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.

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It's Pawpaw Time

By Guest BloggerPosted September 09, 2018

 

Shared by Andrew Philpot, Park Manager James River State Park, as Guest Blogger.

It is that time of year again, and the while the summer rains may have put a damper on some of my outdoor activities this year, they appear to have provided a bumper crop of pawpaws at James River State Park.

That’s right, pawpaws.

PawPaw are a native fruit in Virginia

Wildlife love them, and taste like a custardy banana that is full of big brown seeds

For the uninitiated, pawpaws are an oblong, green fruit that is native to most parts of Virginia. I look forward to this delicacy all summer long, and love taking my two boys out to search for them as the evenings cool off in September. To me, they taste like a custardy banana that is full of big brown seeds. Seriously full of seeds, and on some of the smaller fruits you barely get anything because of them. Don’t be discouraged though because where you find one you are almost certain to find more.

The PawPaw flower

You may see the pawpaw flowers in the woods when you hike or along the river bank in the spring

Enjoy a scenic hike or a relaxing paddle/float at James River State Park 

Enjoy a scenic hike or a relaxing paddle/float at James River State Park 

I was paddling the river a few weeks ago, and spotted several little islands on the stretch of the James River between Bent Creek and the park’s livery that were just loaded with pawpaws. Unfortunately, they weren’t ripe when I saw them (and pawpaws won’t ripen any more after you pick them). I tried to remember which sides of which islands had the most pawpaws, but there were so many it probably doesn’t matter.

I was also hiking by the river this week and found several patches along River Trail, so if you don’t get a chance to float the river you can still get out and find some of these delicious fruits. They still weren’t ripe, but we are getting close. If they are hard, they aren’t ripe. They should be soft when you pick them, and a good way to tell which ones are ripe is to give the tree or branch a light shake and only take the ones that fall off. In my experience they won’t fall with a light shake unless they are ripe. I expect to see them ripen up sometime in the next few weeks, so now all we have to do is beat the possums and raccoons to them.

Ripe pawpaws look like this from James River State Park, Va

Pawpaws and the seeds of the ripened fruit

Native to Virginia, the pawpaw

The pawpaw are a delicacy all summer long in many parts of Virginia 

I hope to see you out and about in the park to get a taste for yourself. Feel free to stop by the Visitor Center to show us your haul; we would love to see them. If you’re here after the Visitor Center closes, feel free to share your treasure with us on our Facebook page.

If you get enough of them maybe you can try this recipe for a bread that is very similar to banana bread.

Pawpaw Bread Recipe

  • 2 sticks butter, melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups pawpaw pulp
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 cups pecan pieces (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two loaf pans. Beat together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add and beat in the pawpaw pulp and lemon juice. Sift the flour and baking powder together, and stir them into the batter. Stir in the pecans if you want them and scrape the batter into the loaf pans.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.


Editor’s note: Generally, removal of plants is prohibited by regulation. However, we allow some picking and removal in reasonable quantities for personal use as long as the source plant is not damaged or the plant is not endangered/threatened. If you are not sure what is allowed, please check with park staff.

About James River State Park: Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the park features rolling grasslands, quiet forests and beautiful views, as well as 3 miles of shoreline along the James River. Visitors can hike or bike 15 miles of multi-use trails, canoe, kayak, fish or tent camp on the banks of the historic river or at Branch Pond. There are cabins, a visitor center, a gift shop, a camp store, a natural playground, picnic shelters, trails, boat launches, water/electric campgrounds and equestrian camping.

The park also has a universally accessible fishing pier and a .25-mile-long wheelchair accessible trail around Green Hill Pond. James River State Park Outdoor Adventures, a seasonal full-service canoe livery, provides canoe, kayak and tube rentals as well as shuttle services. Map here. For overnight accommodation call 800-933-7275.

Enjoy some great nature programming and events, find a fun park program here.

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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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