Watch and learn about our ambassador animal, Reba the Corn Snake or Stevie the King Snake, as they feed on a frozen mouse! .

Learn about red-eared slider turtles as you watch them chow down on lunch!

Are there actually beavers in Beaver Lake?

This is a great way to enjoy the amenities of the park during the free parking day.

To celebrate National Public Lands Day, we're hosting a park-wide scavenger hunt!

All Day - Follow our blazes through any of our six trails or blaze your own trail on many of our lakeside scenic open areas this National Public Lands Day at Claytor Lake State Park.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by volunteering at your local state park!          Join rangers and other volunteers at Leesylvania State Park and help clean up our beaches and shoreline.

Grab your binoculars and get outside.  Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will lead these monthly hikes to discover and identify birds at Sweet Run State Park.   We will explore parts of this beautiful 900 acre preserve and see what lives in and visits its diverse habitats.

The Margaret Watson Bird Club will co-host a site cleanup and birding adventure with High Bridge Trail as we celebrate National Public Lands Day.

Come celebrate Powhatan State Park’s 10th Anniversary with a 10-mile run along scenic trails featuring the James River, open fields, and a historic cabin!

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

It's National Public Lands Day and we are looking for volunteers to help maintain the 9 miles of trails at Belle Isle State Park!

We are celebrating Bike Your Park Day with a Seek and Find Tour of Belle Isle State Park's over 9 miles of trails.

Leave your mark on the park!

On September 23rd, all of our Virginia State Parks will celebrate National Public Lands Day with all of the public lands across the country.

Staunton River State Park could use your help with sprucing up our pollinator flower beds.

Join thousands of other volunteers around the country on a project to improve public lands - this time at our Children's Discovery Area.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by helping to restore a legacy long since forgotten.

Come support our Public Lands in a beach clean-up event!

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single‐day volunteer effort for public lands and works to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

On the 30th Anniversary of National Public Lands Day, the staff of Fairy Stone State Park invite you to discover the land that will become the future Mayo River State Park. The park is located in southwestern Henry County near the Virginia-North Carolina border.

Experience Occoneechee State Park from a different perspective, as you paddle around the shoreline of Buggs Island Lake.

Join Volunteers at First Landing State Park for National Public Lands Day!

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity?

Get competitive while enjoying the beauty of Smith Mountain Lake!

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

Take into your heart the peace of wild things.

Get your hands dirty as we work to mitigate invasive species and improve the natural environment within the park's campground.

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

Join us in late September for the Grayson Highlands Fall Festival.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by participating in a guided hike which explores the history of the park including ways to get involved and discover the restoration process at the Timberneck House led by the Fairfield Foundation.

Douthat State Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the period of 1933-1936 to protect Virginia's natural resources and to provide a place for families to experience and enjoy those resources well into the future.

The Children's Garden Workshops are a great way to get your little one up, moving, creating and learning.

Help build a new trail on National Public Lands Day!

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by joining First Landing State Park Rangers over on the Eastern Shore at our sister park, Kiptopeke! From 10am to 2pm all are invited to participate in Kiptopeke State Park's Annual Outdoor Exploration Day. Outdoor Exploration Day is committed to providing opportunities for visitors to experience and learn about Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay.  Visitors will further their appreciation of these resources through education, hands-on demonstrations, and outdoor recreation.  This event is free, family-friendly and will feature wildlife exhibits, educational games and activities, arts & crafts, and so much more.

Come celebrate National Public Lands Day and the great Eastern Shore of Virginia with Kiptopeke State Park at our Outdoor Exploration Day on September 23rd from 10 am to 2 pm.  Outdoor Exploration Day is committed to providing opportunities for visitors to experience and learn about Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay.  Through education, hands-on demonstrations and outdoor recreation, visitors will further their appreciation of these resources.  This event is free, family friendly and will feature wildlife exhibits, educational games and activities, arts & crafts, and so much more.

Come check out our Trailgate which is like a tailgate for a football game, but this one's more nature-centric.

What a better way to celebrate National Public Lands Day than doing something for our public lands!  Volunteers can participate in an effort to remove invasive species from along our trails.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by learning ways to prepare your garden for the next season.

Grab a self-guided activity at the Visitor Center to explore the fascinating world above our heads.

National Public Lands Day is one of the nation's largest single-day volunteer activity.

Reduce, reuse, re-purpose, and recycle - in that order!  Explore the world of re-purposing "trash" into treasure by painting your own puzzle that depicts a native species or landmark in the park!  If you have any questions about this program, please email megan.goin@dcr.virginia.gov.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by learning how to identify and remove invasive plants so native species have a chance to thrive.

Take a closer look at what swims in the James River.

In celebration of National Public Lands Day, New River Trail State Park will be hosting a day of service identifying and pulling invasive species along our new Ivanhoe birding trail.

Frogs, turtles, and fish, oh my!  Explore the life that exists in the pond while learning about the abundance of animals that call this ecosystem home.  Join a park ranger and use nets to catch animals and learn how you can help protect these fascinating creatures.  For more information, please call the Visitor Center at (703)583-6904 or send an e-mail to leesylvaniavc@dcr.virginia.gov.

Play classic Hide-and-Seek with a modern twist!

