Events in Virginia State Parks

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is now accepting entries for the “Stitch in Time” Quilt Show.

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

This FREE two-night (April 13 & 14) Boating Safety Course will enable participants to obtain their Boater Safety certification/card which is required in Virginia for all PWC operators age 14 and older and all operators (regardless of age) of motorboats with a 10 hp or greater engine.  Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult and pre-registration for all participants is required. Register online here.

Sip, Snack & Create: Paint-N-Snack Night at the Museum.

Come join the monthly meeting of the Widewater State Park Friend's Group!

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

Join the Friends of Mason Neck and Fairfax Master Naturalists for a rewarding day of volunteer garden work!

April showers bring May flowers.  For the month of April, homeschoolers will learn about the water cycle, water pollution, and how it affects us and the environment.

Come explore nature's amazing spring happenings through the Powhatan Library's new educational series: Nature Days!

"Beavers:  Nature's Engineers" examines the characteristics and habits of North America's largest rodent.  Learn about how beavers alter the environment more than any other creature except humans.  Find out how beavers contributed to the westward expansion as settlers arrived in the New World.  .

Join our rangers in discovering the secrets of the magnificent White-tailed Deer.

Join the Mecklenburg County YMCA for the 2026 Tracks and Trails Hiking Series with Steph Bowen at Occoneechee State Park!

The Lyrids meteor shower is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.

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

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

Explore the hidden hamlet of Wash Woods and see the various coastal habitats of False Cape.

Dead phone battery while wandering the wood?

Did you know that opossums roamed the earth with the dinosaurs and have “hands” like ours, but on their hind legs? Wonder what other secrets these critters hold? Join us to discover little known facts about these amazing animals and how they benefit humans.

Cape Henry is known for over 400 years of history, starting with the first landing of the Jamestown settlers, to the Village of Cape Henry and the creation of Fort Story.  Learn about the creation of the lighthouse and its experience throughout major events in the country’s history.  This program offers a detailed overview of the Cape Henry area starting in 1607 and continuing to the present.

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears at our ranger-led program. Learn about their characteristics, habits, how to avoid conflicts, and much more.

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is thrilled to announce the spring semester of the WiseJAMS Music Program!

What better way to celebrate International Dark Sky Week than "shooting stars" through the Natural Bridge?

Are you curious about the birds around us?

Come celebrate our planet with First Landing Rangers during Earth Week!

Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.

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

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.

From the small eastern screech owl to the great horned owl, eight species of owls call Virginia home part or all of the year.   Get a glimpse into the mysterious world of our elusive nocturnal raptors.

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

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.

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

Let your creativity flow at our Creation Station, where you can create your favorite animal mask, opossum puppet, turkey, butterfly, or batteau craft.

Invasive plants like garlic mustard spread aggressively and cause significant damage to our native plants and animals.

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

New life is springing up all over the park.  Kick off an hour of sights and sounds at the Discovery Room and view nesting herons and osprey.  .

Did you know that April 17th is International Bat Appreciation Day?

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

Join our rangers as we create owls with pinecones and other natural elements found in the park.

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

If you're curious about trees, satisfy your curiosity on this Arbor Adventure!  Join a ranger on Chippoax Trace Trail to identify Chippokes' fauna, specifically trees.  This trail takes visitors from rolling farm fields, into canopied woodlands, and to a worthwhile scenic view of the beautiful salt marshes of Chippokes.

This field-based game is a fun and safe way to examine the remarkable abilities of bats and the importance of preserving their habitats.

Did you know if Americans recycled one-tenth of their newspapers it would save 25 million trees a year?

Ever wondered how a beaver’s fur keeps it warm and dry, or how a white-tailed deer communicates within its herd?

National Audubon Day is celebrated annually on April 26th to honor the birthday of renowned ornithologist, naturalist, and painter John James Audubon.

Slippery, slimy, salamanders are out and about!

Join a ranger for Earth Day on a hike!

It is International Bat Appreciation Day! Join a ranger and learn all about these important night time pollinators and make a craft to take home.

Pollinator populations everywhere are in a steady decline, but why all the buzz about it?

Whether you prefer the writings of Henry David Thoreau or the classic rhyme scheme of Dr.

