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Pre-registration is required and will open Monday, Sep 14 at 6pm. It will close on Saturday, Sep 19 at 12 noon. There will be no day-of registration.
Orienteering at Occoquan
Welcome to the start of QOC's 2026-2027 season at Occoquan Regional Park in Virginia's Fairfax County.
Occoquan is a great place to get started and will certainly hold a day of orienteering fun! This area offers a mix of open fields, historic landmarks, and challenging wooded terrain that make for an excellent orienteering experience. This park affords a combination of fast, open woods along with recreational fields (and some thick vegetation if you wander off course).
Mark Thomsen is designing the classic courses (white through red; details below). Event check-in is at Shelter 4 with parking in the adjacent lot.
Check out the course stats and notes below to pick your course and then come out, explore the park, sharpen your map and compass skills, and enjoy a great day outdoors with the orienteering community. See you at Occoquan!
What to Expect: Various courses will be available to accommodate all skill levels:
Beginner Course: Perfect for newcomers, offering a gentle introduction to orienteering with straightforward checkpoints and kid-friendly terrain. Beginner Instruction will be available.
Intermediate Course: A bit more challenging, great for those with some orienteering experience looking to improve their skills.
Advanced Courses: For experienced orienteers seeking a rigorous and demanding course with complex navigation.
What to Bring: Participants should come prepared with the following items:
Comfortable outdoor clothing and sturdy footwear
Water bottle and snacks
Compass and whistle if you have them. Loaners are available if needed.
Volunteers: Our club runs on the incredible energy of our amazing volunteers! A massive thank you to those who volunteer week after week! Thanks to you, we’re able to offer an event almost every weekend in the season. We’re always looking for new volunteers to help share the load so that our regulars don’t end up running totally off-course!
If you have a sense of adventure and a little time to spare, email the Event Director directly for other volunteering opportunities.
Beginners: Make sure to check out our Your First Event and For Beginners webpages, and if they don't answer all your questions, just ask them via our Contact Form. We will also offer beginner instruction at the event.
Groups: QOC allows groups of up to 4 people to orienteer together. Please see our For Group Leaders webpage and then contact the Event Director so they are aware of your plans.
Post-event Social: The nearby Brickmaker's Cafe is located in Occoquan Park and is open from 11 am to 8 pm, so orienteers have the opportunity to enjoy food and drinks either indoors or on their outdoor terrace overlooking the Occoquan River. It's great place to grab a burger and compare course notes - and by saying you're with the 'Sharmagh Group', get 10% off your tab.
Other notes and reminders:
QOC will continue to use pre-registration as the ONLY method of signing up for our events. There will be NO day-of, on-site registration. Refunds are paid only in case of event cancellation.
No water or food will be provided. Participants are responsible for meeting all their own food and hydration needs.
Restrooms are available near the picnic area.
Everyone must be out of the woods and back at the registration/finish area by 3:00pm when control pick-up will start. Allow yourself time to get back to the registration area to download, regardless of whether you finished the course. We want to ensure that all participants are safe and accounted for.
Pets are allowed but must always be kept on a leash and under the owner’s control.
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| Course Details |
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| Course Notes |
All CoursesWelcome to the first event of the 2026–2027 season. Expect shorter courses with plenty packed into them. NOTE: course map scales were changed Tuesday evening and are now correct as shown. A few things to know:
Advanced Courses
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| Registration | Pre-registration is required. Registration opens at 6pm on the Monday before this event and closes at 12 noon the day before the event.
Who's Registered? Check by clicking here. |
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| Schedule |
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| Location | Occoquan Regional Park, Shelter 4 Parking Area, Lorton, Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Driving Directions |
Take exit 160B off of I-95 onto Route 123 north, follow 123 north 1.5 miles to park entrance on right. As as alternative, from exit 163 make a left at the new traffic light onto Workhouse Road, and then go left at the next two traffic lights.
Be aware that I-95 heading south after ~11am on Saturday mornings is when the express lanes reverse, usually causing a back up starting at Route 123; avoid using I-95 between exits 160 - 163 on a weekend afternoon if you can. |
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| Entry Fees | Individual Entries Note: juniors = under 21
Group Entries Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch. Important Notes
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| FAQ |
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Course Details
| Course Name | Length (km) | Climb (m) | No. Controls | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 1.8 | 55 | 11 | 1:5000 |
| Yellow | 2.6 | 75 | 12 | 1:5000 |
| Orange | 3.3 | 110 | 11 | 1:5000 |
| Brown | 3 | 95 | 12 | 1:7500 |
| Green | 4.9 | 195 | 15 | 1:7500 |
| Red | 5.3 | 190 | 17 | 1:7500 |
Course Notes
All Courses
Welcome to the first event of the 2026–2027 season. Expect shorter courses with plenty packed into them.
