The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is now accepting entries for its “Stitch in Time” Quilt Show.

By May of 1775, men, women, and children headed west, deep into the harsh wilderness.

Put your mountain biking skills to the test at Shenanduro, a Virginia State Park Adventure Series race! All competitors will check in at the south end of the park, located near Downriver Canoe Company (884 Indian Hollow Rd, Bentonville, VA 22610).

If you love birds, people who love birds, and moms, this is the event for you!

Nature is all around us and one of the best ways to learn about it is by using all your senses.

Take a 4-hour guided tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park!

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park will offer a monthly "Birding in the Gap" series on the second Saturday of each month.

Give Mom a real treat this Mother's Day. Ride with a ranger on our 30-foot pontoon boat and learn the history of how the lake was created and the origin of the state park. Keep a lookout for an abundance of wildlife which makes Smith Mountain Lake its home. Watch to see the ospreys that have returned to the lake from their winter home in the Caribbean.

Join a ranger and learn about the natural history of Westmoreland State Park and about the particular fossils you can find here.

Begin your canoe and kayak adventure with a rite of Spring on the Chesapeake Bay.  Burning socks is a tradition among sailors near Annapolis.  We will not need them with our water shoes.  Please bring a pair of natural fiber socks for the ritual fire.  Then, join us for the first paddle of the season.  Cost.

From woodlands to wetlands, fields and pastures, let's investigate the plants, animals and history of farming at Sky Meadows State Park.

A quilter understands the value of preserving the past.

Join us for a full day of live animal shows, hands on educational opportunities, and outdoor recreation clinics that all aim to highlight the rich natural history of Northern Virginia and foster stewardship of our environment.

Will you take up the bow and try your hand at the sport of archery?

Curious about how the light green house looks from the inside and its restoration process?

Mom does everything for you, now it’s your turn to do something for her. Show your mom some love this Mother’s Day weekend by submitting up to two of your mom’s favorite flowers either in honor of, or in memory of, for the museum’s floral display.

Visit a ranger and learn about bear safety.

The use of bows to shoot arrows has been a part of global history for thousands of years whether for defense, survival, or sport.

Join us every second Saturday at the Mayo River Trails to explore the future Mayo River State Park. You will also discover some interesting facts about local wildlife, the history of the Native Americans who inhabited the area, and about the exploration of the area by William Byrd.

Get down and dirty with this two-hour wild cave tour.

Everyone has a different type of bond with their mother, and so do the mothers and children of the animal world.

Overlooking the New River, the Shot Tower was built in the 1800s to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.

It’s Mothers Day, and our trails are full of mother animals taking care of young.

The Children's Garden Workshops are a great way to get your little one up, moving, creating and learning.

Shhhh!

Explore the park's expansive wetlands with us as we search for and identify the plants and animals that call this unique habitat their home.

Embark on an exhilarating journey into the world of birds with our Citizen Science Series, "Birdwatching Adventures." We invite nature enthusiasts of all levels to discover the wonders of avian life while contributing to scientific research through the renowned eBird platform.

Feel the joy of bluebird conservation as you learn about the Eastern Bluebird.

Surviving as a colonist was drastically different and more complex than the 21st century, but we can still find similarities between them and us.

What animal inspired a popular children's game?

Spoil Mom with a delightful cup of tea.

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations, and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for, we will travel to the site.

Who says you have to get up at the crack of dawn to go bird watching?

This historical building tour is designed to highlight the architecture of the time, designs, furnishings, special touches, ornate decor, and stories within the walls of the Jones-Stewart Mansion.

Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park will remember mothers everywhere on this day with a special presentation commemorating Mother's Day.

Do you know why turtles have shells?

Bring Mom out for a Wildflower Walk to uncover some of Virginia's prettiest, yet often overlooked, treasures.

Come on and take a free ride...

Join a park ranger on a hike to the waterfall and back.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Join us in making homemade cards for the special women in your life, using real flowers!

This land-based, hook-free fishing game is a fun and safe way to learn how to cast, but even those who are fishing fanatics will enjoy trying to beat out the competition in this game of limited resources.

Flowers are a traditional Mother’s Day gift, but they only last so long.

The survival bracelet is the superhero utility belt of the outdoors.

Watch and learn about our ambassador animals, Reba the Corn Snake or Stevie the King Snake, as they feed on a frozen mouse! .

We would like to introduce you to “Boxer” the box turtle.

Bear Creek Lake is a modest 40 aces in size yet has a many-faceted story to tell.

Learn some of the trade secrets of what it takes to create the perfect "Fairy Stone" that everyone is looking for.

Join us as we build a beaver to find out if the beaver's teeth, and other body parts, are useful, or just a cruel joke played by Mother Nature.

