Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Due to the expected impact of the winter storm, all Virginia State Park overnight facilities will be closed from Friday, Jan. 23 through Tuesday, Jan. 27. This decision is based on the forecast for unsafe conditions and potential power outages. For updates click here.
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: December 15, 2021
Contact: Dave Neudeck, Communications and Marketing Director, 804-786-5053, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov
Take a hike on New Year's Day in a Virginia State Park
(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: First Day Hike at First Landing State Park)
Enjoy the great outdoors on New Year’s Day with a first day hike at any of the 41 Virginia State Parks.
All state parks offer free parking on Jan. 1, 2022 and visitors to each park will receive a commemorative water bottle sticker (while supplies last).
For a list of scheduled hikes and programs, www.virginiastateparks.gov/firstdayhikes
Virginia State Parks has many hikes and opportunities to choose from, or visit a park and create your own special First Day Hike. Here are a few ideas:
Sky Meadows State Park will open at 5:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day to support the sunrise celebration of various cultures. At 10 a.m., join a ranger at the Backcountry Trailhead for a guided hike.
Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield offers a special New Year’s Eve night hike to celebrate the countdown. The park also offers a variety of special hikes for different ages and capabilities throughout New Year’s Day.
Guided hikes are available every hour from 9 a.m. – noon at Natural Bridge State Park. The approximately 45-minute hike will lead you to great views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Join a ranger at Smith Mountain Lake State Park on a mile hike that is rated as easy. The hike includes a scavenger hunt to discover winter’s hidden secrets in nature.
At Clinch River State Park, a ranger will lead you on a 4-mile hike along the Clinch and to ruins of a failed French settlement.
The 41 award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information, or to buy an annual pass or gift certificate, visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.
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