NOTE: course map scales were changed Tuesday evening and are now correct as shown.
A few things to know:
- Small park, lots of punch. Course lengths are shorter, but there’s plenty of navigation.
- Season opener. We’re starting a little shorter to build your momentum and confidence.
- Thicker than mapped. Rain and summer growth have brought plenty of vines and shrubbery. Some areas are noticeably thicker than the map suggests.
- Pants recommended. You’ll appreciate the protection in the thicker sections. When the woods open up, though, they’re open and fast.
Advanced Courses
- Rootstocks: They’re everywhere. You’ll encounter many more than are mapped. Those used for controls are prominent and should be obvious once you’re in the circle.
- Distinctive trees: These are mapped with green circles. All advanced courses will encounter at least one distinctive tree used as a feature.
- Man-made features: You’ll also encounter a few man-made features, including pipes and ruins.
- Contours: There’s plenty of terrain detail, including extensive use of form lines. This can make the terrain look hillier on the map than it feels on the ground. That said, you will climb - the park is definitely not flat.
- Road crossing: Advanced courses cross a road frequently used by large trucks traveling to and from the landfill. Use caution when crossing and do not assume traffic will stop for you.
- Getting to and from the road: Heavy shrubbery blocks access between the woods and road in some places. If your intended exit is impassable, keep moving along the edge and look for a better opening. The thickest vegetation is toward the northern end of the road, particularly when re-entering the park’s main part.
Registration
Pre-registration is required. Registration opens at 6pm on the Monday before this event and closes at 12 noon the day before the event.
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Who's Registered? Check by clicking here.
Schedule
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Sunday, September 20
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location
Driving Directions
Be aware that I-95 heading south after ~11am on Saturday mornings is when the express lanes reverse, usually causing a back up starting at Route 123; avoid using I-95 between exits 160 - 163 on a weekend afternoon if you can.
Entry Fees
Individual Entries
Note: juniors = under 21
| Club Member, adult | Club Member, junior | Non-Member, adult | Non-Member, junior |
| $10 | $5 | $20 | $5 |
Group Entries
Participants are welcome to orienteer together as a group (up to the maximum for that event; usually 4). Each member of a group is charged their individual rate as shown above, up to a group total of $30 (maximum), and each receives a map. A group receives one epunch.
Important Notes
- If you wish to become a QOC member you should join online in advance via this webpage (which also explains the member benefits). Membership is completely optional.
- Most of our events use an 'epunch' timing chip for electronic timing. Individuals or groups without their own epunch will be loaned one for that event. Loaned epunches that are lost incur a $60 replacement fee. Epunches (also known as SI-cards or finger sticks) can be purchased from online vendors as described here.
- Former QOC members who have let their membership lapse pay non-member fees.
- Compasses are available at no charge, but if lost incur a $15 replacement fee.
- After completing their first course, orienteers who'd like to try a second one may do so with approval from the Event Director.
- There is no planned, on-site beginner instruction, but beginners are encouraged to watch relevant videos such as this one created by QOC's instructional guru David Onkst
FAQ
- What should I expect at a QOC orienteering event?
Participants navigate through diverse terrain — wooded areas, open fields, and sometimes waterways — using a map and compass. QOC offers a full range of courses to suit every skill level, from beginner-friendly to advanced, so newcomers and experienced orienteers can compete side by side. Events test your navigation skills and endurance, and, for groups, teamwork, all at your own pace.
- What should I bring to a QOC event?
Comfortable outdoor clothing and sturdy footwear suited to the terrain and weather, a water bottle and snacks, and a compass and whistle if you have them — loaners of both are available if needed.
- Do I need experience to try orienteering with QOC?
No experience is necessary. Beginner instruction is offered on-site at every event, and newcomers can prepare in advance with QOC's Your First Event and For Beginners pages, including this instructional video from QOC's David Onkst. Any other questions can be sent through our Contact Form.
- Can I orienteer with a group?
Yes — QOC welcomes groups of orienteers at most events. See our Group Leaders page for tips on running as a group, and check each event's Entry Fees section for group size limits and pricing.
- What is QOC's registration policy?
QOC uses pre-registration only — there is no day-of, on-site registration, and refunds are issued only if an event is cancelled. Each event's own Registration section lists that event's specific sign-up window.
- Are pets allowed at QOC events?
Well-behaved pets are welcome at most venues, but must be kept on a leash and under the owner's control at all times. Check each event's own announcement for any venue-specific restrictions.
- How can I volunteer at a QOC event?
QOC runs on volunteer support, from course setting and registration to control pickup — no experience is necessary for most roles. Each event's announcement includes a way to sign up (usually a SignUpGenius link) or to contact that event's director directly to offer help.