Will you take up the bow and try your hand at the sport of archery?

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our on-the-go naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.  Don't be surprised if he has a photo or two to share with you.

Step back in time to 1939, when Pocahontas State Park was known as the Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area and learn more about the history of the park.

For decades, citizen science has helped increase bluebird populations.

Have you ever seen a tree grow out of a rock?

🌳🐍 WIDE WATER STATE PARK PRESENTS: "SNAKES ALIVE" 🐍🌳 Join us Saturday at 2:30 pm for an unforgettable experience at Wide Water State Park's "Snakes Alive" program!

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic areas and beaches with interesting animal or historical artifacts from the park.

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

Create a hand-made, nature-inspired souvenir to take home.

Did you know mommy opossums carry their young on their backs for three to five months?

Just because we don’t always spot them, we know the animals are around by the tracks and traces they leave behind.

Trees have magical qualities which give us many important everyday items and the oxygen we breathe.

Frogs, crawdads, and children, oh my!

Join us at the Wetlands Estonoa Center for a fun educational activity all about environments and how they work.

You never know what critters you will see around Belle Isle, there's dozens to pick from. Join a ranger to learn about the insects we see and don't see and make a craft to take home and share with friends and family.

Hop on over to learn the calls and search for some of Virginia's native frog species.

Star gaze with us and become a "Night Sky Explorer" Junior Ranger!

Join us for an evening presentation at 7:30 in the interpretive center.  Dr.

Discover our International Dark-Sky Park!

5/4 RESCHEDULED TO 5/11 DUE TO WEATHER Join astronomers from the Richmond Astronomical Society for Saturday Under the Stars.

Calling all amateur astronomers and people who enjoy the night sky!

Did you know that opossums roamed the earth with the dinosaurs and that  raccoons have “hands” like ours? Wonder what other secrets these critters hold? Join us to discover little known facts about these amazing animals and how they benefit humans.

Bring your family and friends and join a park ranger for a campfire on the water’s edge at the beach amphitheater.

Take a stroll along our lake shore as you visit several mesmerizing lights that have been placed in or along the lake.

Come join the storytellers from CHAOS (Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society) on the Observation Field to share the stories of the stars.

Take a 4-hour guided tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park!

From woodlands to wetlands, fields and pastures, let's investigate the plants, animals and history of farming at Sky Meadows State Park.

The use of bows to shoot arrows has been a part of global history for thousands of years whether for defense, survival, or sport.

Celebrate Mother's Day with a peaceful paddle to Caledon Marsh.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

Overlooking the New River, the Shot Tower was built in the 1800s to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.

It’s Mothers Day, and our trails are full of mother animals taking care of young.

We all enjoy a yummy meal and that’s the same for our resident snake that lives here in our Visitor Center.

Pasture Pals is a special program at Chippokes, where guests are introduced to and able to spend quality time with our ambassador farm animals. Have you ever wondered exactly why donkeys have such long ears?

Stop by the Visitor Center and have the opportunity to view the sun through a telescope.

Will you take up the bow and try your hand at the sport of archery?

Want to know more about how our animal friends parented their young?

Growing up in the park trail walk.  What is it like raising a baby in the park?   From insects to birds, animals have different strategies for raising their young.  We will meet at the Pollinator Garden, share some different ways animals raise their young,  then walk towards Wortman Pond to see if we can find any young tadpoles, or froglets in the pond. .

During the Civil War, Union soldiers were always ready for the challenges of marching, training, or engaging in battle.

A face only a mother could love?

Step back in time and participate in games played in the 18th century.

Prepare to be mesmerized by the mysterious world of snakes at Holliday Lake State Park's "Sssensational Snakes" program!

Come join us at the Westmoreland State Park Discovery Center to create butterfly and flower crafts.

This historical building tour is designed to highlight the architecture of the time, designs, furnishings, special touches, ornate decor, and stories within the walls of the Jones-Stewart Mansion.

The Bear Creek Lake State Park Archery Club is open to beginner and intermediate level archers 18 years old and older.

Mom does everything for you, now it’s your turn to do something for her. Show your mom some love this Mother’s Day weekend by submitting up to two of your mom’s favorite flowers either in honor of, or in memory of, for the museum’s floral display.

Can you hear the park talking?  There are many tales and tails throughout Sweet Run State Park.  Some are visual, some are tactile, most don’t use words, so how does the park share its stories?  Growing up in the park.  What is it like raising a baby in the park?   Animals have different strategies for raising their young.   Stop by the table and find out who is living in the park and how they grow up.   .

What kind of native flowers are in bloom this time of year?

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the trail around High Bridge with interesting historical artifacts from the park.

Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park will remember mothers everywhere on this day with a special presentation commemorating Mother's Day.

Do you love art and nature?