingle with our group of orienteers. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Day 2: Sunday, March 12
Day 2 of the competition will be held on the Pine Grove map, newly remapped in 2022 and covering the eastern part of PWFP and the lower reaches of the north and south branches of Quantico Creek. Just as for Day 1, once inside the park, follow signs and then parking volunteer instructions to the parking area which will be at Williams Ball Field directly adjacent to the Pine Grove picnic area and the administrative location for the Day 2 event.
On Sunday, there will be a ~400m walk from the Pine Grove Shelter to the start (for all courses). Please see Day Two layout map for the warm up area on the way to the start. Competitors will have a traditional 3-line call up. You will be called to the first line 3 minutes before your assigned start time to check in and enter the start chute. Control descriptions will be on the map and also available at the second line. White and Yellow course competitive and recreational orienteers, as well as Orange course recreational orienteers, will NOT be assigned a start time. Instead, please check in with the start crew to receive a time when you are ready to begin your course. The wait will be minimal. You will receive your map and control description sheet once you are called to the first line, giving you 3 minutes to review the map before punching the start. There will be a clothing drop at the start with clothing being returned to the finish area/arena.
Google Map to Prince William Forest Park entrance (red pin):