We were really looking forward to Staunton River State Park, having heard that it is beautifully secluded, incredibly peaceful, and offers a fantastic view of the night sky.

Hiking trails at Staunton River State Park

March 26-27 Staunton River State Park

Even more exciting was the history associated with the park; it’s among the original six Virginia State Parks, and has quaint, rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The cabins are located where the Dan River and Staunton River meet, forming Buggs Island Lake and giving the cabins a nice view of water. 

The 8.5 mile River Bank Trail is also accessible right next to the cabin area and follows along the water and throughout the park. Unfortunately we fell unexpectedly ill during our weekend getaway this trip, and only managed to hike 3-miles of the River Bank and Captain Staunton Trail. The trail was well used by both horses and humans, but we appreciate that woodland feel so the rougher trails make the hikes more exciting for us. There are plenty more trails to explore, but be prepared to drive, ride your bike or put in a good hike or just to get to them as most are located further from the camping areas near the entrance to the park.

One trail near the cabins leads down to where the two rivers converge

Another beautiful feature of this park is its number of open fields for star gazing. This park provides some of the darkest skies on the east coast, and offers star gazing events and telescopes to borrow, which we think is a great feature. 

It decided to rain all weekend for us, so the stars hid behind thick clouds, but we can certainly attest for how dark it gets at night! If you plan on visiting and exploring the night skies be sure to bring plenty of bug spray; all the gorgeous waterways surrounding the park also provide ample breeding grounds for mosquitoes. A small price to pay for the beauty this park provides.

We got rained out so never saw the starry night this park is so famous for 

If you would like to go on your own adventure to Staunton River State Park and would like more information about this park, click here. If you want to spend the night, find out about the cabins and camping at Staunton River State Park here.

Guest Bloggers Peter Radlowski, Sarah Sumoski and Mr. Rigby plan to tackle all 36 Virginia State Parks in 2016 and they invite you to come along on the adventure with them.