Events in Virginia State Parks

Join costumed interpreters for a demonstration of historical cooking methods in the Jones-Stewart Mansion's original brick kitchen. .

Explore the Chesapeake Bay through the animals that live in it!

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for, we will head to the site.

Have you ever been walking along a trail and come across a pile of "meatballs"?

Come discover the world of self-publishing!

Join the rangers for a fun tree craft!

Have you ever thought about what it'd be like with no access to medicine?

 Deep in the forest lies the perfect amphibian retreat - vernal pools.  These special pools fill up each winter to provide a safe habitat for salamanders, fingernail clams, fairy shrimp, and more!

Murders over moonshine rocked the town of Fayerdale in the 1920s and 30s, leaving a dying town remembered for tragedy rather than the mining operations that once made it a boom town. Moonshining (illegal whiskey making) was quite prevalent in and around the Fairy Stone State Park area in the early 1900s. Jealousy, greed, and competition often led to feuds, brawls, and even killings.

Join use for a garden clean-up at Holliday Lake State Park as we work together to support and enhance vital pollinator habitat.

Give trash a second chance.

Ever wondered what stories Douthat State Park holds?

Learn how Mother Nature can both inspire and help you create your next masterpiece.

Come celebrate national bird day with this fun Birding Bingo.

The creek, flora and fauna have a deep-rooted story, can you read it?

Just because we don’t always spot them, we know the animals are around by the tracks and traces they leave behind.

Learn about how pollution can spread in an aquatic environment and help us protect ourselves and our wildlife by cleaning up our shoreline.

As the sun dips low and the night draws near, we humans usually turn in for the night...but this is show-time for bats!

Can you match the skull to its pelt?

From a vantage point above the Appomattox River’s floodplain, visitors can explore the cosmos from High Bridge with our local Crewe Astronomy Club.

A nearly century-long tradition continues as the Natural Bridge is bathed in light the last Saturday night of every month (plus holiday weekends), April through October.  Experience the 200-foot-tall arch as it is lit from above and below by dozens of lights, with the only sound being the murmuring of Cedar Creek running below.

Join astronomy volunteers as they share the stories written in the night sky.

Celebrate Earth week by getting close up with frogs and toads under the Natural Bridge during the Illumination.  Late spring is the perfect time to check the creek for frogs and toads, and as evening falls they are more common on the trail.

Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.

Celebrate Earth Week by giving back to your park and making a positive impact on the environment!

Experience the healing benefits of nature!

After the iron industry moved away from the area, residents of Fayerdale went from mining to 'shining.

Stop being another brick in the wall and make one instead.

This archery session for beginners and provides shooting time for the more experienced. It begins with instruction time on archery equipment, technique, and safety.

During Earth Week, you are invited to see, smell, and taste the many ways the earth nourishes and provides for us! Foraging can foster a special connection with the land as well as with fellow foragers.

We all enjoy a yummy meal and that’s the same for our resident snakes that live here in our Visitor Center.

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.

Commemorate the 419th anniversary of the 1607 landing when 3 English ships arrived at Cape Henry, today’s First Landing State Park!

As the weather warms to spring, travel the park's trails to explore what is in bloom with Shenandoah Chapter Virginia Master Naturalist Paul Guay.

Curious about Virginia's native snakes?

National Audubon Day is celebrated annually on April 26th to honor the birthday of renowned ornithologist, naturalist, and painter John James Audubon.

As spring unfolds at Natural Tunnel State Park, the forest floor begins to come to life with the vibrant colors that Mother Nature offers.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a bird?

Take a 4-hour guided tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park!

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for, we will head to the site.

This historical building tour is designed to highlight the architecture of the time, designs, furnishings, special touches, ornate decor, and stories within the walls of the Jones-Stewart Mansion.

Join us for an engaging lecture that explores the history of Point Lookout, the largest Union prison camp of the American Civil War.

Interested in learning about archery in an adult setting?

The Dogwood Garden Club of Big Stone Gap, Va., will host “Bee” Power for Our Planet Exhibit in observance for Earth Week.

Explore the evolution of the park with your B.A.R.K.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Geocaching combines Global Positioning System (GPS) technology with nature to provide adventure for treasure hunters all over the world.

Westmoreland State Park is home to four different ambassador animals: Reba the corn snake, Stevie the king snake, and two red-eared sliders, Venus and Jennika.

With the park's miles of woodland trails and grassy expanses, you’re sure to see some of the mushrooms that are native to this part of the east coast year-round.  Join us for a basic introduction to fungi in our Visitors Center Discovery Room, then come with us on a short hike to see what fungi we can discover.

