Gorgeous fall sunrise over the Staunton River 

Autumn in Virginia draws me like a moth to the flame, and I cannot rest until I’ve crunched the crisp leaves underfoot and trekked through earthy pine needles and acorns in the woods. It has become an annual tradition to visit Virginia State Parks in the fall.

I heard the cabins at Staunton River State Park had undergone a recent renovation, and since this is one of my all-time favorite Virginia State Parks for leaf-peeping, I just knew we had to go.

Since our last visit, there have been some really great additions to the park that are definitely worth your time and available for year-round fun. Here are five reasons to visit Staunton River State Park:

 

1. | DISC GOLF

Staunton River State Park features a fantastic 9-hole disc golf course.

Challenge yourself to disc golf at Staunton River State Park.

I never knew disc golf could be this much fun! Staunton River State Park is home to a great wooded disc-golf course. Sure, anyone can toss a disc, but this is a really challenging course. If you don’t have your own backpack full of golf discs, just borrow them from the park’s visitor center and they’ll also give you a scorecard that shows the course outline and each hole along the way.

The holes run through the woods, up and over ravines and along the Dan River. It’s a great outdoor sport that the whole family will enjoy. 

You may also enjoy: Three Great Places to Fly a Kite in Virginia 

 

2. | VIEW THE NIGHT SKIES

Borrow one of the park's telescopes to view the starry night 

It comes with everything you need to be an amateur astronomer

Another one of those “things you can borrow for fun” at this park is a telescope. We decided to set it up in the daytime to give it a whirl while we could still see the instructions that came with it. Since this Staunton River State Park was the first designated International Dark Skies Park in Virginia and home to the spring and fall Star Parties, we figured this was worth looking into. It touted as one of the best places to view the starry skies on the entire east coast. But what happened when we went out that evening was pure surprise… Just as we were setting up the telescope the International Space Station cruised overhead. What a treat!

You may enjoy: Viewing and Photographing Dark Skies 

 

3. | RIVERVIEW CABINS

Each cabin has a huge outdoor deck and a canopy of tall leafy trees that filter the sunlight through the color-changing leaves.

This is on the sunrise side of the park and you simply can't find a better spot to enjoy your morning cup of coffee.

There are only a handful of cabins at this park, and all of them are perched along a bluff overlooking the Staunton River. You may not even realize this until the leaves begin to fall, it is one of the reasons I love this park. Each cabin has a huge outdoor deck and a canopy of tall leafy trees that filter the sunlight through the color-changing leaves. This is on the sunrise side of the park, and you simply can’t find a better spot to enjoy your morning cup of coffee.

This park is one of the first parks to open in Virginia back in 1943. What we found with the cabins undergoing a fantastic renovation, there are new appliances, fixtures, furniture and décor, but the cabins still maintain that overall rustic appeal. 

You may enjoy before the renovation: Featured Cabin 2 at Staunton River State Park. Here is a video of the renovated cabin 2:

 

4. | AMAZING PICNIC AREAS

Fun playground and ideal place to enjoy a fall picnic together

Explore the trails near the picnic shelter area

The picnic areas at this park have their own space. They aren’t just adjacent to the office or campground, so they are tucked away with plenty of parking, and close to some gorgeous park scenery. You can rent the shelters for your group, or just pack a picnic and come out to enjoy nature.

You may enjoy: Life's a picnic at Staunton River State Park 

 

5. | LACK OF PEOPLE 

Breathe in the solitude at this park

We didn’t really see anyone. The Ranger drove past on his rounds, the cabins had a couple of people in them enjoying the privacy of their own decks and grilling areas. The campers were tucked away. And we saw a handful of people were riding bikes, or on horseback touring the park’s trails. Overall, we felt like we had the park to ourselves, and we loved it.

See the park’s trail guide.

 

BONUS:

RIVER REC In the summer you would also probably dip your toes in one or both of the rivers, and you might even paddle your kayak or cast a line for some of the fishing this park is known for. Hint: There is a trail that leads from the campground to a secret fishing hole. But the park also has two boat launches (one for each river).

Did you know there is a fantastic equestrian campground at Staunton River State Park? Check out this article: A Complete Guide to Horse Camping at Virginia State Parks

These are just a few of the reasons you need to add this park to your must-visit list. The cabin book was full of other reasons, that I’ll let you discover once you’re here.

 

Staunton River State Park is 18 miles east of South Boston, Virginia. Drive Time: Northern Virginia, three and a half hours; Richmond, two hours; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, two hours.

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