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.


sunset at Hungry Mother State Park

Photography and parks


Photography is popular at state parks. That's not surprising because the parks are, after all, beautiful and relatively undisturbed places chock full of nature and her creations.

DCR also has online collections of state park and natural preserve photos. There’s an active Flickr photo group as well, with more than 1,000 photos. View group members' photos there and upload your own shots. (Note that many of the photos in the group collection are copyright protected.)

State parks also support:

Tag your photos with #VAStateParks and we may just share them on our feed or in a story.

DCR's state parks also occassionaly sponsor photo contests. Revisit this page now and then for details.

A special use permit is required for commercial photography at parks. This includes photos taken by a professional photographer, where a fee is charged for the photo session or photography taken to be used in marketing materials or to sell.

Get out and get snapping.