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Shared by Kurt Siefken, as Guest Blogger.

The cold weather seemed to be my first obstacle, making me question the plan before I even got started. But I bundled in up several layers of clothes, laced up my running shoes, and set out for an afternoon run on the High Bridge Trail.

It was a frigid New Year’s Day when I officially began my quest to visit every Virginia State Park in 2018. And then I did the hard part. I posted pictures and my plan on Instagram. I gave it the hashtag #EveryPark2018.

It was social media official now.

Beautiful Lake Anna State Park offers memorable sunsets

Beautiful Lake Anna State Park offered memorable sunsets

The idea to visit every Virginia State Park in one year came just a few days earlier.

I was driving in my car, reflecting on the past year and thinking about goals for the upcoming year. I was ready to rekindle some adventure in my life. I have visited many of our country’s national parks, and wondered if I could make some progress on visiting them all. I thought about my budget and how much vacation time I had stored up.

I got very excited about this idea that is until I got home and looked at a map.

I was reminded that going to Alaska or American Samoa involved a bit more travel than was currently practical. So much for that idea.

Around the same time, I was planning my annual New Year's Day trip to High Bridge Trail State Park. It had become an unofficial tradition that I start my year off with a run from downtown Farmville out to the beautiful High Bridge and back. And that’s when it hit me. As much as I wanted to visit our national parks, I could do the same with our state parks.

The plan was hashtagged on my unofficial tradition that I start my year off with a run from downtown Farmville out to the beautiful High Bridge and back.

The plan was hashtagged on my unofficial tradition that I start my year off with a run

from downtown Farmville out to the beautiful High Bridge and back

The circumstances all seemed too perfect.  

This was my 13th year living in Virginia, making it the longest I have lived in any state. I considered myself a Virginian now. And with the new year starting in a few days, it was a good time to set a goal.

I wondered if visiting all state parks in one year was overly-ambitious.

But that’s what I liked about the plan. I wanted to take more long weekends. And more importantly, I have learned that “someday” never comes. I wanted to see all of Virginia’s State Parks, but needed a deadline to put this plan into action.

I spent the last few days of 2017 looking at maps and coming up with strategies. I mentally grouped state parks by region, wondering if I could hit several in any given weekend. I worked on logistics to maximize my time in the state parks, rather than driving to and from southwest Virginia 8 different times. Visiting 37 state parks in one year would mean averaging 3 state parks a month.

I hashtagged a plan to visit every Virginia State Park in 2018, and this is how it looks:

I hashtagged a plan to visit every Virginia State Park in 2018, and this is how it looks.

Could I do this?

I could certainly try.

My second park of the year, and my first new one, was Caledon State Park.

As my GPS lead me east from Fredericksburg, I knew taking on this project was a good decision. I drove through winding country roads, leading me to a part of the state I have never explored. I knew very little about Caledon State Park, and was surprised at what I found there. On this beautiful January day, I followed the leaf-covered trails through the woods out to the icy Potomac River.

It was a freedom of exploration in a mystery area right in my own state. I am probably biased because of this feeling, but Caledon remains one of my favorite state parks.

As the year has progressed, I have made it to 17 of the 37 Virginia State Parks.

Already, I have been struck by the beauty and diversity of my wonderful home state. I froze through a 20 degree arctic blast at High Bridge, and sweated through 90 degree heat at False Cape. I have hiked across the battlefield at Sailor’s Creek, along the shore at Lake Anna, and through the sandy beach at Kiptopeke.

I have laced up my running shoes to tour the farmland of Chippokes, the lakeside trails of Occoneechee, and the marsh of First Landing.

Incredible scenery at Pocahontas State Park, Virginia

Just a sampling of the incredible scenery of Pocahontas State Park

Perhaps my favorite part of visiting Virginia’s State Parks is the surprises I encounter along the way.

While it is important to plan ahead to know where I am going, I find it more fun to just show up and grab a map without any expectations. The spirit of exploration is invigorating. I laughed while running through Chippokes State Park to suddenly come across farm animals at feeding time.

What a fun surprise to find the farm animals at Chippokes State Park, Va

What a fun surprise to find the farm animals at Chippokes State Park

I was amazed at the sheer size of Pocahontas, only miles away from metro Richmond. And what in the world were those breakwaters at Kiptopeke?

Halfway through this project, people ask me what is my favorite state park so far.  And I can honestly say that my answer will vary on any given day. I absolutely love the structure and views from the High Bridge. But there are just so many different things to do at Mason Neck and First Landing. The near perfect weather has biased me to love Caledon and York River.  And while I haven’t yet been there this year, Grayson Highlands is some of the best hiking I have ever experienced.

While I still have 20 parks to visit this year, I am already making a list of places I want to return to:

On top of my priority list, I absolutely must camp-out on the beach at False Cape. I know very little about star-gazing, but I would love to revisit the dark park at Staunton River. And despite being one of my closest state parks, I learned that I have only experienced a small fraction of things to do at Pocahontas.

As eager as I am to revisit these parks, I am more excited than ever to finish out this year.  

The spirit of exploration has struck me, and I can’t wait to see what else our state parks have in store. I have inadvertently started this project with the eastern state parks, and I am ready to go west and see what the mountains have in store for me.

I love visiting Virginia’s State Parks.

But I also love that moment when I arrive home with a duffle bag full of sweaty clothes, a camera full of pictures, and a car full of park maps and junk food wrappers. That’s when I know it’s been a successful trip.

Long live the adventure.

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Kurt Siefken is a computer programmer, humorist, adventurer, and burrito enthusiast in Charlottesville, Virginia. You can follow his #EveryPark2018 project on Instagram at @kurtthewanderer

 

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If you have read the article and have a question, please email nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov.

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