Events in Virginia State Parks

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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

Join us at Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park for a unique look at one of the American Civil War's most unexpected stories.

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.

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

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.

Join us for a special night hike through False Cape State Park.

Watch the full moon rise over the Blue Ridge Mountains at this International Dark Sky Park!

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

Join us at Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park for a unique look at one of the American Civil War's most unexpected stories.

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.

The Friends of York River State Park is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to support the mission of the park: We champion the unique natural, historical, and cultural resources of York River State Park's estuarine environment.

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.

Have you ever wondered why this park has two lakes?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

What do you think of when you hear term wildlife?

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.

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

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

Joining a park ranger for a fun reading adventure!

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

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

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

Get ready for a holiday race with a twist!

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

Explore the rich natural history of trees guided by a Virginia Master Naturalist.

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

Join us at the Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park Visitor Center on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday December 6th at 1:00 p.m. for a compelling presentation on the pivotal presidential election of 1864.

Experience Sky Meadows, an International Dark-Sky Park, at this monthly astronomical celebration!

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

"Wisdom from the Wild" is a monthly series that will lead you on wonder-filled journey to recovering your sense of belonging and finding your truest self, rooted in the rhythms and raptures of nature.

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

Do you have a passion for nature, environmental education, and wish to make a difference?

The Geminids meteor shower is considered by many to be the best of the year, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

Come join the monthly meeting of the Widewater State Park Friend's Group!

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

Take a Walk on the Wild Side with this monthly series of true nature walks!

Watch the biggest meteor shower of the year with our park rangers at this International Dark Sky Park.

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

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

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.

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

Join the rangers to give back a bit of your time and help maintain the beauty of York River.

During the Festival of Trees, local organizations are asked to decorate a holiday tree to represent themselves in the community.

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

Parents, you spoke, and we listened!  We're excited to introduce our first toddler series: Little Wanderers.

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

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.

Visit James River for a chance to view one of the richest meteor showers of the year!

During the Festival of Trees, local organizations are asked to decorate a holiday tree to represent themselves in the community.

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

"A small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can indeed change the world." - Margaret Meade, Anthropologist Do you have a passion for teaching and being outdoors?

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

This December, homeschoolers will learn about forces of nature.

The Ursids meteor shower is a minor meteor shower producing 5-10 meteors per hour at its peak.

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

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

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

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.

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

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

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

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.

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

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.

Please Note: This is an entirely indoor astronomy program Join Kim Kenny of the Crewe Observatory as he takes you back in time to Bethlehem to see the night sky as it was during Jesus' lifetime. Using the Holy Bible, computers and cutting-edge astronomy software, you will experience in two hours what the Wise Men saw and the signs in the sky from Jesus' birth to his crucifixion.

Please Note: This is an entirely indoor astronomy program.

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

Experience Natural Bridge State Park like never before, with festive lighting and roaring fires; the park is awash in the holiday spirit this December.