Events in Virginia State Parks

Do you have a passion for nature, environmental education, and wish to make a difference?

Explore the museum as your learn about the history of Pocahontas State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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

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

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

Slither on over to the Visitors Center for an in-depth look into the fascinating lives of local reptiles.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Get to know our favorite ambassador animals: Snoopy, Junior, Hungars, and Kernel as an interpreter feeds our critters.

Wanting to hone your outdoor skills?

Let nature spark your creativity!

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

Geocaching combines Global Positioning System (GPS) technology with nature to provide adventure for treasure hunters all over the world.

The blue crab is one of the most iconic species of the Chesapeake Bay.

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

Evenings are a wonderful time in the park to be on the water.

Be on the lookout for a roaming ranger with a mini-program and learn something new.

Hit the trail with one of our rangers to see which birds of Fairy Stone State Park are hiding in plain sight along Oak Hickory Trail.

Have you ever wanted to pan for gold?

Join a park ranger for a ride to the park's historic cemetery and a guided walking tour.

How much do you know about Douthat State Park's past?

Get up close and personal with the fall foliage while learning tips and tricks on a stand-up paddleboard.

Get Tickets!

Everyone has heard of dancing in the moonlight, but what about kayaking?

As the sun dips low and the night draws near, we humans usually turn in for the night...but this is show time for bats!

Ever wonder what kind of animals are out and about during the night? Our wetlands serve multiple purposes, but they are excellent hunting grounds for many of our nocturnal animals. We will show you how they use these skills with some hands-on activities. Wear some comfortable closed-toe shoes for this evening tour through our wetlands.

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

Ride with a ranger as we explore the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park on a beautiful summer evening.

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

Join this ranger and/or volunteer-guided bike ride to High Bridge and back with bonus views of the full moon.

Where do our amphibians and reptiles live?

Experience the beauty of High Bridge Trail under the enchanting light of the setting sun and the rising moon.

Hike through the forest after dark in search of sights and sounds from the owls who are hunting there.

Step into the quiet, mysterious woods of Douthat State Park after dark for an unforgettable experience.

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

Sit back  and enjoy the stars as we hear history and folklore about the Moon from around the world.

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!

Find your muse at Caledon as you draw, paint, or photograph the world around you. Join the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts at Caledon State Park for a truly unique artistic experience. A wagon ride will transport you to various scenic woods and beach locations throughout the park as you breathe art into the forest.

10 and 2, 10 and 2, get into the rhythm of fly fishing.

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. .

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.

Have you ever been walking along a trail and come across a pile of "meatballs"?

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

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

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

Upon visiting Chippokes State Park you'll find many historic buildings that are direct links to the property's past as a former plantation and active farm site. Beyond these fields and buildings, there are important narratives of the men, women, and children who worked and lived on property over the years as Chippokes has continuously evolved.

Find out what lurks below the surface of the swamp in this fun dip-netting adventure!

Make your own pig and meet our ambassador animal: Tazewell the potbellied pig!

Celebrate this month's harvest moon by learning more about the elusive animals that come out under the moonlight.

North America has one native tropical-tasting fruit - the pawpaw!

Have you ever wondered how water can be stored underground?

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

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.

"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.

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic areas and beaches with interesting animals or historical artifacts from the park.

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.

Step into the buzzing, fluttering world of our planets tiniest heroes-pollinators!

Begin your journey along the Wilderness Road towards Cumberland Gap as an interpreter takes you on a guided tour of the museum.

Build your very own bug hotel to help provide a habitat for beneficial insects. Your creation will offer pollinators a special space where they can breed and grow!

Practice your casting and reeling in the grass.

Westmoreland State Park is a special place known for the fossils including shark teeth you can find along our shoreline.

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

Can you shout BINGO first?  Join us for a birding bingo wagon tour throughout the park.

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

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

Do you want to learn the history of the land where Kiptopeke State Park is today?

Ready, set, crawl on down to the Visitors Center to meet our woodland box turtle, General Raphael!

The Appalachian Mountains are home to many unique salamander species.

A special daytime paddle for Grandparents Day!

The batteau was a historically significant boat used in the 18th and 19th centuries.

How many animal inhabitants of First Landing State Park can you identify?

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

End the weekend with a scenic trip on the York River (or Taskinas Creek depending on water conditions) in the evening.  Discover the birds and creatures that are active in the gentle light of sunset.  Cost.

We invite you to come out to the Apiary located to the left of the area behind the Discovery Center and observe us in the apiary.

Do you feel safer walking with a friend?

Enjoy the beauty of York River State Park, while having the opportunity to take pictures along the way.

"For a scavenger, patience is the key to the pantry." - Delia Owens For the first month of homeschool, visitors will learn about the hidden lives of scavengers: nature's clean-up crew!

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.

Ride with a park guide as we experience the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

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

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

Get a closer look at nature during this meander over moderate terrain with some inclines.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get your mid-week boost with a walk among the trees, meadows, with fellow nature lovers!  You don't have to read scientific studies to know that being in nature and getting exercise in the fresh air is good for your body and your mind. So let's get together, make friends, and enjoy the outdoors while improving our health!  Each week will feature a different trail, each with a distance of about 2-2.5 miles.

Hit the trail with one of our rangers to see which birds of Fairy Stone State Park are hiding in plain sight along Oak Hickory Trail.

Let nature spark your creativity!

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

"For a scavenger, patience is the key to the pantry." - Delia Owens For the first month of homeschool, visitors will learn about the hidden lives of scavengers: nature's clean-up crew!

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.

Do you want to learn the history of the land where Kiptopeke State Park is today?

Everyone loves a relaxing evening.

Experience an enjoyable ride on the lake while we watch the sun slip below the horizon.

Ride with a park guide as we experience the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

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