Events in Virginia State Parks

Visiting the Natural Bridge could bring out your inner artist this weekend as Roni Navroski teaches you how to paint on a feather.

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

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

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

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

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

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

Who was Elizabeth Hartwell?

Experience the magic of autumn with the Fall Foliage Festival at Sky Meadows State Park!

Westmoreland State Park is a special place known for the common, rare, and marvelously spectacular fossils including shark teeth you can find along our shoreline.

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.

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

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.

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

"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.

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

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.

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

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

Look up and learn about tree diversity in the park!

In this fun and unique Autumn hike, you will explore the trails around Foster Falls with a local naturalist to learn about the beautiful changing leaves and how to identify trees by looking at the various characteristics that make them so unique.

Enjoy the stunning views of the awe-inspiring mountains as the leaves 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.

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

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears in our ranger-led program.

Did you know that coyotes are not naturally native to Virginia?

Trees are vital to our environment.

Do you feel safer walking with a friend?

Look down, what's under your feet?

"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.

The Fall 2025 installment of the Staunton River Star Party will be sponsored by CHAOS (Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society) and hosted at Staunton River State Park.

Make Tuesday your Trail Day.

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

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

Help support the park you love.

The Orionids meteor shower is an average meteor shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak.

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.

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.81mi.).

This program is designed to introduce young participants to the wonders of the natural world and foster an appreciation for the environment.

"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.

Everyone loves a relaxing evening especially out on Hungry Mother Lake.

Sit back and stargaze while you count the meteors as they enter the atmosphere.

Meet with a ranger and go on a one-mile guided hike along the Oak Hickory Trail, rated as a moderate hike.

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

'Coddiwomple' with us through the forest and along the creeks that feed into Bear Creek Lake.

Rangers from Leesylvania State Park will take your little ones on a nature adventure with reading, games, and crafts.

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.

Meet a ranger for a leisurely paced afternoon walk at the Dannelly Park access to New River Trail.

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

Slither and splash into the world of reptiles.

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears in our ranger-led program.

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

Enjoy pumpkin decorating, costume contests, and a community-based Trunk-or-Treat, where children enjoy an old-fashioned Halloween in a safe environment.

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

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

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

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 homeschoolers!

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.81mi.).

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

Join a ranger to make your own corn husk doll and learn about their unique history! The corn husk doll has origins in Indigenous culture.

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.

Practice your detective skills by uncovering snakes hidden in images of their habitat, and discover how best to avoid those with venom.

Have you ever fished the Chesapeake Bay?

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

Did you know corn can be found in just about everything?

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

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

Step Into Fall with a fun hike to celebrate the season!

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

Hoot have thought reconstructing skeletons could be so cool? Learn about some of our native owl species while you dissect a Great Horned Owl pellet.

Take in the crisp air and the brilliant colors of autumn as we stroll along Douthat’s scenic lakefront.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Frogs, crawdads, and children - oh my!

Wear your best costume and come join us at Fairy Stone State Park for a fun filled afternoon of Trunk-or-Treating. Parking for the event will be in the overflow lot directly across the street from the entrance to Shelters 3 & 4.

Glide across Douthat Lake on the Canoe of Many Colors and take in the vibrant reds, oranges, and golds of autumn.

Learn various fire-starting techniques and methods, then listen to true tales of spooky and ghostly encounters at the Timberneck house and park overall!

Join us for a spooky fun night under the stars!

In Virginia, a lot of pre-contact Indigenous history was obscured by colonization.

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

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

Westmoreland State Park is presenting you with a fun craft program that really rocks!

Join us at the Community Fire Ring to relax, enjoy a roasted marshmallow, and get to know your camping neighbors.

This October, spirits from the past will guide you along the trail to the Natural Bridge, lit only by lantern light.

Happy Bat Week!

Walk among the 'ghosts' and 'goblins' of Fairy Stone State Park and hear some scary stories!

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

Join us at picnic shelter #1 for a late-night hike as we search for owls and other nocturnal animals that call Kiptopeke home.

Join us for a public viewing night during the Fall Staunton River Star Party.

Walk among the 'ghosts' and 'goblins' of Fairy Stone State Park and hear some scary stories!

This October, spirits from the past will guide you along the trail to the Natural Bridge, lit only by lantern light.

Join us for an evening by the fire as we shine a light on one of nature’s most fascinating nighttime creatures—bats!

Who is calling to you in the night?

Walk among the 'ghosts' and 'goblins' of Fairy Stone State Park and hear some scary stories!

Take advantage of our remote location far from city lights to see brilliant night skies over the lake.

Celebrate Spooky Season at Lake Anna!

Celebrate Spooky Season with an act of service at Lake Anna State Park!