Events in Virginia State Parks

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.

Join us at the Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park Visitor Center on Saturday, October 4th at 12:00 p.m. for a compelling presentation on the pivotal presidential election of 1864.

Have you ever wondered how fabric was dyed in the 18th and 19th century?

Visit a ranger at Massie Gap to learn about different creatures that live within the park.

Get your morning caffeine fix and join us around the campfire by Big Poplar Trail.

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.

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.

Reds, yellows, oranges and deep purplish colored leaves are dancing in the breeze this fall.

You don't have to go to the mountains to enjoy the stunning fall colors that Virginia has to offer!

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

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.

Happy fall, y'all!

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.

What is your favorite camping activity: roasting marshmallows, hiking a trail, staying up late and looking at the stars, using a flashlight, or sleeping in a tent? Tell the ranger why you think camping is so much fun, then explore camping life as you create some awesome crafts.

Enjoy this activity with a sweet ending using global positioning system (GPS) technology.

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!

Celebrate the season at our River Bend Discovery Center with crisp air, colorful leaves, and hands-on fun for all ages!

Join us for a tail-wagging adventure along the scenic Bluebell Trail of Shenandoah River State Park!

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

Mason Neck is home to many Osprey.

Learn how Mother Nature can both inspire and help you create your next masterpiece.

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

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

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

Leaf peep in style on a wagon ride with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains during the fall color change.

Come join a ranger for a fun arts and crafts session!

Ever wonder how a seed makes its journey from plant to sprout?

Leaves are changing quickly this month.

Think you’ve got sharp eyes?

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.

Stop by and investigate the variety of flora and fauna found around Smith Mountain Lake.

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

Take into your heart the peace of wild things.

The leaves are changing, and the nights are growing cold, it's the perfect time for a hayride!

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

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.

Dive into excitement with our "Dipnetting Adventure" at Holliday Lake State Park.

Join us for an exciting presentation on birds of prey!

Whoooo’s calling in the night!?

Join a ranger around the fire for a taste of outdoor tradition.

'Whoooo' goes there?

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!

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

Get Tickets!

“Whooo” will hear “whooo” first?

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

Visit the Trail Center Museum to discover the park’s coastal habitats with this seek and find activity.

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

We let the dogs out!

Come along on a one mile hike through Kiptopeke's trails to learn about the nature in our park.

Nature’s true story is not just seen, but felt, heard, and smelled.

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.

Enjoy a leisurely paddle around the lake to enjoy the vibrant fall colors up close and personal.

How do you keep the 'Sunday Scaries' at bay?

Ever wondered where bats live?

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.

Kids’ Activity Book: This free book contains activities for the young (or young at heart).

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

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

Join a ranger at Massie Gap for a moderate stroll to take in the sights and sounds of the season!

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

Over the hills and through the fields we go!  Climb aboard our open-air hay wagon, outfitted with wooden benches and a cozy layer of hay for a classic fall adventure.

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

Come out to picnic shelter #2 and get inspired by the great outdoors.

"Echoes of the Past: Guardians of History" is a park ranger-led program dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and celebration of history.  Explore the roots of Virginia’s agricultural legacy in this immersive program highlighting the cash crops that shaped the Commonwealth’s economy and culture during the 19th century.

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.

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.

Foraging can foster a special connection with the land as well as with fellow foragers.

Westmoreland State Park is a special place known for the rare and common fossils, including, the most desirable and sought after - shark teeth you can find along our shoreline.

Let's "shell-abrate" our favorite wildlife here at the park.

Join us for a guided Mushroom Identification Hike and discover the fascinating world of fungi right beneath your feet!

Discover how flowers are more than just beautiful; they’re essential partners in plant reproduction.

Look up and learn about tree diversity in the park!

Check out our lake check-up!

Celebrate the season at our River Bend Discovery Center with crisp air, colorful leaves, and hands-on fun for all ages!

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

Art in the Park is a program Westmoreland State Park snagged from the Friends of False Cape State Park!  This program is designed to get individuals outdoors, connecting with wildlife, plants, landscapes, scenery, and critters and creating art within the boundaries of a Virginia State Park.

Enjoy the stunning views of the awe-inspiring mountains as the leave begin to change from a deep green to vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues.

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

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

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

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

Trees are vital to our environment.

Experience the transformation from summer to fall as our forest begins to display fall colors.

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

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

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.

"What can be more curious than that the hand of a man...and the wing of the bat, should be constructed on the same pattern, and should include the same bones, in the same relative positions." - Charles Darwin This October, homeschoolers will delve into the world of shadows and mystery, unveiling the truth behind some of nature's spookier subjects.

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.

Make Tuesday your Trail Day.

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

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.

Owls, bats, bugs and more!

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

Get your mid-week boost with a walk among the trees, meadows, with fellow nature lovers!  You don't have to read the countless 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.

Join a park ranger on a three-mile hike to the waterfall and back.

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.

"What can be more curious than that the hand of a man...and the wing of the bat, should be constructed on the same pattern, and should include the same bones, in the same relative positions." - Charles Darwin This October, homeschoolers will delve into the world of shadows and mystery, unveiling the truth behind some of nature's spookier subjects.