Events in Virginia State Parks

Have you ever wanted to give archery a try?

Foraging can foster a special connection with the surrounding community of plants, fungi, and fellow humans.

Bring your four legged best friend for a ranger lead walk in the park and have your pup be certified as an official York River State Park B.A.R.K.

Can you tell the difference between an elk and a deer?

Nature Journals are great way to practice intentional observation of your surroundings.

Ever wondered what a skunk’s fur feels like, or how big a bobcat’s skull really is?

Join a ranger to learn about a few of the cool, crawly creatures you may see around Belle Isle State Park and make your own dirt treat to eat.

This ranger-led walk will explore how the park's woodlands and waters prepare for winter.

Join us for an archery contest and disc golf contest! This event is a part of our Turkey Trot 5K, and we’d love for the public to join us as well.

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

So you wanna be a BARK Ranger?

Join us for a nature walk along Lakeshore Trail where we hope to observe the majestic bald eagles frequently spotted around Holliday Lake.

Help feed our feathered friends as the weather cools down!

Complete a turtlely awesome craft and learn about reptiles you could see around Hayfields State Park!

Learn how to D.I.Y a hiking stick to use on your next adventure!

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.

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

Come out for a self-guided, nature-themed Fall Scavenger Hunt!

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.

Come make your own unique, nature-themed keepsake at our come-and-go craft station in the Big Water Visitor Center!

Are you an expert angler or looking to pick up a couple fishing tips?

Join a ranger on a guided hike to learn more about different birds, plants, and ecosystems found in the park.

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

Join Ranger Webb-Watkins on an in-depth exploration of the Battle of Cedar Mountain.

Experience the sights and sounds of the park at sunset with a leisurely guided hike beginning at 4:30 p.m. from the main parking lot.

Before furnaces, refrigerators, and grocery stores, winter preparation was essential for survival.

Through trail, stone, and timber, the CCC carved a legacy that still shapes Douthat today.

As dusk settles over one of the Civil War's most hallowed battlefields, join us for an evening of remembrance during Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park's 18th Annual Veterans Day Luminary Commemoration.

Join us at James River State Park for an unforgettable celebration of the cosmos!

 Christmas on Poplar Hill The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to announce Christmas on Poplar Hill, a celebration of the opening of the 31st Annual Festival of Trees.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park will host its 31st Annual Festival of Trees from November 14 to December 31.

Make s'mores and learn about our galaxy.

Celebrate the beauty of fall by creating your own nature-inspired bookmark!

Take a guided walk with a ranger alongside golden meadow and autumn forest to find out who is out and about!

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.

Celebrate National Family Literacy Month with our Trail Tale series through the month of November.

Come watch our resident snakes enjoy their mealtime!

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

Enjoy a pack walk with other pups as you and your canine companion have a dog gone good time becoming a B.A.R.K.

Before furnaces, refrigerators, and grocery stores, winter preparation was essential for survival.

Humans aren't the only ones who build amazing structures.  Insects, birds, and mammals are among the many animals who create complex homes for themselves.  Let's take a look into the world of these master builders of the animal kingdom.

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.

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.

Explore the Chesapeake Bay through the animals that live in it!

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.

Learn the essentials of basic target archery, a skill that, thanks to artifacts found at the park, we know humans have been practicing here for thousands of years.

Westmoreland State Park is home to 5 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.

Discover the mysterious world of mushrooms and other fungi.  The journey begins with a presentation in the Visitor Center and includes a walk through the woods to identify the common and extraordinary, the safe and the deadly!

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

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

Will you take up the bow and try your hand at the sport of archery?

Who was Elizabeth Hartwell?

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

Join Ranger Webb-Watkins on an in-depth exploration of the Battle of Cedar Mountain.

BYOB "Bring your own Binoculars" and join an Interpretive Ranger on this adult only program for some quiet, laid-back birding around Old Pond Trail and Campground Walkway.

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

From farm to table, the food we eat has a story.

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.

From farm to table, the food we eat has a story.

All are welcome at the Friends of Sailor's Creek Battlefield volunteer support group during their monthly meeting as they focus on a variety of objectives designed to assist the park's mission in preserving the hallowed grounds of the last major battle of the American Civil War in Virginia on April 6, 1865.

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

Leaf your worries behind and tree-t yourself to a ranger-led hike that shows how trees are everything but still!

The Friends of Powhatan State Park is a group made up of citizen volunteers from Virginia’s Piedmont region who are passionate about supporting the park’s mission.

Help support the park you love.

The Friends of Powhatan State Park is a group made up of citizen volunteers from Virginia’s Piedmont region who are passionate about supporting the park’s mission.

How did families and forest animals prepare when colder days were on the way?

From farm to table, the food we eat has a story.

From farm to table, the food we eat has a story.

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

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

The Senior Ranger series is geared towards senior citizens who are interested in learning more about nature, outdoor skills, and history.

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

Learn what it means to B.A.R.K.

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.

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.

Enjoy a winter birding adventure to discover duck species and habitats.  In less than a mile we will look for waterfowl on a shallow pond, tidal creek, and the river.  Bald eagles are also frequently found in the area.

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!

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

Join us to hear about the impacts of fire, from the habitats it touches to how humans have learned to use it to our advantage throughout the ages.

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

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

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.

Participate in the annual Timberneck Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk Fundraiser, hosted by the Fairfield Foundation!  Register for the trot here!

Discover what makes First Landing’s iconic Bald Cypress so extraordinary.

Start your weekend with fresh air, beautiful scenery, camaraderie, and a feeling of accomplishment.

Our Park Rangers will be at Fossil Beach showcasing some of their favorite fossils and helping you find your own!

Take a walk through the geologic history of our Earth with a Virginia Master Naturalist.

Overlooking the New River, the Shot Tower was built in the 1800s to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.

Come discover the world of self-publishing!

Want to become a citizen scientist for the day?

Take a guided walk alongside Powhatan State Park's managed meadows to learn about the seasonal cycles of this vital habitat and collect seeds along the way!

How did African slavery begin in the Virginia Colony and did they seek freedom from their condition?  Did any European indentured servants and Native Americans resist their lot as well?  Walking with us you will discover stories of rebellious conspiracies and courageous runaways and how they overcame the challenging terrain of Tidewater Virginia to elude their oppressors. .

Can you track the ranger out on the trail?

Gobble, gobble!

Explore the park’s different ecosystems that provide habitats for an array of unique mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and birds.

Experience the bald eagle soaring wild and free over the Potomac River.

In this fun, hands-on program, children will explore how birds survive the cold winter months.