From the small eastern screech owl to the great horned owl, eight species of owls call Virginia home part or all of the year.   Get a glimpse into the mysterious world of our elusive nocturnal raptors.

Did you know that if it were not for hunting, there would far fewer deer in Virginia?

Help us keep our trails beautiful.

What do you think of when you hear the word raptor?

Frogs, crawdads, and children - oh my!

Nature journaling is the intersection of art, science, and curiosity.

Discover the timeless art of pine needle basket weaving and unlock your creativity with this hands-on workshop.

Did you know there was once a thriving "boom town" located where our lake is today?

Venom?

Interested in volunteering at Westmoreland State Park? Join us as we celebrate our current volunteers and learn how you can get involved and give back to your local park and community!   We will have pizza, snacks and drinks provided for free!

A breeding colony of great blue herons is not a rookery, it is a heronry (we didn't make that word up).

April showers bring May flowers.  For the month of April, homeschoolers will learn about the water cycle, water pollution, and how it affects us and the environment.

Join us for a special hike at False Cape State Park!

The Friends of York River State Park is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to support the mission of the park: We champion the unique natural, historical, and cultural resources of York River State Park's estuarine environment.

Ever wonder what goes on at night in a park?

Join a park ranger on a three-mile hike to the waterfall and back.

April showers bring May flowers.  For the month of April, homeschoolers will learn about the water cycle, water pollution, and how it affects us and the environment.

"Beavers:  Nature's Engineers" examines the characteristics and habits of North America's largest rodent.  Learn about how beavers alter the environment more than any other creature except humans.  Find out how beavers contributed to the westward expansion as settlers arrived in the New World.  .

Join our rangers in discovering the secrets of the magnificent White-tailed Deer.

Do you love First Landing State Park and want to make a difference?

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.81mi.).

Just as caterpillars grow and change, our Caterpillar Club programs are designed to help your little one grow and change.

Rangers from Leesylvania State Park will take your little ones on a nature adventure with reading, games, and crafts.

The little known Village of Cape Henry was a bustling resort town in the early 1900’s.  Accessed by an electric rail line and equipped with a casino, church, ice cream parlor, cottages and hotels.  It was the place to be along the oceanfront.  See what life was like, who lived here and what eventually would cause the creation of Fort Story and the end of the village during this program.

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is thrilled to announce the spring semester of the WiseJAMS Music Program!

Take a 4-hour guided tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park!

Meet with a ranger and go on a one-mile guided hike along the Oak Hickory Trail, rated as a moderate hike.

Join us in discovering the hidden wonders of these temporary seasonal wetlands.

Explore the museum as your learn about the history of Pocahontas State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

From the small eastern screech owl to the great horned owl, eight species of owls call Virginia home part or all of the year.   Get a glimpse into the mysterious world of our elusive nocturnal raptors.

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for, we will head to the site.

Look up and learn about tree diversity in the park!

Foraging can foster a special connection with the surrounding community of plants, fungi, and fellow humans.

Humans aren't the only ones who build amazing structures.  Insects, birds, and mammals are among the many animals who create complex homes for themselves.  Let's take a look into the world of these master builders of the animal kingdom.

How did Pocahontas State Park come to be? What are the "Original 6" State Parks?

Meet Gertie and Birdie, our Educational Ambassadors, and interact with our knowledgeable rangers while they care for these beloved critters.

Did you know that coyotes are not naturally native to Virginia?

Did you know there was once a thriving "boom town" located where our lake is today?

We can tell a great deal about an animal’s adaptations by looking at their skins and skulls.

Tracks tell a story, but do you know how to read them?

Ever wondered what you could do with what's under your feet?

Join your fellow campers to hear about all of the different trails and activities the park has to offer and discover the history of the park. This is a great chance to ask questions about the park, local activities in the area, and future events at Fairy Stone State Park.

Start your weekend off right with s’mores and more!

Come join the party!

Where's the best place to fish at the park?

It's that time of the year to not only celebrate birds, but our wonderful volunteers, especially Randy Smith who gave a lot of himself to nature, to birds, and to Hungry Mother State Park.  Friday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Owl Prowl Set out on a night time adventure with Hungry Mother interpreters as we explore how owls thrive in the dark.

Set out on a night time adventure with Hungry Mother interpreters as we explore how owls thrive in the dark.

Join a ranger-led hike to catch glimpses of the full moon.

Start your morning with fresh air, feathered friends, and great company.

May the Forest Be With You as part of the Caledon Trail Race Series!

For Clean the Bay Day 2026, park rangers at Widewater State Park will be leading a volunteer shoreline cleanup along the Potomac River!