Events in Virginia State Parks

Come meet and greet Ranger Myrtle (our Red-Eared Slider turtle), Ranger Scout (our Western Hognose snake), and Ranger Brutus (our Copperhead snake) to discover what makes these rangers so special to Twin Lakes State Park.  Parks are for everyone.

Westmoreland State Park is home to five different ambassador animals: Reba McEntire the corn snake, Stevie Nicks the king snake, and three red-eared sliders, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, and Earl Scruggs.

This archery session offers instruction for beginners and shooting time for the more experienced. It begins with a talk on archery equipment, technique, and safety.

Come awaken your senses and rediscover the magic of the outdoors.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Build your very own bug hotel to help provide a habitat for beneficial insects. Your creation will offer pollinators a special space where they can breed and grow!

Join costumed interpreters for a demonstration of historical cooking methods in the Jones-Stewart Mansion's original brick kitchen. .

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our rangers who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Virginians of the past often used their imagination and everyday objects for recreation.

Students K-12 in public, private, or homeschool are encouraged to participate in our Junior Duck Stamp Education series, where they will learn about native waterfowl, wetlands, and conservation, as well as the history of waterfowl hunting on the Widewater peninsula.

Practice casting a fishing pole, no hooks required!

Ever wonder what dolls of the 18th century frontier looked like or what they were made of?

Get your tweet on and win cool prizes.

Soar into the wide, wonderful world of birds as you progress toward your Girl Scouts Love State Parks badge!

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.

Our friends Hisstopher and Harrold planned a feast, and they want you to join.

Are all snakes venomous?

Curious about Virginia's native snakes?

Did you know that every year monarchs from the entire eastern half of the United States make a 2,000-mile migration to Mexico to over-winter?

Enjoy the Autumn days while also helping out your state parks! Check out some of Widewater's Autumn volunteer opportunities below.  Educational Volunteer Opportunities Federal Duck Stamp Class: September 19th, October 17th, & November 21st Natural Resource Management Japanese Silt Grass Removal: September 25th Beaver Dam Trail Maintenance: October 24th & November 21st Recreation & Special Events Volunteer Appreciation Event: October 3rd **Registration Required Trek n' Treat Trail - Decoration Setup: October 11th  - Decoration Takedown: November 1st Saturday, September 19th : Waterway Cleanups Summer Cleanup on the Aquia Creek Join this Stafford-based non-profit as they help keep Aquia Creek clean of trash and debris via kayaks in their Autumn cleanup at the park.

Meet Lake Anna State Park's animal ambassadors Flick, General Raphael, and Julia at the Visitor Center. Learn about the important roles Virginia reptiles play in the environment, snake safety tips, and what you can do to help protect wild reptiles.

Stop by our parks' pop-up interpretive program to learn about a variety of topics, from historical facts to life cycles of our park animals.

What does fire mean to you?

Whether you're fascinated or a little rattled, snakes are a vital part of healthy ecosystems, and they’re not as scary as they seem.

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

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

This year's autumnal equinox is on September 22.

Let's talk about the changing seasons, “falling” temperatures, and leaves.

 Come join Ranger Webb-Watkins for an orientation tour of the Battle of Cedar Mountain!

Feeding Frenzy at the Discovery Center is a chance to get up close with the park's ambassador animals as rangers guide you through a live feeding session.

Come out for a guided hike to the historic bridge and earthworks here at Staunton River Battlefield State Park.

Join our Park Rangers as they discuss the history, ecology, and culture of the Widewater peninsula.

Music in the Park, hosted by the Friends of Machicomoco State Park is back again!

Mark your calendars, music on the cliffs is back and we want you to join us for this amazing summer concert series overlooking the Potomac River! Music on the cliff is our parks outdoor concert series where you can unwind and experience great local music in a beautiful natural setting.  While you're here, enjoy a bite to eat from a local food truck. Don’t forget your lawn chair or blanket!  This event is brought to you by the Friends of Westmoreland State Park.

Ever wondered what stories Douthat State Park holds?

Capture the colors and shapes in the sky over the lake before the sun sets. You can choose between blank watercolor paper or pre-drawn coloring pages to release the inner artist within us all.

Come gather around the campfire and immerse yourself in a night of fun.

The Beach Bumz are a Baltimore Maryland, Orlando Florida based Beach Tribute Band.

Join us for an evening of nocturnal exploration as we take a deeper dive into the bats that call Natural Bridge State Park home.  Bats are amazing nocturnal fliers and Virginia is home to 17 different species!

