Dove's Landing

Dove's Landing is a 235-acre undeveloped property located along the Occoquan River, upstream from Lake Jackson. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors acquired the property in 1996, after a developer tried to force the county to purchase increased public access rights. Since that time, the property has remained vacant, with a “Public Land - Keep Out” sign posted at the boundary.

Dove's Landing protects a one-mile buffer along the Occoquan River, which flows into the Occoquan Reservoir. The property encompasses at least two high quality wetland areas as well as significant floodplain and upland forests.

Dove's Landing is centrally located in the county, one mile from the intersection of Prince William Parkway and Route 234. Opening this public land to public uses would provide Prince William residents with a high quality site for walking in the woods on natural trails, wildlife watching and other passive recreation opportunities.

The County already owns the property, and minimal improvements would be required to open it to public use. Within a few months, the Prince William County Park Authority could provide high quality services to residents at virtually no cost to taxpayers.

On June 29, 2007, specialists from the Prince William Conservation Alliance and the Prince William County Park Authority walked the eastern portion of the property. Everyone was impressed with the quality and diversity of wildlife habitats. Existing trails are located outside the Resource Preservation Area, minimizing negative impacts to the Occoquan River while still providing a view of this beautiful waterway. The gently sloping landscape, open forest and scenic appearance create inviting and accessible conditions for residents of all ages.

Click here to read the list of plants we noticed on our walk and scroll down to view photos taken on June 29th, presented in the order of our hike beginning at the cell tower off Dove's Lane. From there, we walked southeast to the Occoquan River, then south and east along the water to the edge of the property.