Events in Virginia State Parks

Help ensure years of great fishing at Claytor Lake by recycling your old holiday tree at the park.

Help ensure years of great fishing at Fairy Stone Lake by recycling your old holiday tree at the park.

"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R.

"As long as a live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing." -- John Muir Widewater State Park is pleased to offer Bird Walks from November 2025 thru March 2026!  Join an experienced birder on an exploration of our incredibly diverse park throughout the cooler months.

Just as caterpillars grow and change, our Caterpillar Club programs are designed to help your little one grow and change.

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.81mi.).

Be sure to stop by the Visitor Center, which houses both the Nature Center and the Discovery Center, where you can grab a map and fill up on water, snacks, and souvenirs before you hit the trails.

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 head to the site.

Did you know Raccoons can remember solutions to tasks and have “hands” like ours?

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears at our ranger-led program. Learn about their characteristics, habits, how to avoid conflicts, and much more.

Have you ever seen or heard an actual owl call in the night?

Gather around the weapons display in the Visitor Center for an in depth look at the carbines carried by Union cavalry.

January is Cavalry Month at Sailor's Creek.

Event Registration is full!

This program will train guests to focus on the present moment, observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment, and enhance their awareness of the mind-body connection.

Come meet and greet Ranger Myrtle (our Red-Eared Slider turtle), Ranger Scout (our Western Hognose snake), and Ranger Brutus (our Copperhead snake) to discover what makes these rangers so special to Twin Lakes State Park.  Parks are for everyone.

Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea.

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir Join our rangers on a guided hike and learn about our native species, park history, and wetland habitat.

Celebrate National Save the Eagle Day at Caledon, where the bald eagle soars wild and free over the Potomac River.

Join the rangers to give back a bit of your time and help maintain the beauty of York River.

Join us for a guided Winter Discovery Hike along the Buck Lick Trail and experience the quiet beauty of the forest in its cold-weather stillness.

Join a ranger for a guided hike to look for winter birds.

Visit the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) museum to learn more about the CCC, the original six Virginia State Parks, and the creation of Pocahontas State Park.

Be sure to stop by the Visitor Center, which houses both the Nature Center and the Discovery Center, where you can grab a map and fill up on water, snacks, and souvenirs before you hit the trails.

Stop by the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center and learn more about the people who lived on the Wilderness Road frontier.

Who was Elizabeth Hartwell?

Have you ever wondered how flora and fauna survive in a winter wonderland?

Black bears are one of the many incredible mammals that dwell in Douthat State Park.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

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 head to the site.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

Join us for a guided winter hike to discover the hidden homes of park wildlife.

Come join us at the Mossey Creek Trailhead (near the Splash Park) as we embark on a Ranger led Hike though the Mossey Creek Nature Trail and the Old Plantation Interpretive trail.

Take a walk among the forest's still and silent giants: trees!

Did you know that Westmoreland is one of six original State Parks in Virginia?

Mark your calendar: January 10th is National Save the Eagles Day!

Ever wondered what a skunk’s fur feels like or how big a bobcat’s skull really is?

Come get an in-depth look at the only star in our solar system, the Sun!

First Landing is home to many creatures both large and small.

Keep an eye out near the Visitor Center for a ranger carrying a fascinating historical or natural item from the park.

Step into the shoes of a 19th-century farmer and help care for our heritage breed chickens and goats!

Bring your canine companion and join the B.A.R.K.

While we sleep a whole new set of nocturnal animals come out to begin their "daily" activities.

Learning to tie a rope is knot a problem with this helpful program!

Join us for a tail-wagging adventure along the scenic Bluebell Trail of Shenandoah River State Park!

Pop on your bright eyes and bushy tails.

Through trail, stone, and timber, the CCC carved a legacy that still shapes Douthat today.

Can you maintain ecosystem equilibrium?

Did you know there was once a thriving "boom town" located where our lake is today?

In honor of the 2026 Winter Wildlife Festival enjoy a showing of the animated film Migration!

January is Cavalry Month at Sailor's Creek.

Gather around the weapons display in the Visitor Center for an in depth look at the carbines carried by Union cavalry.

