Events in Virginia State Parks

Join us for a volunteer opportunity in honor of National Public Lands Day.

This National Public Lands Day, help us make Buck Hill Trail shine with a volunteer workday!

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

After the iron industry moved away from the area, residents of Fayerdale went from mining to 'shining.

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. .

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by giving our public lands some love!

In the words of Woodsy Owl (1971), "Give a hoot; don't pollute!"   Volunteer and help Chippokes staff with keeping our shorelines clean and safe for others to enjoy.  Meet at the Visitor Center for instructions and supplies (gloves, available trash grabbers, trash bags.

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

Become a steward of nature while building your local community and connecting with the people near you that share a passion for the outdoors. Meet with rangers at the Mason Neck State Park Visitor Center for a short talk about conservation and to get supplies to clean up the trash that washes onto the shoreline or is left and scattered along the trails and recreational areas. Clean-Up days are self-paced, so come clean our shoreline for as much time as you can spare to make a difference at the park.

Join us for a volunteer opportunity in honor of National Public Lands Day.

Join us in late September for the Grayson Highlands Fall Festival.

Sky Meadows will honor National Public Lands Day by hosting a workday designed to offer volunteers the opportunity to help restore, improve, and protect our shared public land.

Come check out our "Trailgate" which is like a tailgate for a football game, but this one's more nature-centric.

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.  Some are visual, some will be tactile, and most do not use words.

York River State Park in partnership with VIMS (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) is happy to announce the return of Estuaries Day!

Celebrate National Public Lands Day with adventure, exploration, and a little help for the planet!

Would you like to have the chance to explore the trails in Powhatan State Park and meet new people?

National Public Lands Day is the perfect occasion to breathe new purpose into an old kiosk, transforming it into a welcoming point of engagement for visitors.

Join us for a ranger-led hike that will bring you along one of park's quieter trails. Along the way, you'll see a variety of wildlife, encounter natural landscapes, and learn more about the park's history.

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

Celebrate National Public Lands Day at New River Trail State Park by joining the New River Conservancy for a cleanup of Baker Island on September 27, 2025.

How do forests change over time?

Head to the Trail Center to become a community scientist for the day.

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

Stop by the Trail Center on National Public Lands Day and explore the 7 principles of Leave No Trace and why they matter.

Let's talk about the changing seasons, “falling” temperatures, and leaves.

Join us for a day of family fun at Holliday Lake State Park’s Fall Festival on Saturday, September 27th, from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Celebrate the season with a variety of activities for all ages, including: crafts, scavenger hunt, archery range, obstacle course, hay rides, live animals, live music, and prizes.

Did you know we allow bicycles on all 25+ miles of trails?

11 a.m.   Shoreline Cleanup @ the Beach Building Volunteer  your and help stop pollution.

Learn about how pollution can spread in an aquatic environment and help us protect ourselves and our wildlife by cleaning up our shoreline.

Enjoy your National Public Lands Day at First Landing State Park!

Bring your canine companion and join the B.A.R.K.

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.

Blacksmithing was an essential craft that was in high demand during the building of permanent settlements in the 1700-1800s.

Help us keep our public land trash-free by participating in a river cleanup!  We'll paddle 2 miles of our shoreline picking up trash in canoes or kayaks.

Fairy Stone State Park will honor National Public Lands Day by hosting a workday designed to offer volunteers the opportunity to help restore, improve, and protect our shared public land.

Discover the significant role native plants played in Civil War-era medicine, as both physicians and soldiers relied on them to treat a variety of ailments and injuries.

Who goes there?

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

Learn to be a responsible environmental steward as we discuss the seven Leave No Trace principles, including planning ahead, traveling on durable surfaces, and properly disposing of waste.

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.

In honor of National Public Lands Day, Wilderness Road State Park will host a guided hike along the Pioneer Trail.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park invites the public to celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 1pm-4pm with a volunteer event to help resurface one of the museum’s main entrance gates.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands and works to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

To collect is as old as humankind.

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

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

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.

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

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

It's the time of year for harvesting crops and corn mazes, pumpkins and apple picking.

Grab a trash bag and join us in cleaning up our trails to maintain a healthy environment for our local wildlife and our community on National Public Lands Day.

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

"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.

Happy Trails is the name of our park staff and volunteer collaboration to help keep the trails (over seven miles) in tip-top condition for all guests to enjoy throughout the changing seasons.

Are you new to fishing and would like to learn the basics?

Travel through time on this scavenger hunt.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

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

Let nature spark your creativity!

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

Bring your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to the park to be nature superheroes this National Public Lands Day!

How do you tell trees apart? Join us for a scenic hike from the Howe House to the beach as we learn how to identify some of our common native trees. Parking fees are waived on this day.

Farm Use String Band, a spirited quartet, delivers their own unique take on Old Time Music with a lineup comprising fiddle, banjo, guitar, harmonica, washboard, upright bass, and vocals.

The leaves haven't turned quite yet, but the weather is wonderful for a wagon ride!

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

Experience the sights and sounds of the park at sunset with a leisurely guided hike, starting from the main parking lot at 6:30 p.m. The Interpretive Center will be open between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to enjoy a glow-in-the-dark planet scavenger hunt and learn about the importance of dark skies. At 8:00 p.m. we will gather behind the Interpretive Center for members of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC) to orient us to the night sky and offer telescopic views of planets, galaxies, nebulae, and other wonders.

Can you pitch a tent?

From a vantage point high above the Appomattox River's floodplain, visitors can explore the cosmos from High Bridge with our local Crewe Astronomy Club.

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.

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.

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

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

Help preserve the beautiful Belle Isle State Park and protect the wildlife that calls it home.

Thistle Ridge disc golf trail is the ultimate fusion of outdoor adventure and friendly competition.

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

Step back in time and experience the daily life of an American Civil War soldier at High Bridge Trail State Park.

Have you ever wondered what lies under your feet?

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.

Join us in late September for the Grayson Highlands Fall Festival.

Step back in time as we uncover the mysteries of those at rest in the park's historic cemetery.

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

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

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

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

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

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.

Walk on the "Wild Side" and get familiar with the Fossil Record of the Horsehead Cliffs that have made Westmoreland County infamous and fossiliferous.  What observations, evidence and conclusions can we draw of an ancient past from these fossil findings?

Marshes are more than great spots for fishing, canoeing, and bird-watching.

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

Have you ever wondered how water can be stored underground?

Join our rangers in exploring the wildlife along our central trails.

"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.

Interested in learning more about archery while having fun?

With fall comes fungi!