Events in Virginia State Parks

Have you heard the joke about frogs?

Before leaves return to trees, the sun reaches the forest floor to give early spring flowers energy to pop up!

Join our volunteer John Duncan on a short stroll and tour of the historic Howe House as we discuss how the park came to be.

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.

Embark on a journey into the enchanting world of vernal pools.

Come explore the historic town of Fries! A park ranger will share stories of local history and show what remains of the once thriving textile industry.

Unsure or unable to participate in walks over uneven forested terrain but have a desire to know nature better?

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

Join Imagine Well Being hosts, Lauren and Suzanne for a restorative spring afternoon where fresh air, budding trees, and the quiet rhythms of spring invite a return to balance.

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.

Step into the shoes of a 19th-century farmer and help care for our heritage breed chickens and goats!

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Teens and adults are invited to slow down, step outside, and discover how nature journaling can change the way you notice the world around you.

Come meet and greet Ranger Myrtle (our Red-Eared Slider turtle), Ranger Scout (our Western Hognose snake), and Ranger Brutus (our Copperhead snake) to discover what makes these rangers so special to Twin Lakes State Park.  Parks are for everyone.

Drawing on years of dog training experience and a passion for our parks, join Ranger Rachel in the pilot program designed to bring training to the trails and help your dog become their best park-ready companion.

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.

Take your first shot at archery in this beginner-friendly workshop.

Once a proud example of Georgian architecture, Lexington now exists as ruins and memories as the home of George Mason V. Learn about the architecture, archaeology, and landscape that tell the story of life on the Mason Neck Peninsula. This presentation will take place in the Visitor Center, and seating will be limited .

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

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.

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

Vernal pools are shallow, temporary pools that typically form in early spring.

Before leaves return to trees, the sun reaches the forest floor to give early spring flowers energy to pop up!

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.

Ever wondered what stories Douthat State Park holds?

Did you know Westmoreland State Park has a beach where you can find fossils?

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Do you know how fossils are formed?

Join a ranger to learn about meteorological vs.

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

Bloodroot, Dutchman's Breeches, Cutleaf Toothwort, oh my!

Trees have magical qualities that provide us with many important everyday items, as well as a large portion of the oxygen we breathe.

Want to learn how to go geocaching?

The forests are full of things both delicious and dangerous, but can you tell which is which?

Join us for a special night hike through False Cape State Park.

If you're camping with us at Chippokes State Park, we would like to extend a warm invitation to attend our special evening ranger-led campfire program.

Join a park interpreter on a walk to listen to the sounds of spring- the calls of the frogs.

What do you know about our scaly friends?

Experience the sights and sounds of the park at sunset with a leisurely guided hike beginning at 7:30 p.m. from the main parking lot.

Join astronomers from the Richmond Astronomical Society for a night of awe and wonder.

Calling all Junior Rangers!

The Visitor Center at Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park offers a museum filled with treasured artifacts discovered over the years where the last major fight of the American Civil War in Virginia occurred on April 6, 1865.

Tours of the Hillsman House, a National Historic Landmark, are available to the public by request.

A Self-Guided Driving Tour of Sailor's Creek Battlefield is available to visitors year-round from sunrise to sunset.

Sailor's Creek Battlefield offers six, self-guided Hiking Trails with historic markers for the public to explore year round during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset).

Join us on a real or virtual hike through Claytor Lake State Park as we take a closer look at some of the beautiful native trees.

Did you know that Haven Howe was an early advocate for environmental reform in Virginia? Participate in person or virtually as we examine the fine craftsmanship of the Howe House and learn of its builder, inhabitants, and history.

Stop by the fishing area behind Howe House to check out our EnChroma color blind scenic viewer.

Contribute to citizen science by helping us create a time lapse of this mysterious site.

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

Take a hike back in time by visiting our tour points located at the same location as our collection of photos and videos from past years at Claytor Lake State Park and Claytor Lake.

Groups or individuals can adopt a section of a trail or a trail within our 7-mile park trail system.

Request a ranger to give your family or group a chance to get a more personalized experience at Claytor Lake State Park.

Earn your junior ranger patch through a variety of programs and fun family activities.  Visit the park office (the Howe House), gift shop, or contact station for a copy of our junior ranger booklet, or you can download it from the link below.

Nothing beats a ranger-led program in one of our parks.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, Douthat State Park is a great place to bring your group for a day of hands-on, outdoor learning.

Be you a teacher, camp counselor, homeschool instructor, or troop leader, you are invited to schedule your group's next field trip or educational program with Widewater State Park!

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

No matter your role—teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or beyond—we invite you to plan your group’s next field trip to Twin Lakes State Park.

Looking for hands-on, memorable outdoor learning?

Wake up, lace up, and head outside with the Friends of Seven Bends State Park Walker's Club!  Join the group every Monday and Friday at 7:50 a.m. on a morning hike to enjoy cool air, quiet trails, and amazing views.

Whether you are a teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, we are inviting you to plan your groups' next field trip to Fairy Stone State Park.

Earn your Junior Ranger badge at Sky Meadows State Park!

Introduced by the National Parks, B.A.R.K.

Enjoy a self-guided tour as you walk down to see the Natural Tunnel.

As you explore the Wilderness Road Blockhouse and the surrounding area, discover what makes this building so unique as well as what was commonly used on the frontier for survival during the 18th Century.

Stop by the Visitor Center and pick up a copy of a self-guided brochure on the “Common Trees of Virginia”.

Introduced by the National Parks, B.A.R.K.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, Leesylvania State Park is a great place to bring your group for hands-on, outdoor learning.

Belle Isle State Park is looking for the next generation of ranger, are you ready to give it a try?

Belle Isle State Park has some great activities that you can do on your own schedule.

At one time, the New River marked the westernmost edge of the backcountry frontier.

Stop by Hungry Mother's Discovery Center and ask the front desk rangers about our Park Packs.

Make your park visit even more exciting by stopping by the Visitor Center to pick up an Adventure Pack!

Ready for a modern-day treasure hunt?

Stop by the Visitor Center for a list of items to find.

Did you know that James River State Park is an International Dark Sky Park?

Become a Junior Ranger today and earn your Official Junior Ranger Badge!

Come meet our turtle and snake animal ambassadors and explore the museum to learn about the history of the James River and the wildlife that calls this park home through interactive displays and taxidermy exhibits.

The park has over 12 miles of beautiful hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to moderate.

Are you looking for a great activity for the kids that is both fun and educational?

Discover the secrets of the park through geocaching.

Biking is a wonderful activity to do here in the park.

Smith Mountain Lake is the perfect location for fishing.

The night sky is alive with shifting constellations all year long.

Swing by the kiosk at the Spillway, grab one of our special adventure brochures, and gear up for some messy, hands-on fun with our seasonal scavenger hunts for kids.

Ready to turn your hike into a woodland quest?

Stop by the Discovery Center and grab a booklet that will take your whole family on an adventure through time at Hungry Mother State Park.

Find the special Track Trail kiosk at the corner of Parking Lot 6 and grab a brochure packed with adventures just for kids.

If you like to paddle and are excited to discover the native plants and wildlife that thrive here at Hungry Mother, you’re in the right place.