Events in Virginia State Parks

Look up and learn about tree diversity in the park!

York River State Park is a great place to see mushrooms.  With the parks miles of woodland trails and grassy expanses, you’re sure to see some of the mushrooms that are native to this part of the east coast year-round.  Join us for a basic introduction to fungi in our Visitors Center Discovery Room, then come with us on a short hike to see what fungi we can discover.

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

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.

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?

This unique evening hosted by Imagine Well Being begins with a guided sensory immersion at Sweet Run State Park, inviting you to slow down and connect deeply with the natural world around you.

Trees are vital to our environment.

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

Do you feel safer walking with a friend?

"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.

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

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.

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.).

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.

While we sleep a whole new set of nocturnal animals come out to begin their "daily" activities.

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

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

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

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

Want to experience the New River Trail State Park in a way few people get a chance to?

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

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.

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

Slither and splash into the world of reptiles.

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 Southwest Virginia scenery.  Gravel tires work best on New River Trail crushed stone trail surface.

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

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

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!

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Lakeshore Trail.

Join a ranger to learn about science, history, and nature at Leesylvania State Park! This program is intended for children ages 5-17 years old. Rangers are prepared for rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.

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

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.

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

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.

Let your imagination run wild with this fun scavenger hunt.

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

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

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 as we build a creature to find out how adaptations of native animals (as well as creatures of Appalachian folklore) can help them be specially made for their environment.

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.

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

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

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

When a tree falls in the forest, what happens next?

On Halloween night, we’re calling all trick-or-treaters to take a break from your candy gathering and visit the museum for some ghoulish fun and games.

Oct.

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

Step back in time and test your skills with an atlatl!  An atlatl (spear thrower) was a tool used by some Indigenous tribes during the Paleoindian culture and Archaic period.

Happy Halloween!

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

Come take a walk with us to search for some of the park's most elusive night-time predators: owls! As we walk along under the quiet cover of darkness, we'll listen for their haunting voices as they cry out across the landscape.

Happy Halloween!

What hides in the Appalachian wilderness after dark?

A visit to the farm would not be complete without seeing farm animals!

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

Fishers, Flying Squirrels, Owls - oh my!  Are nocturnal animals as spooky as they seem?

Grab a Bald Cypress Scavenger Hunt from the Trail Center and hit the trail!

Join us for a rewarding morning of gardening alongside fellow plant enthusiasts.

This trail begins on Iron Mine Trail and features an iron mine once used by Fayerdale residents, as well as an overlook of Fairy Stone Lake.

Join us on the first Saturday of the month to experience the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of history at Sky Meadows.

Explore the rich natural history of trees guided by a Virginia Master Naturalist.

Take a closer look at your surroundings in our monthly nature journaling classes.

Explore the rich natural history of trees guided by a Virginia Master Naturalist.

Celebrate the 20th annual Art & Wine Festival!

As the seasons shift and the landscape quiets, November offers a perfect time to slow down and notice the subtle beauty of nature.

Perfect for beginners.

Virginia is home to a very smart, and often mischievous animal, Ursus americanus, or the American Black Bear.

How do forests change over time?

What better way to start the day than with a hot cup of coffee.

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

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

Fall is for fires, so come create your own fire starter for your next camping adventure.

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.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, or is that a bat?

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.

What kind of lunch do you think a bear would have?

Happy fall, y'all!

Long ago, giant beasts roamed these lands...put yourself into the shoes of an Ice Age hunter in this spear-throwing workshop using an ancient spear-throwing device: the atlatl! The atlatl was used on the North American continent and all over the world, enabling both men and women to efficiently hunt megafauna such as woolly mammoths and giant ground sloths.

Think you’ve got sharp eyes?

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

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

Discover a unique wolf species that once called these lands home.

Feathers are more than just for flying; they help birds survive, stay warm, and communicate, showing how perfectly nature designs every detail for life in the sky.

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.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Discover the art of crafting your own paracord bracelet while learning how this versatile tool can prepare you for the unexpected.

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

What bird lives most of its life on the ground, can fly as fast as a car, and was almost our national bird?

The forests are full of things both delicious and dangerous, but can you tell which is which?

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.