What is an eastern kingsnake?

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a bird?

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.

Enjoy a morning stroll around the Howe House grounds while discovering the history of this land and its inhabitants.

What is a  red-eared slider?

Who knew animals could be a work of art?

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations, and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own Staurolite crystal or "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for and the telling of the legend, we will travel to the site.

Come to Caledon State Park to expand your understanding of those that we call "cold-blooded." Reptiles and amphibians are often thought of as gross, slimy, or scary.

See the majestic osprey right behind our Visitor Center.  Discover their role in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and how we almost lost them.  The birds are building their nest and mating.  You may even see one or two feeding in the pine trees near the amphitheater.  Bring your own viewing equipment.

March is Women's History Month and we are celebrating!

What does fire mean to you?

The Bay View Trail is one of our most popular hiking options.

March 20th, 2022 marks the official first day of Spring!  Westmoreland State Park is home to many birds and Springtime is a wonderful time to birdwatch!

Learn some of the trade secrets of what it takes to create the perfect "Fairy Stone" that everyone is looking for.

Join a ranger for a children's version of the fairy stone hunt and workshop.

Did you know that our lakes are alive?

Join Operation Caterpillar Count!  Become a citizen scientist and assist researchers by collecting data on insects populating the trees and shrubs in the park.  Scientists use this data to determine when soft bodied insects such as caterpillars are available to birds feeding their newly hatched chicks.  Newly hatched birds cannot eat the hard bodies of insects like older birds can.  Knowing when the insects become available to the birds and when the baby birds are hatching help the scientists understand how climate change is affecting the availability of the food vs.

Enjoy a scenic, relaxing hike led by one of our rangers.

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

What some people call creepy crawlies are actually some of the most interesting and beneficial animals in our area.

Join a ranger as we look over Belmont Bay and learn about what makes Osprey master fishermen. You will be able to get an up-close look at an osprey nest and compare the raptor to other raptors that call Mason Neck home.

Watch for a roaming ranger with something interesting for show and tell.

Join a ranger this week to celebrate Women's History Month.

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

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

Friends, family, and fun can be found at our weekly ranger-led campfire.

Earth Hour is an annual event that allows people to come together in celebrating the planet while recognizing the human impact on the environment.

Come explore our International Dark Sky Park!

Discover how the Pocahontas State Park you've grown to know and love got its start as you travel back to the late 1930's to learn what was happening in Chesterfield County and the rest of the nation.

Stop by the visitor center to grab your Junior Ranger booklet and learn more about the park's wildlife and history.

Have you ever wondered why donkeys have such long ears or why pigs like to roll in the mud?

Bring your tail-wagging walking buddies that are itching to hit the trail with you!

In 1933, the country was in the grips of the Great Depression.

The visitor center is a place for you to grab a map, see native wildlife, and fill up on souvenirs and snacks before you hit the trails.

Not all-aquatic wildlife has fins or scales!

Migration is underway!

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

The Jones-Stewart Mansion is a stunning example of an antebellum plantation house built in 1854.

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic areas with interesting items from the park.

Do you know the difference between frogs and toads?

Join us this Women's History Month and express yourself through water color painting.  Each Sunday we will focus on a lady of the region who made an impact on the Commonwealth and nation.

Stroll through the park with a ranger to learn about the different features you can find here.

Make your own pine cone bird feeder and stick wind chimes in this outdoor craft activity.

Who was Elizabeth Hartwell?

The Spring 2022 installment of the Staunton River Star Party will again be sponsored by CHAOS (Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society) and hosted by Staunton River State Park.

Have you ever wanted to step up on stage?

Join park staff for a course on nature-related mobile apps used to identify and catalog various flora and fauna using the camera on your smartphone.

Learn about oysters and their importance as keystone species as you create a holiday ornament, keychain, or charm using a real oyster shell.

Join a park interpreter on an early morning hike to the Fairy Stone Dam and Spillway.

Witness the amphibian life cycle and see aquatic invertebrates up-close when you join us in this partnership program with our local Central Piedmont Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists.

Head out on a trail to see what springtime is bringing forth in the forest.

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations, and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own Staurolite crystal or "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for and the telling of the legend, we will travel to the site.

