Local pools are scaling back their hours as summer winds down, with most shifting to weekends-only schedules through Labor Day.
Prince William County’s community pools and waterparks are shifting into their late-summer schedules. Birchdale Pool in Dale City will remain open daily (closed Wednesdays) through August 15 before moving to weekends-only through September 1.
STAFFORD, Va. – The folks at Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation just told Potomac Local News that hikers now have more to explore at Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve in Stafford. A 1.2-mile extension to the popular Boykin’s Landing Trail is officially open—bringing the total length from Raven Road to 4.4 miles.
The new trail hugs Potomac Creek’s shoreline before climbing toward Crow’s Nest Point Trail. It’s a quiet escape in a fast-growing part of Northern Virginia, where the preserve protects mature hardwood forests and offers hiking and paddling.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — Visitors staying at Prince William Forest Park’s Cabin Camp 3 this summer may notice small white flags scattered throughout the wooded landscape. Far from surrender flags, these markers represent the park’s latest effort to restore its historic cabin camps to their original, rustic charm.
Park officials are launching a revegetation project aimed at allowing the surrounding forest to naturally reclaim open areas around the camp’s historic buildings, which date back to the 1930s. According to Superintendent George Liffert, the process involves reducing mowing and encouraging native vegetation to grow in, helping the camp feel once again nestled within the forest rather than carved out of it.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. – Residents interested in new biking and walking connections through the region are invited to an open house tonight to learn more about a proposed “Rail with Trail” project that could link Downtown Manassas to Park Central and the Bull Run Occoquan Trail in Fairfax County.
The open house will take place today, Wednesday, July 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Manassas Park City Hall, 100 Park Central Plaza. Attendees can drop in at any time during the two-hour window to view draft plans, ask questions, and offer input. Spanish interpretation will be available.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center and Chatham Manor, two of the most prominent sites within Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, will temporarily close for extensive upgrades starting August 4, 2025, according to the National Park Service.
The closures will allow for essential infrastructure improvements and safety upgrades. The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center will be closed for approximately six to seven months to accommodate the installation of a fire suppression system, a waterline upgrade, and an overhaul of the building’s aging electrical systems. Chatham will close for about one year for interior rehabilitation, including lead paint encapsulation, new carpet installation, and plaster repairs.
DUMFRIES, Va. – A proposal to name a new public park after Delegate Luke Torian (D-24, Prince William County) and his wife, Clarice, was removed from the July 1, 2025, Dumfries Town Council agenda — delaying what many community members hoped would be a celebratory vote.
The park, which sits atop the town’s former landfill site, is part of a major transformation that’s turning more than 80 acres of reclaimed land into a public green space overlooking Quantico Creek. The site is adjacent to the Rose Gaming Resort and represents one of the most visible symbols of the town’s revitalization.
TRIANGLE, Va. – Community leaders, residents, and golf enthusiasts gathered this week to celebrate the newly renovated clubhouse at Forest Greens Golf Club with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Upgrades to the Triangle-based facility include a refreshed entrance with modern signage, an updated lobby and fireplace, improved grill room, fully renovated restrooms, a new pro shop, and brand-new furniture throughout the building. The improvements were funded through Prince William County Parks and Recreation’s Capital Improvement Program, part of a countywide effort to improve and modernize public facilities.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. – Signal Bay Waterpark will now open on Thursday, July 11, city officials announced Friday, marking the latest delay in the park’s summer season.
The waterpark typically opens Memorial Day weekend, but the city had already postponed this year’s opening due to ongoing renovations. Officials initially hoped to welcome guests by June 23, and later targeted July 4. Now, the city says “everything else is ready to go” — they’re just waiting on the delivery and installation of a new water feature.
TRIANGLE, Va. – A rusted WWII-era tank gun barrel, likely left behind by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during secretive wartime training exercises, has been recovered from a remote section of Prince William Forest Park.
Interpretive Park Ranger Melissa Weih said the discovery was made in an archaeological site deep in the woods, in an area once used by the OSS — the forerunner to today’s CIA — during World War II. While the exact location is being kept confidential to protect the historical site, Weih confirmed it’s a low-traffic, off-trail part of the park where old training grounds still exist.
