Fall Celebration

Celebrate Fall at Claytor Lake State Park with a full day of activities. Enjoy a scenic hayride throughout the park or get creative and participate in our pumpkin carving or campsite decorating contests. Let's fall back and experience candle making, flint and steel fire starting, making apple cider, and more. There will even be campsite trick-or-treating for the kids. Unless mentioned otherwise, all events take place at the Howe House around the Christian Chimney. Inclement weather location is Shelter #5.

Campsite Decorating Contest - Who among the campers has the creepiest campsite? Be sure to register with your campground host upon arrival to receive contest rules and participant campsite tags. Judging will be at 7 p.m. with first, second, and third place prizes awarded at 8 p.m. at the Campground D Campfire Circle.

Pumpkin Carving Contest - It's time to pick out a pumpkin and carve your creations for the pumpkin carving contest. Pumpkin pick up will be from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Be sure to register your pumpkin when you pick it up. If you plan on bringing your own pumpkin please register at this time. Limited carving supplies will be available for participants. Pumpkins should be displayed at the Campfire Circle in Campground D for judging by 7 p.m. Tea light candles will be supplied for lighting pumpkins at judging. Prizes will be awarded at 8 p.m. at Campground D Campfire Circle.

Hayrides - Breathe in, breathe out, and take in the smell of Fall and the natural beauty of our park in style. Hayrides will begin and end in the field in front of the Howe House at the start of each hour from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Hayrides are weather permitting.

Fincastle Colonial Militia - The militia will be demonstrating life as colonial soldiers on the Virginia frontier in the 1770's and will be set up near the Christian Chimney from 10 a.m. - 5: p.m. William Christian was a colonial ranger and one of the signers of the Fincastle Resolutions which were a precursor to the Declaration of Independence.

Hands-on Living History Demonstrations in cooperation with Wilderness Road Regional Museum - Activities will include fire-starting with flint and steel, candle making, making apple cider, creating corn husk dolls, food preserving, corn shelling, and more from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Trick or Treating - Those wishing to trick-or-treat may do so may throughout the campgrounds by visiting participating campsites that have orange tape on their campsite posts from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Find a Job at
Virginia State Parks

Order your Virginia State Parks
license plate