Events in Virginia State Parks

Let's get spooky!

Grab your binoculars and get outside.

Go with the flow and investigate the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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

Every trail at Westmoreland is bound to teach you a rock-solid lesson.  Come on out and join volunteers and rangers as we tackle a beloved trail - together, as a Happy Trails Team - to tidy, clear, and ensure it is accessible for the enjoyment of visitors.   Meet the Happy Trails Crew at the CCC Fountain!

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

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.

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

Take a fall walk of exploration with two Virginia Master Naturalists in this third of a series of seasonal walks planned for children.

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.

Take a fall walk of exploration with two Virginia Master Naturalists in this third of a series of seasonal walks planned for children.

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.

Immerse yourself in the calming embrace of nature as you unwind and de-stress.

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

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

Come celebrate Halloween at Occoneechee State Park.

Come and explore a dynamic ecosystem that prevents erosion and brings life to the river.  The living shoreline between the rip-rap and water’s edge is attracting interesting estuarine and marine creatures and plants.  Discover them and how living shorelines enhance and protect our waterfronts.

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

Slither on down to the Visitor Center to weave a web of knowledge on the spookier side of nature.

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.

Enjoy the Potomac River's cool autumn breeze with your friends and family at Leesylvania State Park's Annual Fall Festival! We will celebrate the season with hayrides, crafts, trunk or treat, food trucks, and more.

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.

Pick up a copy of the self-guided Twin Pinnacles Trail brochure at the Park Office or Visitor Center.

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

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

Fall is here, and the leaves are changing.

Are all snakes venomous?

Black bears are one of the many incredible mammals that dwell in Douthat State Park.

Join the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry (NOVAAR) Club as their model rockets go up, up, and away.

Unleash your creativity and decorate your own pumpkin.

Visit our spine-chilling touch table to learn about the animals that call Kiptopeke State Park home.

Does your pup have what it takes to be a B.A.R.K Ranger?

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

Want to save the bees, butterflies, birds, and more?  Just plant native!  Even the smallest pollinator-friendly patch will make a difference.  At our pollinator garden workshop, you'll learn everything you need to know to get started and receive a planning packet to help create your own pollinator habitat at home.

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.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

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

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.

Owl Pellets give us clues as to what the latest meal was.

Come celebrate Halloween at Occoneechee State Park.

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.

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!

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!

Join us for a cozy autumn adventure at our Hayride & Pumpkin Carving Day!

Join Park Rangers and volunteers as we explore the traditional cultural traits related to death and dying in the Central Appalachian Region.

Westmoreland State Park is home to four different ambassador animals: Reba the corn snake, Stevie the eastern king snake, and our two red-eared sliders, Venus and Jennika.

Pocahontas State Park has over 20 graveyards, or burial grounds, within the park's boundaries.

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

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.

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.

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

Join a park ranger for a guided walk along Douthat Lake as we observe the amazing journey of migratory birds.

Leaves are changing quickly this month.

Did you know owls get 'hairballs?' About once a day, an owl spits up a ball of hair and bones called an owl pellet which is actually the 'leftovers' from their most recent meals.

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

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

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

Bring the family to the park to enjoy the fall colors and a fun-filled Halloween event. Activities include a costume contest (for ages 12 and younger), pumpkin decorating, crafts, candy, and games.

Join park rangers as we stroll through Big Stone’s Historic Glencoe Cemetery.

Explore the trees of Sweet Run with Virginia Master Naturalist and Virginia Master Hiker, Kelly Roach from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Along the way encounter some slightly spooky forest inhabitants.

Spiders are scary...

Put on your costumes and join us for an evening of Trick-or-Treating around the campground.

As part of Big Stone Gap’s Halloween Party Crawl.

Whoooo’s calling in the night!?

Come Trunk-or-Treat at Caledon!

Discover our International Dark-Sky Park!

Join the Virginia Peninsula Stargazers as they point out the different items of our solar system in the night sky. They will have the equipment.  Just bring your curiosity.  This program is dependent on the clarity of the viewing sky on the night it occurs.

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.

Members of the Crewe Astronomy Club visit the park again to help you navigate the cosmos.

Storytelling at the Tunnel features storytelling performances from experienced local storytellers and local public-school forensics and drama students.

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

How well do think you know the park?

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

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

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

Have you carved your pumpkin for the fall season yet?

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

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.

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.

Pick up a copy of the self-guided Twin Pinnacles Trail brochure at the Park Office or Visitor Center.

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!

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

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.

There are many stories to tell about Sweet Run State Park.

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?

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 a ranger on this one-mile trek through a vibrant forest and crisp trails.

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.

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