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

What will we scoop up this time?

Pan for gold in the James River while learning about Virginia’s unique geology, the rocks and minerals of the park, and the magnetic sand on the banks of the river.

Learn about the history of Westmoreland State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as you walk to Rock Springs Pond accompanied by a ranger.

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

There's something happening in White Oak Swamp, Beavers!

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

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

Come discover the world of self-publishing!

Let’s head over to Edmunds Lake and try to wrangle in some big fish.

Did you know people were tie-dyeing clothes over a thousand years before it became a 1960s fashion trend?

Bring a picnic and lawn chair for a family friendly evening of live music at the Park's Interpretive Area! The Tidewinders, a local band, will be performing bluegrass music with a modern flare.  Local singer/songwriter Ami Baker will be performing the opening act.

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.

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

Each night when the sun goes down, the owls of First Landing come out to hunt!

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

A nearly century-long tradition continues as the Natural Bridge is bathed in light the last Saturday night of every month, 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.

Secrets and spiders and campfires?

Enjoy a movie under the stars.

The surface of the water might seem calm, but down under there is an exciting world filled with all kinds of life.

Whooo’s out there in the dark?

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

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

Join a ranger, enjoy Big Meadow Trail, and learn about the natural history of Westmoreland State Park.

On the first Sunday of every month, our Self-care Sunday Series invites you to join in on various activities specially created to help us engage with the beautiful surroundings of Powhatan State Park.

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

Is your little one interested in becoming an official Seven Bends State Park Junior Ranger?

Do you feel safer walking with a friend?

This summer, the Junior Ranger program is exploring different biomes, and Week 1 is Wetlands! Programs run Monday - Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. Outdoor and weather appropriate clothing must be worn as we will be exploring the park; getting dirty and wet are both strong possibilities. Closed-toed shoes are required every day. Please don't forget to bring a lunch and a reusable water bottle, as well as apply sunscreen and bugspray before the program begins.

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.

Have you ever bumped into one of our tall bark-covered residents and wondered who it is you've just run into?

This summer, the Junior Ranger program is exploring different biomes, and Week 1 is Wetlands! Programs run Monday - Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. Outdoor and weather appropriate clothing must be worn as we will be exploring the park; getting dirty and wet are both strong possibilities. Closed-toed shoes are required every day. Please don't forget to bring a lunch and a reusable water bottle, as well as apply sunscreen and bugspray before the program begins.

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

This summer, the Junior Ranger program is exploring different biomes, and Week 1 is Wetlands! Programs run Monday - Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. Outdoor and weather appropriate clothing must be worn as we will be exploring the park; getting dirty and wet are both strong possibilities. Closed-toed shoes are required every day. Please don't forget to bring a lunch and a reusable water bottle, as well as apply sunscreen and bugspray before the program begins.

Want to learn how to play the outdoorsman’s version of BINGO? Each guest will be given a Virginia State Parks Bingo Card with a picture or a word in each box. If you find five objects in a row on your card, then you get BINGO. Let's set out on the trail and see what kind of natural wonders we can find. Along the way we might also be able to observe the Staunton River and learn about the history of the Park.

This program is all about learning how to identify wild animals by the tracks that they leave behind.

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

Join us for an evening exploring the diversity of Virginia's native nocturnal wildlife.  Erin Shibley, Program Coordinator with the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, will present an interactive program about the behavior and ecological benefits of bats and other nocturnal animals.

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!

Interested in learning about local geology?

Paddling a kayak gives you a new perspective of the world.

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

Come learn about the Clinch River's famous mussels.

This ranger-led hike will teach you the principles of "Leave No Trace".

Enjoy the sounds of local musicians as you take in our beautiful park.

Welcome to Staunton River State Park!

As dusk draws near, lightning bugs appear!

June is a beautiful month to get outdoors and enjoy what mother nature has to offer. So, come on out on National Trails Day and get ready to have some fun. Whether you are hiking on foot, riding on your bike, or exploring with your equestrian companion, Staunton River State Park has got a trail for you.

Celebrate National Trails Day by participating in the 14th running of the National Trails Day 5K at High Bridge Trail State Park.

National Trails Day provides an opportunity for all outdoor enthusiasts to venture out onto their favorite trails for exercise and entertainment.

For Clean the Bay Day 2025, park rangers will be leading a volunteer shoreline cleanup from the water!

Celebrate Clean the Bay Day and National Trails Day by joining park staff and volunteers to help keep the Potomac River and Potomac Trail clean.

