Throughout the summer we offer multiple opportunities for you to take a tour of our beautiful park by wagon ride.

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

Come and join us for our seasonal Summer Park Cleanup!

Chippokes State Park is partnering with the local 7th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line to host a two-day event consisting of three total tactical reenactments and demonstrations.

What better way to enjoy the many sights and sounds of the park than by kayak?

Have you ever wondered what owls look like, what they eat, or where they live?

From woodlands to wetlands, fields and pastures, let's investigate the plants, animals and history of farming at Sky Meadows State Park.

Nature is magic.

The use of bows to shoot arrows has been a part of global history for thousands of years whether for defense, survival, or sport.

Enjoy a rustic wagon ride through the park as we look for signs of spring!

Overlooking the New River, the Shot Tower was built in the 1800s to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

Get ready to catch gold fever and mosey on over to join our interpretive rangers on a quest for this elusive mineral.

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

Explore all about the Northern Flying Squirrel and why they call Grayson Highlands State Park their home.

Have you ever wanted to try camping, but didn't because it all seems so confusing and expensive?

During the spring and summer, osprey dominate the skies over Leesylvania as they build nests and raise their young.

Who was Elizabeth Hartwell?

It's time to truly explore nature today!

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

Enjoy historical interpretation inside the Brick Kitchen to learn more about this ancient, practical, and culinary craft tradition that is at the center of European cuisine.

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 travel to the site.

Have you ever wondered what lies under your feet?

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.

Discover the games children used to play during the colonial time period.  Race hoops against each other and play a game of catch called Graces.  Learn what a Jacob's ladder does and test your skills with a round of Cup and Ball.  For questions, please call the visitor center at (703) 583 6904.

The Bear Creek Lake State Park Archery Club is open to beginner and intermediate level archers 18 years old and older.

Want to learn how to play the outdoorsman’s version of BINGO?

Find the "roving ranger" as they travel around the waterfront to learn how YOU can save a skunk and the other wildlife that call the park home.

Stop by the ranger's tent on the way to the pool for fun games, crafts, and prizes.

Challenge yourself to name various songbirds found around Smith Mountain Lake. Join the park interpreter and see how many of our common birds you can identify.

Sunday Funday anyone?  Swing by our interpretive table in the picnic area to add some fun to your Sunday picnic!

What is a seed bomb?

Watch park staff feed "Ranger Shelly," our resident pet turtle, and learn fascinating facts about turtles.

Take your first steps on the path to adventure.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park will host its first “Lunch on the Lawn” summer music series for the 2024 season on Sunday, June 2, from 2 to 3 p.m., featuring The Timeless Strings Band.

Bring home a piece of history from Westmoreland as you learn to create shark tooth necklaces.  All resources are provided, including shark teeth that you can choose from to create your super cool necklace that can be shown off to all your friends.

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 boomtown. 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.

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

Leesylvania makes its own worm compost!  Join rangers as we take a closer look at worms and how they can benefit your kitchen and backyard.

Ready, set, crawl, to join General Raphael, our non-releasable rescue eastern box turtle, as we explore more about her and the animal friends she shares her habitat with.

Ever wonder what the fish are doing when they dive deep under water?

Of all the mammals, opossums are the most misunderstood. They are fascinating creatures with very unique characteristics.

Explore fascinating natural treasures at the Park Office, where a park ranger will showcase intriguing items you can see, touch, and learn about.

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic areas and beaches with interesting animal or historical artifacts from the park.

Join us to learn about insects and the different jobs they do here at Fairy Stone State Park and in your own backyard. Our adventure will continue as we search the area to find examples of these important members of our neighborhood.

Not all-aquatic wildlife has fins or scales!

Invaders are taking over Fairy Stone State Park and your own backyard.

Take a short walk with a ranger and explore the history of Douthat State Park.

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.

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

Toads, Turtles, and Snakes- Oh my!

Perched upon a small hill overlooking the old Norfolk & Western railway station sits the old Foster Falls Hotel.

Come be a scientist for the day with our park rangers!

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our on-the-go naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.  Don't be surprised if he has a photo or two to share with you.

Get creative and be inspired by the beautiful scenery of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Douthat State Park is home to many mammals including black bears.

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.

Discover the world of pollinators from Monarchs to beetles to bats!

Do you love art and nature?

“What does the fox say?” Did you know that there are two different foxes found in Virginia, the red fox and the grey fox?

Do you have what it takes to be a wildlife detective?  Get ready for a guided mission!

Perched upon a small hill overlooking the old Norfolk & Western railway station sits the old Foster Falls Hotel.

Fly on over and learn how to make a bird feeder from natural materials which you can keep.

Take a half of a hike with a park ranger.

Every Monday you can find local fresh produce, baked goods, honey, jams and jellies, soap, and local artisan crafters, as well as food vendors, here at Fairy Stone State Park.

Evening is the perfect time to search for salamanders.

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How I wonder what you are...

Ride with a park guide as we experience the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Have you ever bumped into one of our tall bark-covered residents and wondered who it is you've just run into?

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

We need your help.

Go back in time to the historic village of Foster Falls.

Bring your creativity and express your individuality and join Leesylvania State Park Rangers throughout the park for a unique crafting experience!  Each session is a one of a kind experience.  See you there!

A face only a mother could love?

Scurry on over to investigate the secret life of bugs and understand how important these tiny creatures are to our ecosystems. We'll catch bugs of all shapes and sizes and then view them under magnification.

Leesylvania State Park is home to many different turtles!

As animals explore their surroundings they leave us lots of clues.

Get your feet wet investigating the vast array of life in a stream. Catch crawdads, salamanders, frogs and such.

Tie-dye wasn't the brainchild of American hippies during the 1960s.

Allow the evening to envelop you and enjoy a hay wagon ride with our park guide.

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

Yes, you too can canoe! Canoes are stable and easy to control, despite what you might have heard.

Get down and dirty with this two-hour wild cave tour.

Take a fascinating hike to learn about the rich history of James River State Park from fossils to the Civil War.

This nature walk and talk is about the textures and aromas of three native forest species and their role in developing special relationships between plants and humans.

Fishing can be as easy as tying your shoes.

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

What animal inspired a popular children's game?

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

Every animal has unique features and traits that make them special and suited for their natural environment.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Interested in the giants around you?

Tree cookies might sound like a scrumptious new flavor, but unless you're a termite, please don't eat these cookies.

Get your feet wet and explore life in the creek.

We can tell a great deal about an animal’s adaptations by looking at their skins and skulls.

Migrate to the Discovery Center to learn about the fascinating "Fish Hawk".

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

Who made those footprints?