Events in Virginia State Parks

Take a walk and discover life in four different aquatic ecosystems.  We will hike to a small woodland and marsh stream, freshwater pond, and brackish/saltwater river.  With nets, we will capture and identify different crustaceans, fish, and take note of plant life. .

Paddle your way around the park’s unique ecosystem.

Are all snakes venomous?

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

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.

Got a little explorer who’s beyond crawling, but isn’t ready to hike with the Kindergarten siblings?  The Tyke Hike is the perfect fit for little legs.  The hikes are less than a mile and mostly stroller friendly.  The ranger will help your little one discover neat things in nature in this one hour adventure.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is excited to announce the fall semester of the WiseJAMS Music Program.

This is a fantastic time of year to take-in the beautiful scenery of Southwest Virginia.

Come explore the historic town of Fries.

Whoooo’s calling in the night!?

We need our Girl Scouts to lead the way and help to create a better planet for us all. Come on out to Staunton River State Park and explore our rivers, trails, and open spaces.

Come to the Visitor Center and learn about local artist, Palmer Hayden, before grabbing a watercolor kit and finding a nature scene at the park to paint in your own style!

Welcome all Girl Scouts! The park has several self-guided activities for you to enjoy during your visit and brochures can be found at the Park Office and outside the Lakeside Snack Bar.

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.

Calling all Girl Scouts and Scout leaders!

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

Calling all homeschoolers!

Calling all Girl Scouts!  Welcome to Shenandoah River State Park!

Join us as we learn more about the prehistoric history of Chippokes through fossils that can be found right on our beaches!

Sky Meadows State Park welcomes all Girl Scouts to explore the great outdoors during Girl Scouts Love State Park weekend.

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

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.

Nature journaling is the intersection of art, science, and curiosity.

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

Did you know that 11-3 million years ago Chippokes State Park, the James River, and most of the Tidewater area of Virginia was all under water and at the bottom of the Claremont Manor Sea? Join an interpretive ranger on an adventure through the Fossil Beds of Chippokes to see what we can find.

There are bugs everywhere in the park- cicadas in the trees, ants in the grass, crickets in the caves, and even the macro invertebrates in the creek! Learn the important roles these tiny creatures play in our ecosystems while making your own insect sticker.   .

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.

The library is hitting the park!

Want to learn how to go geocaching? Join one of our rangers on a guided program on how to start your geocache adventure. Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure.

Play classic Hide-and-Seek with a modern twist!

Ever wanted to learn how to crab?

Trees are vital to our environment.

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

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.

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

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

Join us for a special Girl Scouts Love State Parks Day as we celebrate nature, stewardship, and the power of native plants! Native plants play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Taking a leaf walk is a peaceful and enriching way to connect with nature and appreciate the changing seasons.

Get creative when you build your very own bug at this ranger-led program.

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.

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?

Explore our park and learn something new with some special programming:  Friday, Sept.

What does fire mean to you?

Join a Ranger for a weekend of activities to check off 8 of the 25 needed activities for a badge in the Girl Scouts Love the Outdoors Challenge 2025.

Let us keep the kids entertained while the adults set up and stop by to learn about Leave No Trace principles and interview a ranger!

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

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

Come be inspired by the natural beauty of Machicomoco State Park as one of our rangers leads you through the creation of your own masterpiece.

Explore an enchanting evening amidst the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains as the sun sets and the world transitions from day to night!

Join us for ranger-led campfire with S'mores!

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

Calling all Girl Scouts, girls, and women of all ages!

Join park rangers for a campfire at the Visitor Center.

From the backyard to the backcountry, Girl Scouts USA has a long and storied history of getting every girl outdoors.

Where's the best place to fish at the park?

In this very special event, we will explore nature after the sun goes down and see it the way nocturnal animals do.

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.

In honor of Girl Scouts Love State Parks Day, gather around a crackling fire to hear stories shared by and about female park rangers!

Join us for a special gathering around the campfire, enjoy the harmonious sounds of nature, dive into some delicious s'mores, and learn about the nocturnal park residents of Westmoreland.

Join us during Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend and work on completing different badges.

Welcome to the park, kick off your stay with an unforgettable evening by the fire at the water's edge.

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

Event Registration is full!

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

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park will offer a monthly "Birding in the Gap" program on the second Saturday of each month (with the exception of October and December).

Get knee-deep in the Shenandoah during Fly Fishing 101!  During this program, our fly-fishing instructor will go over all the basics to get you catching your first fish on a fly!

Join Rangers for a morning of family fun, fishing and learning about the Potomac River.

Each month, volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to work together on a project that helps improve and maintain our beautiful park.

Try out some tree fun by digging into the amazing science of trees and making cool tree crafts.

Join us a for a day of adventure and fun during Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend!

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. .

Find out which reptiles and amphibians call First Landing home! Located within the trail center, the Discovery Room is welcome to all ages.

The Friends of the Southwest Virginia Museum will host a community yard sale on Saturday, September 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can look forward to a diverse selection of unique items for sale!

In the words of Woodsy Owl (1971), "Give a hoot; don't pollute!"    Volunteer and help out the planet today.

Across Virginia, women made the journey into the wilderness with hearts full of hope.

Join us every second Saturday at the Mayo River Trails to explore the future Mayo River State Park. You will also discover some interesting facts about local wildlife, and about the exploration of the area by William Byrd.

Curious about how the light green house looks from the inside and its restoration process?

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

What do you get when you cross an Ostera fossil with living oysters?  A total past and present shoreline experience!  Join us and our Girl Scouts of America friends on a hunt for prehistoric relics at fossil beach and modern marine life along the living shoreline.  The tide will be low enough to search for shells and shark's teeth.  But living creatures will be active with the in coming tide.  Keep a relic and find a cool specimen for a temporary aquarium all in the same adventure.

Join us for Girl Scouts Love State Parks Day while we explore the wonderful wildlife around us including both flora and fauna.

Celebrate adventure, friendship, and the great outdoors during Girl Scouts Love State Parks Day.

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.

Have you ever heard the sound of a pack of coyotes howling in the middle of the night?

Stand in the shade of one of the most 'poplar' trees in the park as you learn about Swift Creek, native wildlife, and more about the park's history.

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

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

How do forests change over time?

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

In Natural Tunnel: Nature's Marvel in Stone, author and geologist Tony Scales recounts the history of the great feature, from its geologic beginnings to the first written accounts of man's interaction with the Tunnel, through a period of commercial exploitation, to the present-day state park.

Calling all Girl Scouts!

Across Virginia, women made the journey into the wilderness with hearts full of hope.

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

What do you think of when you hear term wildlife?

Join a ranger to learn about the birds and bugs we see around the park and make a craft to take home and share with friends and family.