Events in Virginia State Parks

Grab your binoculars for a fun bird hike and discover the many birds passing through the park this fall.

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

Join us along the New River for a FREE hour-long guided yoga flow session, led by a Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor.

Come drop some line in the water, and soak in some sun!

Calling all homeschoolers!

This trail begins on Iron Mine Trail and features an iron mine once used by Fayerdale residents, as well as an overlook of Fairy Stone Lake before transitioning into the Upper and Lower Stuart's Knob Trails.

Join a ranger on a guided hike to learn more about different birds, plants, and ecosystems found in the park.

Hike along the riverbanks of the James River through the park's riparian forest to discover the fascinating history and wonders of the pawpaw tree.

Join a ranger to learn about science, history, and nature at Leesylvania State Park!

Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea.

Take a fascinating hike and discover the rich history of James River State Park - from ancient fossils to the American Civil War.

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.

Stop by the Wilderness Road Blockhouse and step back in time to experience aspects of life on the frontier.

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.

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

Without pollinators, people and all of Earth's terrestrial ecosystems would not survive.

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Ever wanted to learn how to crab?

Trees are vital to our environment.

Follow a ranger on a walk through agricultural history in this guided tour of the Farm and Forestry Museum.

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?

Mussels play a huge part in our watershed.

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

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

Did you know owls get 'hairballs?' About once a day, an owl spits up a ball of hair and bones called an owl pellet which is actually the 'leftovers' from their most recent meals.

Slither and splash into the world of reptiles.

Join an interpreter to learn a variety of useful everyday knots, from the simple square not to the high flying figure eight knot - there is a knot for every situation.

Want to save the bees, butterflies, birds, and more? Just plant native! Even the smallest pollinator-friendly patch will make a difference. Come to our pollinator garden workshop and learn everything you need to know to get started.

Help our resident box turtle keep in touch with her animal friends at other Virginia State Parks.

Have you ever wondered how beavers stay dry?

Join us for "Turtle Time" at Holliday Lake State Park and meet our beloved turtle, Harrold Holliday!

Tomorrow is Vulture Awareness Day!

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

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

Slip on your closed-toe shoes and get ready to explore the creek.

Enjoy a magnificent sunset on the tranquil Potomac River and listen for nocturnal creatures. We'll meet inside the visitor center to gear up before riding to the beach for an evening paddle.

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

Enjoy a movie night under the stars and bring your chairs, blankets, snacks, and more for the whole family!

Who's that calling in the night?

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

Relax and have a s'more by the campfire as we learn about one of our most common nocturnal animals: bats!

Do you ever wonder what goes on at Seven Bends State Park when the park closes for the night?

Welcome to the park!

Enjoy an evening wagon ride around the park as we scan the night sky for bats.

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

Ever wonder what goes on at night in a park?

Paddle through the Catlett Islands on a Ranger led kayak tour which explores the diverse wildlife, ecosystems, and history of the park.

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

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

The Friends of the Southwest Virginia Museum will host their Annual Yard Sale fundraising event on Saturday, September 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can look forward to a diverse selection of unique items for sale.

Did you know the Shenandoah Valley has been inhabited by people for almost 10,000 years?  Discover the history of the valley from the Paleoindian era to modern-day Warren County during this guided kayaking tour.

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

One of the best times to be on Hungry Mother Lake is in the fall mornings.

Step back in time and experience the power and precision of Civil War-era firepower during this ranger-led musket demonstration, held within the historic grounds of Camp Paradise.

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

Come along on a one-mile hike through our trails with a knowledgeable ranger to learn about the plants and animals who live in Kiptopeke State Park. .

Take your first steps on the path to adventure.

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

Celebrate our furry friends at Sky Meadows' B.A.R.K.

Visit a ranger and learn about bear safety.

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

Does your pup have what it takes to be a B.A.R.K Ranger? B.A.R.K.

Have you ever wondered about the birds in your area?

Join us for a guided tour of the Visitor Center at High Bridge Trail State Park, where history and nature come together!

Explore the beautiful wetlands or river with us.

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

Come meet one of our ambassador reptiles up close and personal!

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

Explore the park’s expansive wetlands with us as we search for and identify the plants and animals that call this unique habitat home.

How do forests change over time?

Join the Rangers on a guided hike through our most popular trail!

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day.

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.

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.

Enjoy a naturalist-led hike learning all about what's blooming and growing around you.  This easy hike will take visitors through our park's deciduous woodlands along the river granting an opportunity to see some of the New River’s native wildflowers and trees in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet! Please wear comfortable walking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring plenty of water and snacks.

Vultures are an often misunderstood but important part of the local environment.

Joining a park ranger for a fun reading adventure!

Coastal Viriginia Wildlife Observation (CVWO) will be counting migrating raptors from September 1-November 30.

Black bears are one of the many incredible mammals that dwell in Douthat State Park.

Join our staff for a guided tour of Mulberry Hill, the plantation home of Judge Paul Carrington, Virginian and Founding Father. Mulberry Hill was also a working tobacco farm owned by the McPhails during the American Civil War.

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.

Paint pretty pictures with prickly pines (try saying that five times fast).

Join a ranger as they go through various farm tools that were commonly used in the 1700 to 1800s, from butter churners to shears they will demonstrate their uses and importance. This will be held outside of the Mulberry Hill House during the regular tours for anyone who is interested. Please call (434) 454-4312 for more information.

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

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

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.

Take your first steps on the path to adventure.

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

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.

Join us for a guided hike through Goodwin Lake Trail as we explore the trees that make up our local ecosystem.

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

Paracord is said to have a thousand uses, and one of them is fashion.

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.

Virginia is home to a very smart, and often mischievous animal, Ursus americanus, or the American Black Bear.

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

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.

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

Follow a ranger on a walk through agricultural history in this guided tour of the Farm and Forestry Museum.

Join a ranger to learn about the wild animals found at Belle Isle State Park that delight your senses.