Celebrate our public lands by exploring life where the rivers meet the sea.  We will have exhibits from various agencies and organizations highlighting this unique ecosystem.  Staff and volunteers will lead hiking and paddling excursions.  Self guided adventurers are also welcome to discover the beauty in the brackish water world. .

Our friends from the National Park Service will join us for Estuaries/National Public Lands Day with a special exhibit.  Discover the Powhatan Native way of life and their interactions with the English colonist impacted them.  NPS staff will also share about Chesapeake Bay ecology through the eyes of Captain John Smith and how things have changed.  .

Get your feet wet and explore life in the creek.

Celebrate National Public Land's Day by helping our rangers pick up trash around the picnic area!

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.

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.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by participating in a guided hike which explores the history of the park including ways to get involved and discover the restoration process at the Timberneck House led by the Fairfield Foundation.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands and works to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

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

Learn about the many invasive plant species that have found their way to our park as you assist rangers in their removal.

In honor of National Public Lands Day, Wilderness Road State Park will host a guided hike along the Pioneer Trail.

Autumn is here and the leaves will be changing.

Lend your valuable time, energy and creativity to the ongoing work on the grounds of the park.

Join us as Virginia State Parks celebrates National Environmental Education Foundation's National Public Lands Day.

In recognition of National Public Lands Day, we invite guests to join us at Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park on Saturday, September 23, as we explore local spider varieties and habitats with renowned spider expert Joe Lapp.

Experience Occoneechee State Park from a different perspective, as you paddle around the shoreline of Buggs Island Lake.

Have you ever experienced the satisfaction of shooting an arrow solidly into a target?

Have you ever wondered how snakes can swallow something as big as their own heads?

In celebration of National Public Lands Day, False Cape State Park will be hosting a beach clean-up. Join False Cape staff and volunteers in helping keep our beaches pristine by picking up shoreline debris.

Notice anything different?  As the seasons begin to change, we'll start to notice some signs of cooler weather from the flora and fauna that we see.

Meet local 'shellebrity' Ranger Myrtle, the Red-eared Slider turtle, as she suns herself in her enclosure behind the concession building.

Not all bees live in hives.

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.

Grab a trash bag and join us in cleaning up our trails to maintain a healthy environment for our local wildlife and our community on National Public Lands Day.

In our park's nature center, you can see many different native animals of Virginia. Join us on Saturday afternoon to observe these beautiful animals during their lunch time. From snakes to turtles to fish, you will be able to see all of these park animals devouring a meal. Park staff will provide information about the animals and will then show you what types of diets are best for them.

Come out and join us for three fun activities all Saturday evening. Staring with "Skins and Bones", where you'll get up close and personal with the some of the mammals that live in the park. Participants can touch pelts and bones and at the same time discover how they are adapted to various habitats of Virginia.

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.

Become more black bear wise and learn how to keep your picnic basket safe.

Which bird of prey are you?

Animals and plants come in all kinds of colors, but why the variety?

Did you know "creepy crawlies" are some of the world's most important recyclers?

The Shenandoah River is known for a lot of things from Native American tales to prized small mouth bass.

Just because we don’t always spot them, we know the animals are around by the tracks and traces they leave behind.

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

Evenings are a wonderful time in the park to be on the water.

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

Enjoy a peaceful evening canoe adventure at Leesylvania State Park on Powell's Creek!  View the majestic colors of a Northern Virginia summer sunset on this tranquil tributary of the Potomac River while catching glimpses of the nocturnal wildlife emerging for the evening.  No paddling experience is required; all participants must be of 6 years or older.

Have you ever wondered "What's That" when gazing at Cullers Overlook?  Well, wonder no more!

There is more to cooking than a fire and a pan.

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

Celebrate a successful day with free s'mores by the campfire followed by a search for the three species of owls commonly found in Claytor Lake State Park.

From a vantage point high above the Appomattox River's floodplain, visitors can explore the cosmos from High Bridge with our local Crewe Astronomy Club.

Does seeing a bat make you shiver or smile?

Ever wonder what kind of animals are out and about during the night? Our wetlands serve multiple purposes, but they are excellent hunting grounds for many of our nocturnal animals. We will show you how they use these skills with some hands-on activities. Wear some comfortable closed-toe shoes for this evening tour through our wetlands.

There are many educational opportunities to be had at Bear Creek Lake State Park.

Take a closer look at Bear Creek Lake.

The park offers one of the few 3D archery ranges in the Central Virginia region.

Bear Creek Lake State Park hosts many different bird species throughout the seasons, whether they choose to make their homes in the park or they are just stopping in for a visit. We invite anyone from beginners to full-fledged ornithologists and everyone in-between to discover various bird here at the park.

This year Claytor Lake State Park is celebrating 75 years of making memories. Take a hike back in time by visiting our tour points located at the same location as our collection of photos and videos from past years at Claytor Lake State Park and Claytor Lake.

Within the trail system lies the Troop 244 5K Cross Country Trail.

Kiptopeke State Park invites visitors ages 4+ to become a Junior Ranger.  By completing the Junior Ranger Booklet kids will take the Junior Ranger Pledge to preserve and protect our parks, and earn their Junior Ranger badge!

Ever wonder what that old motel sign is doing in the park, or why there are concrete ships off the fishing pier?

Help us keep our trails beautiful.