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.81mi.).

Join us for a flexible Stewardship Sunday, offering both self-guided and ranger-led opportunities to lend a hand and give back to Mother Nature.

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

Explore the Chesapeake Bay through the animals that live in it!

Visit the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) museum to learn more about the CCC, the original six Virginia State Parks, and the creation of Pocahontas State Park.

Every January, during National Hobby Month, folks all over the United States try new hobbies and celebrate their old ones, and Pocahontas State Park is the perfect place to do both.

Be sure to stop by the Visitor Center, which houses both the Nature Center and the Discovery Center, where you can grab a map and fill up on water, snacks, and souvenirs before you hit the trails.

Looking to get hooked on a new hobby this year?

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

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.

Tundra Swans are known for their striking white plumage and long, graceful necks, making them a favorite among birdwatchers.

Join us for a lesson in the unique adaptations that make animals well suited for surviving the colder winter months.

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir Join our rangers on a guided hike and learn about our native species, park history, and wetland habitat.

Trees have magical qualities that provide us with many important everyday items, as well as a large portion of the oxygen we breathe.

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 head to the site.

Westmoreland State Park is home to four different ambassador animals: Reba the corn snake, Stevie the king snake, and two red-eared sliders, Venus and Jennika.

Our Winter Lecture Series is back for its twenty-first year!

Discover the timeless art of pine needle basket weaving and unlock your creativity with this hands-on workshop.

Murders over moonshine rocked the town of Fayerdale in the 1920s and 30s, leaving a dying town remembered for tragedy rather than the mining operations that once made it a boom town. Moonshining (illegal whiskey making) was quite prevalent in and around the Fairy Stone State Park area in the early 1900s. Jealousy, greed, and competition often led to feuds, brawls, and even killings.

"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R.

Enjoy the beauty of York River State Park, while having the opportunity to take pictures along the way.

Rangers from Leesylvania State Park will take your little ones on a nature adventure with reading, games, and crafts.

"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R.

Just as caterpillars grow and change, our Caterpillar Club programs are designed to help your little one grow and change.

Meet with a ranger and go on a one-mile guided hike along the Oak Hickory Trail, rated as a moderate hike.

Join a ranger to learn about science, history, and nature at Leesylvania State Park!

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 head to the site.

Did you know that coyotes are not naturally native to Virginia?

Meet Gertie and Birdie, our Educational Ambassadors, and interact with our knowledgeable rangers while they care for these beloved critters.

Join a ranger for a guided hike along one of the fingers of Fairy Stone Lake that leads to an abandoned iron mine.

'Whooo' will hear 'whooo' first?

"The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson With the use of a Celestron telescope, view the astral bodies up close and learn about the history of the stars.

Have you ever seen or heard an actual owl call in the night?

Biking is a wonderful activity to do here in the park.

Smith Mountain Lake is the perfect location for fishing.

Discover the secrets of the park through geocaching.

The Visitor Center at Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park offers a museum filled with treasured artifacts discovered over the years where the last major fight of the American Civil War in Virginia occurred on April 6, 1865.

Tours of the Hillsman House, a National Historic Landmark, are available to the public by request.

A Self-Guided Driving Tour of Sailor's Creek Battlefield is available to visitors year-round from sunrise to sunset.

Sailor's Creek Battlefield offers six, self-guided Hiking Trails with historic markers for the public to explore year round during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset).

Join us on a real or virtual hike through Claytor Lake State Park as we take a closer look at some of the beautiful native trees.

Did you know that Haven Howe was an early advocate for environmental reform in Virginia? Participate in person or virtually as we examine the fine craftsmanship of the Howe House and learn of its builder, inhabitants, and history.

Stop by the fishing area behind Howe House to check out our EnChroma color blind scenic viewer.

Contribute to citizen science by helping us create a time lapse of this mysterious site.

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

Take a hike back in time by visiting our tour points located at the same location as our collection of photos and videos from past years at Claytor Lake State Park and Claytor Lake.

Groups or individuals can adopt a section of a trail or a trail within our 7-mile park trail system.