Join Kiptopeke State Park and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the 2025 Clean the Bay Day Event. In 2024, more than 3,680 volunteers and 60+ Chesapeake Bay Foundation partners gathered at over 200 sites across Virginia.

Take a walk in a ranger's shoes while performing trail work this National Trails Day.

Join Douthat State Park and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the 2025 Clean the Bay Day Event. In 2024, more than 3,680 volunteers and 60+ Chesapeake Bay Foundation partners gathered at over 200 sites across Virginia.

June 7th is National Clean the Bay Day!

Since hiking is a healthy activity and a great way to connect with nature, doing it more often is a perfect New Year's resolution.

Join our volunteers as we participate in the 36th annual Clean the Bay Day.  We will collect debris from our York River shoreline and the nearby trails.  Volunteer registration begins in April on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website or by calling (888)-728-3229.

Westmoreland State Park is proud to partner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for Clean the Bay Day.

Did you know Twin Lakes State Park is in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed?

Give Cedar Creek a hand on this special volunteer cleanup day; the Chesapeake Bay will thank you!

Explore Occoneechee State Park and be a trail steward for a day.

Join us at Douthat State Park for our Monthly Volunteer Workday as we celebrate both National Trails Day and Clean the Bay Day.

Get down and dirty with this two-hour wild cave tour.

Join the staff and volunteers of Pocahontas State Park for an important community event aimed at preserving the natural beauty of the park and its surrounding watershed.

Join the Pocahontas State Park team in observance of National Trails Day as we work together to keep our park trails free of litter.

Help our Rangers cleanup Widewater State Park by removing invasive Japanese Stilt Grass from the park trails!

Help us stop litter at the source.

Help us stop litter at the source.

Join volunteers at Caledon State Park for a Potomac River shoreline cleanup.

Did you know that 18 million people live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?

It is National Trails Day and we are looking for volunteers!

Honor and aid your environment by participating in a park clean up!

Adventure at your own pace with a self-guided hike on the Taskinas Creek Trail.

Join us for a rewarding morning of gardening alongside fellow plant enthusiasts.

Get ready to hit the trails and embark on an adventure like no other as we celebrate National Trails Day at Holliday Lake State Park!

Let's make a difference together by participating in Clean the Bay Day at Holliday Lake, nestled within the stunning Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Even this far inland, we like to contribute to keeping the Chesapeake Bay as clean as possible!

Paddling a kayak gives you a new perspective of the world.

Clean the Bay Day is one of the nation's largest single-day volunteer activity.

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

Join us on the first Saturday of the month to experience the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of history at Sky Meadows.

Learn how fences and tree plantings improve water quality at Sky Meadows State Park with a special Explorer Outpost.

Sky Meadows will celebrate National Trails Day with a service project on our North Ridge Trail.

Celebrate National Trails Day with staff and volunteers with the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park.

Have you ever seen a tree grow out of a rock?

Who can pick up the most litter?

Help us clean up our shoreline from the best vantage point - a canoe or a kayak!

Come on out to Powhatan State Park for Clean the Bay Day and have the opportunity to participate in a waterfront clean-up to help remove harmful debris before it reaches the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

Hit the trails confidently by learning the do’s and don’ts of responsible hiking!

Clean the Bay Day is sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and is an ongoing effort towards creating a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay.

Let’s go on a fun "History Hike" at Staunton River State Park. Our interpretive ranger will lead the hike on River Bank Trail and talk about the exciting history of the Staunton River and our beautiful State Park.

Come to Staunton River Battlefield State Park and learn the basics of archery! This class will teach you the basics of how to properly hold a bow, correct stance, how to aim, and most importantly, how to be safe while doing so.

Join certified Forest Therapy volunteer, Tina Hayes, for a relaxing program made to calm the mind.

From May to August, the Overton-Hillsman House will be open to the public on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The historic home was a witness to war, a battlefield hospital, and the birthplace of one of the nation’s foremost Black educators.

Learn about pollinator plots, native plants and the wildlife they support. Experience the joys of seeing some of our native butterflies, moths, and birds as they enjoy the benefits of these habitats.  Join with Virginia Master Naturalist, MK Ruffner and learn how the Virginia Master Naturalists built these pollinator plots and hear about how these special places help the web of life in this area.    For more information on the Virginia Master Naturalists please visit their website.

Do you want to get outdoors more, but are new to hiking?

Stop by from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. to explore Virginia's WATERWAYS with hands-on activities and sensory explorations. The friendly folks from Family Learning Adventures will share all sorts of fascinating facts about Virginia's fresh water habitats that we all rely on.