Open fires are prohibited throughout the park from midnight to 4 p.m. through April 30 per the 4 p.m. Burning Law. This includes wood and charcoal. Gas is permissible. Campground fires are allowed during the restricted time if a camp host is on duty and signage to that effect is posted in the campground. Failure to observe the 4 p.m. Burning Law can result in a fine. Contact the Park Office for additional information.

The Civil War and Virginia State Parks

Civil War re-enactment at Sailor's Creek. Virginia has some of the most expensive land in the United States – it was purchased with the blood and lives of Americans during the four years of the Civil War. Virginia saw more battles than any other state and paid a steep price, both on the field of battle and on the home front.

Each year, six state parks commemorate their site's involvement in the war:

Sailor’s Creek Battlefield – On April 6, 1865, 72 hours before Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, more than 7,700 me were killed or captured here.
High Bridge Trail – On April 6-7, 1865, Confederates and Union troops desperately for control of the bridge.
Staunton River Battlefield – On June 25, 1864, Fewer than 800 old men, boys and Confederate reserves defended the bridge against a Union force or more than 5,000.
Leesylvania – On Sept. 25, 1861, the air here was filled with the sounds of war as shots were exchanged between Union gunboats and Confederate artillery.
Sky Meadows – From July 19, 1861, through the end of the war, Union and Confederate troops camped at Mount Bleak Farm on their way to and from battles.

While these sites each saw battles, engagements or encampments, there is a broader story of the lives of Virginia’s women, men and children, both free and enslaved, during the four years of the war. It’s a story of survival, freedom and endurance; of changing lives and changing roles; of overcoming diversity; of dreams realized and hearts broken. These stories are written across the landscape of Virginia and in every community.

These stories and more are being told in every state park through programs, encampments and throughout the year.