Thanks to all of our visitors who participated in #OptOutside this year and a special thanks to those who not only made family memories but memorialized them in digital format. We had three times as many contest entries as last year and all but three of our 37 Virginia State Parks were represented.

You did not make it easy for us to select winners and we added more winners to all of the categories except the Grand Prize Winner. There were so many other great photos that are not honored here and as soon as we get them all downloaded, we will provide a link so everyone can see them all.

I did see a lot of dogs not on leashes but I also saw some great family photos, adults and children having fun, beautiful scenery, sunset and night photography and even some cool black and white photos. We had some photographers submit multiple quality photos and for the most part we selected the one we liked the best for the prize. However, we did something special for the Grand Prize because we felt the two best photos were submitted by the same photographer so we made then the Grand Prize winner.

Grand Prize - Marisa Spyker - for her two photos taken at Douthat State Park:

Picture Perfect

Doggone Beautiful Views

We have compiled all the winners in this video. Enjoy!

The winners will all receive emails tomorrow with prize arrangements.

Thank you all again for a memorable #OptOutside! Don't forget the First Day Hikes Photo Contest is coming up January 1. Details will be coming out tomorrow.