Events in Virginia State Parks

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

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.

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

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears at our ranger-led program. Learn about their characteristics, habits, how to avoid conflicts, and much more.

Slither and splash into the world of reptiles.

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

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

Step into the quiet, mysterious woods of Douthat State Park after dark for an unforgettable experience.

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

Join a ranger to learn about science, history, and nature at Leesylvania 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.

Discover the art of journaling in the wild with a ranger.

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!

Did you know your shoes leave more than tracks behind?

Come one, come all, for a spooky hike this Fall!

Trees have magical qualities that provide us with many important everyday items, as well as a large portion of the oxygen we breathe.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

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

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

Take in the crisp air and the brilliant colors of autumn as we stroll along Douthat’s scenic lakefront.

Expand your survival skills by learning how to build a fire!

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

Ever wondered how you stack up against some of the largest birds in the sky?

Can you match the skull to its pelt?

Join us for a night of 'bat-tastic' fun at Twin Lakes State Park!

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

This October, spirits from the past will guide you along the trail to the Natural Bridge, lit only by lantern light.

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.

Join us for a lantern-lit walk through the historic town of Fries, VA.

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

Salamanders are on the move at Fairy Stone State Park!

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

This October, spirits from the past will guide you along the trail to the Natural Bridge, lit only by lantern light.

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

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

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

Get the blood pumping on this interactive guided hike with a ranger.

Enjoy a pleasant wagon ride through the park as we look for signs of fall. Relax in the splendor of the woods as migrations commence and leaves begin to change.

We extend our invitation to attend the Chippokes State Park 13th Annual Harvest Festival sponsored by the Friends of Chippokes (FOC).

Did you know Westmoreland State Park has a beach where you can find fossils?

Come meet an adorable, tiny Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis), the newest animal ambassador to join the wildlife rehab team at Bat Conservation & Rescue of Virginia.

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

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners from decades gone by.

Experience the magic of autumn with the Fall Foliage Festival at Sky Meadows State Park!

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!

Trees are life-givers and inspiration for many art forms.

Come celebrate national bird day with this fun Birding Bingo.

Come one, come all, for a spooky hike this Fall!

Explore the history of the Occoneechee Plantation on this one-mile guided hike around the Plantation Trail.

Black bears are one of the many incredible mammals that dwell in Douthat 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.

Step into the shoes of a 19th-century farmer and help care for our heritage breed chickens and goats!

Chomp chomp!

Join First Landing State Park on Saturday, October 17th from 1-5pm for our annual Fall Festival.

Join us at the Visitor Center as the Virginia Museum of Natural History's scientists will be presenting a selection of live reptiles from their collection.  Be part of the iNaturalist BioBlitz at Fairy Stone State Park, where students, park rangers, scientists, and community members unite to explore and identify as many species as possible.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, or is that a bat?

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.

Happy fall, y'all!

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

Join a ranger in making your very own shark tooth earrings or necklace!

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.

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

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 find us in the museum at the Visitor Center as we get hands on with skulls and furs from Virginia’s native animals.

Blacksmithing was an essential craft that was in high demand during the building of permanent settlements in the 1700-1800s.

Step into the hidden world of fungi on this guided hike with a park ranger.

Leaf peep in style on a wagon ride with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains during the fall color change.

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.

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

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

The leaves are changing, and the nights are growing cold, it's the perfect time for a hayride!

With warmer wetter weather comes a bounty of fungi!

You are invited to join us around the campfire in listening to and/or sharing stories about personally meaningful nature encounters or relationships.

Join a ranger around the fire at Douthat State Park, gathering inside a historic CCC-built shelter for an evening of reflection, storytelling, and warm apple crisp.

ZOSO The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience returns once again to rock the Heritage Amphitheater.

'Whoooo' goes there?

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

Join astronomers from the Richmond Astronomical Society for a night of awe and wonder.

Join us for a lantern-lit walk through the historic village of Foster Falls.

Step into the hidden world of nocturnal insects as Fairy Stone State Park comes alive after dark.

Whoooooo wants to go on a spooky after-dark adventure to search for owls on the trails?

James River State Park is a designated International Dark Sky park.

The Shorefire 25K and 10K races take runners on a scenic tour linking the Smith Mountain Lake State Park trail system.

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

After the iron industry moved away from the area, residents of Fayerdale went from mining to 'shining.

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

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

It's National Opossum Awareness Day!

Enjoy the stunning views of the awe-inspiring mountains as the leaves begin to change from a deep green to vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues.

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

Experience the magic of autumn with the Fall Foliage Festival at Sky Meadows 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.

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.

Learn how Mother Nature can both inspire and help you create your next masterpiece.

Dive into an ancient craft with a ranger, known as Gyotaku fish printing.

Take a walk on the spooky side as a park ranger leads you in search of hidden dangers...from deadly mushrooms, to toxic berries, to poisonous leaves!  Participants will discover nature's darker side from a healthy distance, learning how to identify foes when foraging for friends.

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.

Be part of the iNaturalist BioBlitz at Fairy Stone State Park, where students, park rangers, scientists, and community members unite to explore and identify as many species as possible.