As autumn arrives, it's time for a campfire gathering to celebrate how nature in the park will change with the seasons.

Join astronomy volunteers as they share the stories written in the night sky.

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

Step into the dark and join us for a fun and wild night walk into the secret world of spiders!

One of the best times to be on Hungry Mother Lake is in the early mornings when no one else is on the lake.

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

Have you ever wondered what lies under your feet?

Join us for a series of gentle outdoor experiences designed for women who want to reconnect with nature, themselves, and each other.

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

Calling all artists to find your muse at Caledon as you draw, paint, or photograph the world around you. A wagon ride will transport you to various scenic woods and beach locations throughout the park as you breathe art into the forest.

Want to know a secret?

Every autumn, the forests, orchards, and fields of Sweet Run provide a bounty of fruits and nuts that have sustained wildlife and people for generations.

Come watch our resident snakes enjoy their mealtime!

Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6 million plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea.

Greet the morning on the beach with a short 30-minute yoga flow that is gentle and perfect for beginners.

 Come join Ranger Webb-Watkins for an orientation tour of the Battle of Cedar Mountain!

How did soldiers sleep after a march?

Chippokes State Park welcomes visitors to accompany an interpretive guide on a very unique historical building tour experience to explore one of the oldest dwellings on property.

Stop by our parks' pop-up ranger program to learn about a variety of topics, from historical facts to life cycles of our park animals.

Join us for "Turtle Time" at Holliday Lake State Park and meet our beloved turtle, Ranger Harrold Holliday!

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 science beneath the surface at Karst in a Cup, where you'll learn how groundwater moves, how caves develop, and how karst landscapes shape out environment.

During the American Civil War, German-language newspapers played a powerful role in informing immigrant communities and shaping their views on the conflict.

Travel through time on this scavenger hunt.

Join us on a guided golf cart tour of High Bridge where we will learn about the bridge's history and the role it played in the American Civil War.

Westmoreland State Park is home to five different ambassador animals: Reba McEntire the corn snake, Stevie Nicks the king snake, and three red-eared sliders, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, and Earl Scruggs.

Stop by the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center and learn more about the people who lived on the Wilderness Road frontier.

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

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

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our rangers who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

In a way, Viginia's Black Bears are our neighbors so it could serv us best if we knew a little more about them.

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

Every autumn, the forests, orchards, and fields of Sweet Run provide a bounty of fruits and nuts that have sustained wildlife and people for generations.

The joy of nature journaling is not about being a perfect artist; it’s about curiosity and wonder, slowing down and taking a closer look at what is out there.

Salamander Meander invites you to explore Appalachian creeks in search of the region's unique salamander species.

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

Discover the timeless art of pine needle basket weaving and unlock your creativity with this hands-on workshop.

 Come join Ranger Webb-Watkins for an orientation tour of the Battle of Cedar Mountain!

Whoo wants to learn about owls?

Calling all homeschoolers to join the rangers at Pocahontas State Park for monthly programs on the third Monday of the month.

High Bridge has long stood at the crossroads of technology, war, and community life.

In nature, everything is connected.

In nature, everything is connected.

As the fabric of autumn unfolds, the weave of even the water is altered.

Ever wondered how dugout canoes were made during the Woodland period of Virginia?

Join a ranger for a guided hike along one of the fingers of Fairy Stone Lake that leads to an abandoned iron mine.

Rangers from Leesylvania State Park will take your little ones on a nature adventure with reading, games, and crafts.

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.

Often on a walk in the woods, we pass by the smaller wonders or fail to hear the language of leaves.

Do you know how to identify different trees?

Frogs, crawdads, and children - oh my!

Ever wondered how dugout canoes were made during the Woodland period of Virginia?

Are you age 60+ with an interest in spending time in nature?

Have you ever wanted to identify the different birds in your yard or even start bird watching as a hobby?  If so, this program is for you.  We'll go over the basics of finding and identifying birds, the basic equipment you might need, as well as some tips to help you make the most of your birding adventures!

How did people and animals prepare for the colder months before grocery stores and refrigerators?

What swims in the shallows of the Chesapeake Bay?

In nature, everything is connected.

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.

In nature, everything is connected.

"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.  Various items, including a beaver skull, pelt, and examples of wood cuttings, will be displayed.  .

Why is Virginia's Eastern Shore one of the best hot spots for birdwatching in the whole Western Hemisphere?