April 17th is International Bat Appreciation Day!

Come join the party!

Join us for a night of 'bat-tastic' fun at Twin Lakes State Park!

Start off your weekend off right with s’mores and more!

Chippokes State Park is proud to partner with the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers Club to introduce a special dark night sky and stargazing opportunity for all to enjoy. Club members will use their telescopes to share the night time sky with park visitors.  Visitors will be free to ask questions, observe, and look through telescopes during this public viewing outreach event.

Have you ever heard of a timberdoodle?

Happy International Bat Appreciation Day!

See the stars and explore our night sky with park rangers at this International Dark Sky Park!

Join us for a bird id and photography walk with Samuels Public Library.  We will meet at the Visitor Center to review bird identification and tips for photographing birds.

Want to help the Chesapeake Bay watershed and our planet this weekend before Earth Day?

Join a Ranger to conserve and protect Leesylvania State Park's natural resources.

Looking for a fun service project to celebrate Earth Day?  Help Park Rangers as we preserve the beauty of the Big Water Visitor Center.  We will be cleaning out flower beds, weeding the walkways, and planting native species.  Meet at the Big Water Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. Come prepared to get your hands dirty, bring gardening gloves and wear appropriate clothing.  All ages are welcome.

Join First Landing Rangers for an Earth Week shoreline cleanup at the Narrows Beach located at the 64th Street entrance.

Join a Ranger on a rugged trek across the terrain showcasing three of Grayson Highlands State Park's crown jewels!

The Friends of the Southwest Virginia Museum will host a community yard sale on Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can look forward to a diverse selection of unique items for sale!

Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.

Clinch River State Park will be an exhibitor at the Abingdon Earth Day Event in the town of Abingdon, Virginia.

Spring brings so many types of flowers and other flora that it sometimes seems like too many types to get to know.

Join us for a special collaborative planting event as Sweet Run partners with the Virginia Cooperative Extension and Woodgrove High School.

In the words of Woodsy Owl (1971), "Give a hoot; don't pollute!" Volunteer and help out the planet today.

Love your planet!

Join us in discovering the hidden wonders of these temporary seasonal wetlands.

Join us for the 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration!

Art in the Park programs explore connections between art and the natural world through a different hands-on project each month.  April's program is Paper Making!

Ready to see the forest wake up after winter? Join Master Naturalist Kim Manion for a short, guided hike focused on the fascinating world of spring tree identification.

Come and discover the majestic aerial hunters and their habitats.  Bald eagles, red shouldered and red tailed hawks make their home here year round.  Osprey return to the area to feed and breed.   We may find other birds of prey as well as we hike through the woods and into the marshes.

Discover how to identify common trees in our forest while uncovering the hidden strategies they use to compete for sunlight each spring.  As temperatures warm competition heats up for the most important thing in the forest - sunlight!

Like all wild animals, black bears are food motivated.

As habitat loss reshapes the world around us, the wildlife who have always called it home are facing mounting challenges.

Blink and you might miss them—spring’s wildflowers don’t stick around for long!

Gardens aren't just for show; they are also crucial habitats for pollinators, birds, insects, and small mammals.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

Join us for the planting of native tree seedlings from Virginia’s Department of Forestry.

Did you know that Westmoreland is one of the original State Parks in Virginia?

Calling all hikers, bikers, equestrians, and trail enthusiasts! Celebrate Earth Week at Lake Anna State Park by joining our Trail Survey Team. Volunteer Trail Surveyors will mark damaged signs, fallen trees, and other potential hazards on the Avenza free navigation app to help guide our maintenance projects for the upcoming season.   Volunteers will check in at the Visitor Center by 10:30AM.

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

Where do toads live?

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

Do you know what critters are crawling in your backyard?

Have you ever wondered how civilians experienced the Civil War?

Join us for our new series "Tales and Trails" with Samuels Public Library.

Celebrate Earth Day by discovering the magic of vernal pools!

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

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

Happy spring!

Our animal ambassadors Hisstopher and Harrold want to meet you!

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.

On the morning of April 6, 1865, Confederate General Robert E.

Step into the shoes of a 19th-century farmer and help care for our heritage breed chickens and goats!

Celebrate Earth Day by diving into the fascinating world of native fish.