Learn some of the trade secrets of what it takes to create the perfect "Fairy Stone" that everyone is looking for.

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

A stroll through a woodland can have a calming influence on people, but in that forest neighborhood there’s a lot going on, silently.

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

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations, and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own Staurolite crystal or "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for and the telling of the legend, we will travel to the site.

Are you interested in volunteering at Virginia State Parks?

DID YOU KNOW THAT WE COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT TREES?

Become a railroad detective and explore the history and nature along New River Trail State Park.

The 3 Roads Brewing Company is promoting a weekly 5K run known as "Bridge to Brews".  Interested participants should arrive at the brewery on Thursdays at 6 p.m. The address of the start/finish line is 312 W.

April is a great month to enjoy spring ephemerals, the short-lived wildflowers that light up the forest floor before the leaves from the tree canopy above return.

One way to enjoy a cool Spring morning is by searching for colorful birds.

In it's 25th season, this annual quilt show exhibit honors both past and present quilters and features quilts, not only from the Museum's collection, but also from members of the community who display quilts from their own collections.

The visitor center is a place for you to grab a map, see native wildlife, and fill up on souvenirs and snacks before you hit the trails.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

Learn the legend behind the naturally occurring stone cross formations, and travel to the special location in the park to search for your own Staurolite crystal or "fairy stone." After a short presentation on what you will be looking for and the telling of the legend, we will travel to the site.

Have you ever wondered what it was like to use a bow and arrow to hunt game like ancient Native Americans?

The Jones-Stewart Mansion is a stunning example of an antebellum plantation house, built in 1854.

Rangers have to know a lot about different subjects including park history, wildlife, and plant species.

What's next?

Plop, plop, splash!

Crazed killer or misunderstood mammal?

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

Keep an eye out for the Roving Ranger that will be visiting the campgrounds and picnic area boat launch to show off some neat nature items and answer any questions you might have about the park.

Whoooo's ready to see or hear some owls?

Come join the fantastic storytellers of CHAOS (Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society) on the observation field to share the stories oft he stars.

Fire and smoke were used by Virginia’s First Peoples for clearing land, felling trees, hollowing out massive logs, and “s’more”!

Tour the Shot Tower that overlooks the beautiful New River and learn about the history and process of making lead shot.

Join us at the Historic Overton-Hillsman House for an exciting day of demonstrations as we bring history alive.

Been itching to go fishing?

Calling all kids 12 and younger to come fish for rainbow trout at Natural Bridge State Park.

Learn how you can bring nature to your own backyard.

As the weather warms to spring, travel the park's trails to explore what is in bloom with Shenandoah Chapter Virginia Master Naturalist Paul Guay.

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

Discover the ecological and economic importance of Virginia's favorite bivalve.  Oysters once existed in reefs so large that ships ran aground on them.  Today's harvest is 1% of what it was 100 years ago.  We will have interactive displays from organizations and businesses striving to increase their numbers.  The Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association, Virginia Institute of Marine Science and others will have displays about the work they do and information about this keystone creature of a healthy Chesapeake region.

Did you know that Chippokes was once at the bottom of the ocean? During that period abundant shells, teeth, and bones were covered in sediments to create the fossils we find today.

What is a  red-eared slider?

Step back in time to 1939, when Pocahontas State Park was known as the Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area and get a little creative as we recreate one of the most popular crafts of that time.

In 1933, the country was in the grips of the Great Depression.

The visitor center is a place for you to grab a map, see native wildlife, and fill up on souvenirs and snacks before you hit the trails.

Nature needs our help!

Enjoy Spring Break at Sky Meadows State Park!

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.

Enjoy a morning stroll around the Howe House grounds while discovering the history of this land and its inhabitants.

From eagles to owls, raptors are everywhere at Mason Neck State Park.

What animal inspired a popular children's game?

Follow your nose to the Log Cabin to see what tasty treats are cooking on the hearth. Watch as a Sky Meadows volunteer dons historic clothing and cooks delicious dishes using seasonal foods and 19th-century cooking methods.

The forge is fired up and the blacksmiths are hard at work in the Historic Area.

Discover how animals use tricks, like mimicry and camouflage to help them survive in the wild on a short, ranger-led hike.