Events in Virginia State Parks

The Leonids meteor shower is an average meteor shower producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak.

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

Kick off your Thanksgiving morning with a refreshing, moderate 2-mile out-and-back hike to the beautiful Tye River Overlook! This guided hike follows a scenic forested trail with steady elevation gain, offering great views and a peaceful way to start the holiday.

Virginia State Parks license plate holders park for free on some of our national event days.

Virginia State Park license plate owners will receive free parking on the following dates, as well as special discounts and offers provided throughout the year.

Grab the leash and join us for a late-season B.A.R.K.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

Join us for hot chocolate and a hike across our forest and marshes to talk about how the park is changing for the winter.

Forgo the shopping and take a hike with a park ranger.

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

Why spend a delightful autumn day Black Friday shopping when instead you could spend some time savoring autumn air and counting your blessings? Stretch your legs by taking a walk with a ranger who will point out how the forest welcomes winter.

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

Bring your canine companion and join the B.A.R.K.

Start a new tradition the Friday after Thanksgiving and #OptOutside at 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.

Skip the lines and shop for shark teeth on the shoreline of the Potomac!

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.

Join us for a fun, nature focused, family crafting experience.

What bird lives most of its life on the ground, can fly as fast as a car, and was almost our national bird?

The holiday season is upon us, so stop at this event to decorate for winter or a special occasion using natural materials we will provide.

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 a ranger and explore the world of our bushy-tailed friends, from their fascinating life cycle to their clever winter behaviors.

Escape the Black Friday madness and head to the woods!

Celebrate National Native American Heritage Month by trying your hand at net making and learn more about the indigenous people that once used the park as seasonal fishing grounds.

Turn your found fossils into wearable art!

Slow down and take in the beauty of the James River and its vibrant landscapes!

Let us keep the kids entertained while the adults set up or take a break from setting up and stop by for a quick craft; discussion of Belle Isle's history; or a lesson on critters.

Join us for an extraordinary holiday experience at Wilderness Road State Park.

Join us at the Karlan Mansion for a magical and festive celebration of one of the season’s most treasured holidays.

To kick off this year's Christmas Lighting event the park will provide this one-day special offer to help those in need in our community.

Welcome to Fairy Stone State Park!

Grab your binoculars and get outside.

"As long as a live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing." -- John Muir Widewater State Park is pleased to offer Winter Birding Walks from November 2026 thru March 2027!  Join our experienced birder and volunteer, Lisa, on an exploration of our incredibly diverse park throughout the cooler months.

Join a ranger on a guided hike along the Blue Ridge Trail and discover what makes birding so fun!  This walk is open to all experience levels, covering the basics of binocular use and the foundations of bird identification.

Would you like to have the chance to explore the trails in Powhatan State Park and meet new people?

Come join us for Fairy Stone State Park's 5th Annual Holiday Market during small business Saturday.

This place, this land, is as old as time itself.

Enjoy the beauty of York River State Park, while having the opportunity to take pictures along the way.

Does your pup have what it takes to be a B.A.R.K.

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

Become an owl pellet detective as we dissect the clues an owl leaves behind.

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

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.

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

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 an extraordinary holiday experience at Wilderness Road State Park.

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

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

Sit by a cozy campfire and travel back in time to the 1930s.

Turn trash into treasure at Caledon!

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.

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

George Armstrong Custer is often remembered for the battle that ended his life, but eleven years earlier he played a very different role in the closing days of the Civil War.

Past and present, friends and families have enjoyed getting together for some friendly competition.

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.

Create, connect, and celebrate the season!

What do you think of when you hear term wildlife?

Have fun weaving your own handy and fashionable paracord survival bracelet! A ranger will guide you through the process and by the end of the program you'll have your own bracelet to take home.  One of the main reasons people wear paracord bracelets is their usefulness in emergency situations.

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

Join Pocahontas State Park staff and volunteers in creating seasonal cheer.

Join us for daytime, ranger-led campfire with S'mores!

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

As cold winds and long shadows settle over Powell’s Valley, step back in time and join the inhabitants of Joseph Martin’s Station at the Pig and Panther Tavern for an evening of glad tidings and good cheer.

Join us at the Karlan Mansion for a magical and festive celebration of one of the season’s most treasured holidays.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to present special night viewings of the 31st Annual Festival of Trees.

 As you ride down on the chairlift and make your way to the tunnel, you will be surrounded by thousands of Christmas lights and see animated Christmas displays.

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

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!

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

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.

Joining a park ranger for a fun reading adventure!

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.

Have you ever wanted to shoot an arrow with the precision and grace of Robin Hood or Catniss Everdeen?

Join us for a fun, nature focused, family crafting experience.

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

Join us at the Karlan Mansion for a magical and festive celebration of one of the season’s most treasured holidays.

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.

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.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

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!