Events in Virginia State Parks

Have you explored Virginia's newest state park and visited the Eagle's Rest Overlook?

Explore the marshes of Back Bay by kayak while observing birds and other wildlife.

Come sit in the shade and make your own unique, nature-themed keepsake!

Everyone loves a relaxing evening especially out on Hungry Mother Lake.

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

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

Enjoy a relaxing morning by taking a guided kayak paddle through the marshes of Back Bay.

Join us for a Kayak Paddle trip to fossil beach!

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

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.

Join us for a Kayak Paddle trip to fossil beach!

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

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is delighted to announce the 2026 fall semester of the WiseJAMS Music Program!

Our Friends Group is an organization of citizens who support our park's operations, events, and material needs through fund raising.

Ever wonder what goes on at night in a park?

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

Calling all homeschoolers!

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

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.

Come out of your shell and spend some time getting to know the Eastern Box Turtle.

Take a fascinating hike and discover the rich history of James River State Park, from ancient fossils to the American Civil War and beyond.

The York River was home to four manned lighthouses: Bells Rock, Pages Rock, Tue Marshes, and York Spit.

Come get hooked on fishing during Fall Free Fishing Day Weekend and learn everything you need to know to freshwater fish on your own with our fin-tastic fishing workshop! All you need to bring is yourself.

What swims in the shallows of the Chesapeake Bay?

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.

Come join us for a fun Birding Bingo.

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.

We would like to introduce you to “Boxer” the box turtle.

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.

Join us at the visitor center for a children's picture book reading and simple craft.

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

The library is coming to the park!

Join us for a fun kids’ painting session inspired by the beauty of fall!

Wildflowers and other native plants are still thriving into the fall season along Stock Creek.

Curious about Virginia's native snakes?

Looking to get hooked on a new hobby?

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.

Ever wondered what happened at Kiptopeke before it became a state park?

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

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

Slither and splash into the world of reptiles.

Nature provides colorful outdoor scenery during the Autumn months.

Join us for a relaxing evening of learning and marshmallow roasting.

Want to explore the New River Trail in a different light?

“The Moon and stars are not above us; they are within us." --John Muir Come join our rangers on an evening hike through the Holly Marsh Trail to view the Full Moon rising above the Potomac River!

Can't seem to get your campfire lit?

Slip on your closed-toe shoes and get ready to explore the creek.

First Landing State Park welcomes Joe Tennis - co-author of The Ghostly Tales of Haunted Coastal Virginia to the park for a special book signing event.

Explore an enchanting evening amidst the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains as the sun sets and the world transitions from day to night!

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.

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

Come take a walk with us to search for some of the park's most elusive night-time predators: owls! As we walk along under the quiet cover of darkness, we'll listen for their haunting voices as they cry out across the landscape.

'Whooo' will hear 'whooo' first?

Join us at the Community Fire Ring to relax, enjoy a roasted marshmallow, and get to know your camping neighbors.

Come join the party!

Have you ever seen or heard an actual owl call in the night?

The one and only mammal on the planet capable of true flight absolutely loves Hungry Mother.

Welcome to the park, kick off your stay with an unforgettable evening by the fire at the water's edge.

Campers are invited to join the Rangers for a free movie night, screened in our courtyard.

Step back in time as you explore the brand‑new interpretive trail at Green Pastures Recreation Area.

The Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour.

The Visitor Center at Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park offers a museum filled with treasured artifacts discovered over the years where the last major fight of the American Civil War in Virginia occurred on April 6, 1865.

Tours of the Hillsman House, a National Historic Landmark, are available to the public by request.

A Self-Guided Driving Tour of Sailor's Creek Battlefield is available to visitors year-round from sunrise to sunset.

Sailor's Creek Battlefield offers six, self-guided Hiking Trails with historic markers for the public to explore year round during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset).

Join us on a real or virtual hike through Claytor Lake State Park as we take a closer look at some of the beautiful native trees.

Did you know that Haven Howe was an early advocate for environmental reform in Virginia? Participate in person or virtually as we examine the fine craftsmanship of the Howe House and learn of its builder, inhabitants, and history.

Stop by the fishing area behind Howe House to check out our EnChroma color blind scenic viewer.

Contribute to citizen science by helping us create a time lapse of this mysterious site.

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

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.

Groups or individuals can adopt a section of a trail or a trail within our 7-mile park trail system.

Request a ranger to give your family or group a chance to get a more personalized experience at Claytor Lake State Park.

Earn your junior ranger patch through a variety of programs and fun family activities.  Visit the park office (the Howe House), gift shop, or contact station for a copy of our junior ranger booklet, or you can download it from the link below.

Nothing beats a ranger-led program in one of our parks.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, Douthat State Park is a great place to bring your group for a day of hands-on, outdoor learning.

Be you a teacher, camp counselor, homeschool instructor, or troop leader, you are invited to schedule your group's next field trip or educational program with Widewater State Park!

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

No matter your role—teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or beyond—we invite you to plan your group’s next field trip to Twin Lakes State Park.

Looking for hands-on, memorable outdoor learning?

Wake up, lace up, and head outside with the Friends of Seven Bends State Park Walker's Club!  Join the group every Monday and Friday at 7:50 a.m. on a morning hike to enjoy cool air, quiet trails, and amazing views.

Whether you are a teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, we are inviting you to plan your groups' next field trip to Fairy Stone State Park.

Earn your Junior Ranger badge at Sky Meadows State Park!

Introduced by the National Parks, B.A.R.K.

Enjoy a self-guided tour as you walk down to see the Natural Tunnel.

As you explore the Wilderness Road Blockhouse and the surrounding area, discover what makes this building so unique as well as what was commonly used on the frontier for survival during the 18th Century.

Stop by the Visitor Center and pick up a copy of a self-guided brochure on the “Common Trees of Virginia”.

Introduced by the National Parks, B.A.R.K.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool instructor, club sponsor, or anything in between, Leesylvania State Park is a great place to bring your group for hands-on, outdoor learning.

Belle Isle State Park is looking for the next generation of ranger, are you ready to give it a try?

Belle Isle State Park has some great activities that you can do on your own schedule.

At one time, the New River marked the westernmost edge of the backcountry frontier.

Stop by Hungry Mother's Discovery Center and ask the front desk rangers about our Park Packs.

Make your park visit even more exciting by stopping by the Visitor Center to pick up an Adventure Pack!

Ready for a modern-day treasure hunt?

Stop by the Visitor Center for a list of items to find.

Did you know that James River State Park is an International Dark Sky Park?

Become a Junior Ranger today and earn your Official Junior Ranger Badge!

Come meet our turtle and snake animal ambassadors and explore the museum to learn about the history of the James River and the wildlife that calls this park home through interactive displays and taxidermy exhibits.

The park has over 12 miles of beautiful hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to moderate.