Events in Virginia State Parks

Explore the beautiful wetlands or river with us.

Help us refresh the Howe House's landscaping!

What will we scoop up this time?

Come celebrate national bird day with this fun Birding Bingo.

Experience the anticipation of seeing what lies around each "bend" of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River from a kayaker's point of view.

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

Ahoy Matey!

Super strength, super smell, super flight...Do you ever wish that you had powers like your favorite superheroes do?

Visiting the Natural Bridge could bring out your inner artist this weekend as Roni Navroski teaches you how to paint on a feather.

Will you take up the bow and try your hand at the sport of archery?

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

Please join us for a very special afternoon with Carl “Gump” Blair and Gene Dunford.

Let nature spark your creativity!

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.

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

The Ranger Station is the place to bring your questions or curiosity about the park, its inhabitants, to find a suitable trail, or to chat with a park ranger.

Do you like to get hands-on experience looking for cool critters?

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

Bug out and win cool prizes.

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.

Join us at the Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Visitor Center on Saturday, August 9th at 12:00 p.m. for an in-depth look at the major generals who commanded on both sides during the Battle of Sailor’s Creek.

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

"Echoes of the Past: Guardians of History" is a park ranger-led program dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of history.

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.

Beat the heat with this wonderful workshop in the cool quiet of the library!

We would like to introduce you to “Boxer” the box turtle.

As you make your way to the shoreline, stop and visit the live creature displays of fish & shellfish that were recently captured in the York River and Woodstock Pond.  The ranger on duty will share about these creatures and their role in the ecosystem.

Energy makes sense; it helps all living things grow but is not always the same.

Turtles love worms, fish love worms, birds love worms, and our interpretive rangers love worms.

Help our resident box turtle have some fun in the sun!

Join us in paying homage to 70,000 years of history and human tradition as we learn the sport of Archery.

Take a guided hike through Westmoreland State Park and learn about the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

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

Where do toads live?

Join us as we learn how to identify trees based on their different features, see samples of different parts of a tree and create your own unique tree field guide to take with you.

Migrate to the Discovery Center to learn about the fascinating "Fish Hawk".

Join us at the Visitor Center and let's venture out into ancient times!

Join us for a Saturday afternoon of music and fun.

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

Have you ever wondered how snakes can swallow something as big as their own heads?

The visitor center is one of the best spots to search for bald eagles hunting fish and soaring through the sky, so stop by and search for eagles along with our park rangers.

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.

Come DIY with us!

Ever wonder what animals call Kiptopeke home, or what shells you can find on our beaches?

Discover the art of journaling in the wild with a ranger.

Experience the anticipation of seeing what lies around each "bend" of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River from a kayaker's point of view.

It's time to get hooked on fishing!  For ages 6 and up.

"Echoes of the Past: Guardians of History" is a park ranger-led program dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of history.

The natural world around us is like a game of Jenga, and when species are removed, the balance becomes increasingly unstable.

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

When it comes to carrying survival materials with you on the trail, every little bit of space counts, so hikers come up with creative ways to carry their gear.

Ever wonder about the tracks that you see while hiking?

Join us as we continue to pay homage to 70,000 years of history and human tradition as we practice the sport of Archery.

Ever wondered what a skunk’s fur feels like, or how big a bobcat’s skull really is?

Wanting to hone your outdoor skills?

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

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the trail around High Bridge with interesting historical items from the park.

Create a hand-made, nature-inspired souvenir to take home.

Right now in Fairy Stone Lake, giant gelatinous blobs resembling brains can be found attached to stationary objects in the water, using their tentacles to feed.

Join us for ranger-led hikes that will bring you on all or portions of some of our most popular trails.

Staunton River State Park is home for many different types of wild animals. Hike around the park and see if you can spot some of these homes. Remember to think outside the box on this one. Some animals live in trees, some live in the ground, and some live in the water.

Twilight Paddle Adventures are a great way to spend an evening away from the hustle and bustle of work, traffic and the cares of life.

Join us for the 2025 season of Music by the River, one of the highlights of the summer on Virginia’s Northern Neck.

Enjoy a summer evening with live music and local wine in the woods!

Join our friends from Whitetop Yoga to experience a more engaged form of yoga as you strike poses on our standup paddleboards out in the lake.

Come chow down at the campfire and share some s’mores as we settle into the weekend and leave our marks on a fiery take-home souvenir!

Take your camping skills to the next level in this camping workshop!

Did you know that people have been using plants to dye fabric for centuries?

Autumn is not the only season that is perfect to take a wagon ride. Take a relaxing ride through the park and campground, experiencing the sounds of summertime. Pre-registration is required; the cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. For more information and to register please call the park office at 276-940-2674.  Natural Tunnel State Park is proud to offer red/green colorblindness correcting outdoor glasses by EnChroma during all offered programming; three protan red sensitivity and three deutan green sensitivity are available for use during programs.

Enjoy a beautiful full moon paddle on the lower Potomac River.

Take a wagon ride to the scenic Tye Overlook and enjoy the prettiest view for miles around.

Come listen to local band "Crimson River" live as they perform southern and country gospel music on the water's edge at the beach amphitheater. Crimson River” is made up of Howard Nicely, Doug Shires, Tony Kimberlin, Angie Kimberlin, Luke Bradley, and Tanner Seay. Evening Showcases are free of charge.

Join our rangers for a bit of fun around the campfire as we welcome you to the park.

Secrets and spiders and campfires?

What does fire mean to you?

What's a camping trip without a campfire?

What are those glowing shiny orbs low in the grass?

Who is that calling to you in the night?

Join us for a nighttime tour of our beautiful park. Staunton River State Park is a certified international dark sky park. Take a look into the cosmos at the stars, planets, constellations, and galaxies far far away. Take in the cool summer evening air as we make our way through the park. You will have opportunities to observe the Staunton and Dan rivers at night and see the reflection of the full moon out on the water.

What creatures rule our beaches at night?

Ever wondered what it’s like to paddle under a sky full of stars?

Watch the biggest meteor shower of the summer with our park rangers at this International Dark Sky Park.

Have you ever seen or heard an actual owl call in the night?

Come out to Grayson Highlands State Park for a magical night under the stars and witness the amazing Perseid Meteor Shower.

A light glows beneath the surface of Holliday Lake.

Enjoy an early morning hike with a ranger to view the sunrise. We'll be hiking to Little Pinnacle to observe what display Mother Nature will show that morning!

Are you ready to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city?

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

What better way to enjoy the many sights and sounds of the park than by kayak?

Enjoy amazing views of Horsehead Cliffs, watch Ospreys and Bald Eagles fly overhead, and look for fossils on this guided paddle tour of the Potomac River at Westmoreland State Park.

Have you ever wondered what lies under your feet?

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

Foraging can foster a special connection with the land as well as with fellow foragers.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

Visit a ranger and learn about bear safety, including how to store food, what to do when you come across a bear while hiking, camping in bear country, and more.

Ever wonder what animals call Kiptopeke home, or what shells you can find on our beaches?

Robin Hood, Katniss Everdeen, Hawkeye, fictional archers with real world skills.

Stop by this Chesapeake Bay display on your way to the beach to hear a short talk all about one of the nation’s most valuable waterways.

Bows and arrows have been a part of human society for thousands of years and used for both survival and sport.

This self-guided activity is suitable for all ages and can be done on your own, with a canine companion, or as a group.