Whether you prefer fishing in lakes, rivers, creeks, oceans or the bay, there are plenty of places to cast your line at a Virginia State Park. To enjoy more time on the water be sure to book your stay in a cabin, campground, yurt or lodge.

We asked the first person to complete our Wandering Waters Paddle Quest program to tell us about her experience wandering the waters of 31 Virginia State Parks. For completing the program, Colleen Renderos received her Master Paddler certificate.

There is no shortage of activities for visitors at New River Trail. The 57-mile linear park has more than 10 different access points; however, the Foster Falls area serves as a great activity hub no matter your interest.

As of May 2023, Virginia State Parks has a new program called Wandering Waters (Paddle Quest)! Hear from the creator of this program, Visitor Experience Specialist Sammy Zambon, to learn more.

New River Trail State Park’s 57-mile length makes it worthy of three separate blog posts. First up, the southern section that runs from Galax to the midpoint of Foster Falls.

Beat the heat: head toward the water for these adventures at a Virginia State Park near you.