The clear waters from the Piedmont foothills flow gently downstream where they meet with the briny tidal currents arriving from the ocean. This brackish mix of the rivers meeting the sea creates the estuarine ecosystem. This is where juvenile black drum and striped bass feed and grow, where blue crabs shed their old shells, and birds as various as osprey to sandpipers search for their prey. 

Come to where the rivers meet the sea

The day starts with the York River 5K Race which is organized by the Colonial Road Runners. Race day registration begins at 7:00 a.m. and the runners are off at 8:30 a.m. For more information and early registration, email Craig Worthman here or Rick Platt here. 

Off to the races

From 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. our staff and volunteers will lead guest on a variety of adventures. Discover prehistoric mysteries on our fossil beach. Collect unique species of aquatic life in seine and dip nets.  Enter the fields of cord grasses and fiddler crabs on a marsh march.  Bring your bike and ride the trails with the Eastern Virginia Mountain Bike Association. We’ll even kayak into the York River and go up Taskinas Creek with canoe paddles. 

Discover the creatures of the estuaries

Our partners at the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Historic Rivers Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist will be on hand with other agencies and organizations with interesting interactive displays that relate to estuaries and outdoor activities. Food will be provided by the Friends of York River State Park. 

Discover relics of the past

All park programs are free with the $4 parking fee. Arrive early and take in the ranger guided adventures and fun or feel free to explore our 40 miles of trails and discover what makes the estuarine ecosystem so unique and vital to the Chesapeake Bay. Click here for directions to York River State Park.