Events in Virginia State Parks

Have you ever thought about what an animal eats?

Join Machicomoco and the Fairfield Foundation as we team up to offer prospective Junior Rangers hands-on archaeological dig opportunities at the Timberneck House in order to earn a Junior Ranger patch.

Adventure into the outdoors and discover wildlife along the Trail with a ranger. All tiny participants will be given helpful hands-on bug finding tools for investigating nature signs.   Let's try to use all of our senses to see, smell, touch, track and observe.

Can you spot a bald eagle?

Embark on a day of aquatic adventure "going up the food chain" through educational explorations and outdoor games.

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Oak Hickory Trail.

Belle Isle's shoreline along Deep Creek was eroding at a rate of 2 to 7 feet per year.

Owls, bats and bugs oh my!

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

Join the Occoneechee State Park rangers and partner agencies in showcasing outdoor skills and jobs.

Explore Virginia’s frontier through the eyes of a child.

Connect your family to nature with our special programming for Kids to Parks Day.

What will we scoop up this time?

Join a ranger to create something special from natural elements found around the park.

Celebrate Nationals Kids to Parks Day with us as we Launch into Summer!

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

Join the Ranger on the Fishing Pavilion at the Old Pond to learn to fish!

Stop by from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. to explore the amazing variety of Virginia's RAPTORS with hands-on activities and touchable models.

Connect with others as we officially open our Nature Play area.

Come out of your shell and spend some time getting to know the Eastern Box Turtle.

Our friends Hisstopher and Harrold planned a lunch date, and they want you to join.

Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day with us and experience the wonders of Douthat State Park from a whole new perspective: through the eyes of a child.

Join us for an afternoon of fun, crafts, and nature exploration for kids and families.

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.

Meet local 'shellebrity' Ranger Myrtle, the Red-eared Slider turtle, as she suns herself in her enclosure behind the concession building.

Embrace your wild side and come play a game of chase that predator and prey have to "play" to survive every day.

Families can join rangers for fun nature activities on Kids to Park Day!

Have you ever wondered what sort of fish and other creatures live in the York River's brackish waters?  Visit the friendly neighborhood park ranger who has examples of fish and shellfish families.  An aquarium & terrariums will be available to discover these live creatures.  As a bonus, try your hand at casting for some plastic fish in an imaginary estuary and catch something unique.

How would you stand in competition with the wildlife of Virginia?

Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day our little park that's close to home.

It's National Kids to Parks Day!

Join a ranger on this guided hike and learn about the fascinating world of fungi.

Come young and young-at-heart on National Kids to Parks Day to meet some incredible predators of the sky!

It's feeding time for our ambassador reptiles.  How do we feed our animals?

Can you spot a bald eagle?

Come join a ranger for Kids to Parks Day!

The trash and litter we leave behind can damage the environment.

Holliday Lake State Park is buzzing with life this time of year.

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

Use all your senses to learn something new about the environment.

This program is designed as introductory lesson for first time participants.

Slither on down and join the Park Ranger for an in depth look into the fascinating lives of some local reptiles.

This "crab" is actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions!

What better way to spend time with your friends than fishing?  On National Kids to Parks Day, join a ranger and bring a friend to fish along the Shenandoah River.

Kick off your summer at Staunton River State Park on National Kids to Parks Day.

This land-based, hook-free fishing game is a fun and safe way to learn how to cast, but even those who are fishing fanatics will enjoy trying to beat out the competition in this game of limited resources.

What's under that rock?

How well do you know our native Virginia snakes?

Join our amazing volunteer Darin Handy as he shows us all sorts of amazing critters, live!

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 travel to the site.

You don't need a boat or fishing license to learn how to fish with the rangers at Holliday Lake State Park.

Join us by the campfire for a relaxing evening as we welcome you back to the park.

Fortifications throughout the Civil War came in many shapes and designs, using a small sand table and a few plastic figures, a ranger will demonstrate how a few select forts were constructed, the various terms and techniques that were used to describe defenses and how the forts themselves could be defended using plastic figures.

Drop by the campfire to relax, meet your camping neighbors, enjoy time sharing stories, and learn about critters that call New River Trail home.

What do you know about our scaly friends?

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

Explore the sky with the NASA Skywatchers to learn about the moon, planets and stars.

Join us after dark to observe moths and other insects of the night. Entomologists Dr.

Looking for a fun way to explore the park at your own pace?

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

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

Are you participating in No Meat May?

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

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

Westmoreland State Park invites you to learn about the different fossil types that you can find here along the shoreline, and why, as you create your very own shark tooth necklace keepsake.

Plants are far more than just part of the park's scenery, many plants have a wide variety of uses for humans.

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 travel to the site.

Learn about the culinary history of Chippokes as costumed interpreters share stories from the Jones-Stewart Mansion's brick kitchen.

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.

Yes, this is an honest-to-goodness game show with buzzers, lights, excitement, and prizes (without the TV cameras). We will put your knowledge to the test about everything from history, animals, plants, and more.

Ready to learn the ins and outs of stand up paddleboarding?

Bird feeders are a great food source for Virginia’s birds and a wonderful way to bring nature into your own yard.

Find time to head down to the Tunnel Platform where you’ll find amazing views of the 300-foot-tall amphitheater walls of the Natural Tunnel, rock pigeons, and if you’re lucky, a train.

Want to know a secret?

The Bay can hold many secrets.

May is national bike month, so grab your gear and saddle up for a ride down the Cape Henry Trail, First Landing‘s longest multi-use trail.

Of all the mammals, opossums are the most misunderstood. They are fascinating creatures with very unique characteristics.

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 travel to the site.

Every Monday evening from May to the first week of September you can find local fresh produce, baked goods, honey, jams and jellies, soap, and local artisan crafters, as well as food vendors, here at Fairy Stone State Park.

The Fairfield Foundation opens the Timberneck house for free walk-in tours every Tuesday.

Help support the park you love.

Join the Friends of Mason Neck and Fairfax Master Naturalists for a rewarding day of volunteer garden work!

Are you age 55+ with an interest in spending time in nature?

Meet at the Big Water Visitor Center and help our resident box turtle have some fun in the sun.

Come along on a hike through Kiptopeke's trails to learn about the nature in our park.

Invaders are taking over Fairy Stone State Park and your own backyard.

Come over to Picnic Shelter #2 and get inspired by the great outdoors.

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

Using our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, we can come to appreciate unique qualities of plants and trees that have made them partners in our survival.

Meet a ranger for a leisurely paced afternoon walk in Galax.

  This is a fantastic time of year to take-in the beautiful scenery of Southwest Virginia.

Come explore the historic town of Fries.

Shine a light on days gone by with a lantern-lit history tour of the Natural Bridge.

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

Hop onto the FLSP Express and take a guided tour of the park, making stops along the way to learn about the historical importance of the area and the life of a park ranger!

In the words of Woodsy Owl (1971), "Give a hoot; don't pollute!"   Volunteer and help Chippokes staff with keeping our shorelines clean and safe for others to enjoy.  Meet at the Visitor Center for instructions and supplies (gloves, available trash grabbers, trash bags.

Over 200 years ago, early adventurers like Daniel Boone walked these same hills and valleys we see today.

Meet at the Big Water Visitor Center and help our resident box turtle have some fun in the sun.

What will we scoop up this time?

Looking for a family friendly way to kick off your summer fun?