Events in Virginia State Parks

Slither, crawl, and shellabrate with us as we dive into the wild world of reptiles.

You never know what critters you will see around Belle Isle, there's dozens to pick from. Join a ranger and learn about the critters we see and don't see and make a craft to take home and share with friends and family.

Join us for a Ranger-led visit to the Historic Homestead at Grayson Highlands State Park.

Can you track the ranger out on the trail?

Have we sparked your interest?

Join us at the amphitheater for a warm welcome, camping tips, and marshmallow roasting at our weekly welcome campfire!  Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. .

Try your hand at reeling in some fun with Backyard Bass, an interactive casting game designed for visitors of all ages.

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

No matter where we go, tiny wonders can be found all around us.

As the sun begins to set and the wildlife start to come out of their hiding places, join the interpretive rangers for a relaxing and fun evening canoe drift on the lake.

End your week with a relaxing paddle along Swift Creek Lake.

Keep an eye out around the campgrounds for a ranger carrying a fascinating historical or natural item from the park.

Enjoy the beautiful park setting as you are entertained by some of our very own local musicians.

As the sun dips low and the night draws near, we humans usually turn in for the night, but this is showtime for bats!

Come join the party!

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

Happy World Lizard Day!

Welcome to Fairy Stone State Park!

Come for the s’mores, stay for the fun!

Watch the last traces of daylight strike the Blue Ridge Mountains on this haywagon ride.

Enjoy the summer sun while also helping out your state parks! Check out some of Widewater's Summer volunteer opportunities below.  Educational Volunteer Opportunities Astronomy Assistant: July 17th & August 14th Natural Resource Management - Rain Barrel Maintenance: July 11th - Mothing Monitor: July 20th & 24th - Japanese Stilt Grass Removal: August 15th, 22nd, & 29th Recreation & Special Events Kayak Tour Caboose - Rising Sun: July 19th - Full Moon: July 25th - Twilight: August 8th Saturday, July 25th : Waterway Cleanups Summer Cleanup on the Potomac River Join this Stafford-based non-profit as they help keep Potomac River clean of trash and debris via kayaks in their Summer cleanup at the park.

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

Join our rangers for a bit of fun around the campfire as we welcome you to the park. Don't worry, we'll bring the s'mores.

"The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson With the use of a Celestron telescope, view the astral bodies up close and learn about the history of the stars.

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

Come out to Grayson Highlands State Park for a magical night under the stars and witness the amazing Perseid Meteor Shower.

Take advantage of our remote location far from city lights to see brilliant night skies over the lake.

Are you ready to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city?

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to present the Hidden Histories of Southwest Virginia: Melungeon Heritage Bus Tour.

Ready to learn the ins and outs of stand up paddleboarding?

Ever tried to balance on a board in the water as you paddle down the lake?

Experience paddling on one of Virginia's most beautiful and historic waterways: the James River.

Join artist and park ranger in this hands-on workshop for all ages, where participants will paint and draw with botanical inks made from plants, pigments from different soils, and natural charcoal.

Enjoy the summer sun while also helping out your state parks! Check out some of Widewater's Summer volunteer opportunities below.  Educational Volunteer Opportunities Astronomy Assistant: July 17th & August 14th Natural Resource Management - Rain Barrel Maintenance: July 11th - Mothing Monitor: July 20th & 24th - Japanese Stilt Grass Removal: August 15th, 22nd, & 29th Recreation & Special Events Kayak Tour Caboose - Rising Sun: July 19th - Full Moon: July 25th - Twilight: August 8th Saturday, July 25th : Waterway Cleanups Summer Cleanup on the Potomac River Join this Stafford-based non-profit as they help keep Potomac River clean of trash and debris via kayaks in their Summer cleanup at the park.

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

Get down and dirty with this two-hour wild cave tour.

Summer heat can be challenging for both people and wildlife.

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

The blue crab is one of the most iconic species of the Chesapeake Bay.

Habitat loss has caused Monarch butterfly populations to reach dangerously low numbers, especially Migratory Monarchs.

Please join us for a very special afternoon with Carl “Gump” Blair and Gene Dunford.

Kayak the lower Potomac on a fossil finding adventure! Join a Ranger to learn about the fossils found at Caledon; we'll ride down to the beach and then paddle upriver in search of shark teeth and other clues to the past.  Paddlers must be age 16+ for a solo kayak and age 8+ (with an adult) for tandem kayak.

Come face to face with the good, the bad and the bizarre features of an earthworm!

Ever wondered what early inhabitant's lives were like in the Highlands?

What once served as a way to document what fish in the wild, has transformed into a new form of art!

Pick up a copy of the self-guided Twin Pinnacles Trail brochure at the Park Office or Visitor Center.

Have you ever wondered about the birds in your area?

Calling all budding detectives.

Use the power of the sun to capture the beauty of the park.

Come and explore a dynamic ecosystem that prevents erosion and brings life to the river.  The living shoreline between the rip-rap and water’s edge is attracting interesting estuarine and marine creatures and plants.  Discover them and how living shorelines enhance and protect our waterfronts.

Join costumed interpreters for a demonstration of historical cooking methods in the Jones-Stewart Mansion's original brick kitchen. .

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

Does your child love exciting stories and fun facts?

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

Practice casting a fishing pole, no hooks required!

What is North America's only native marsupial?

Join us for a relaxed, guided hike where we’ll explore the park with pen and paper in hand.

Discover the vital role butterflies play in our ecosystem and the remarkable journey they undertake from egg to winged adult.

Fast...

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

Virginia is home to a very smart, and often mischievous animal, Ursus americanus, or the American Black Bear.

Explore the remains of the Goodwin Gold Mine and learn how gold was discovered here by stepping in the stream, getting wet, and learning the techniques to pan for gold! This is a hands-on historical activity demonstration; everything found during panning must remain at the site except gold and pyrite.

Come create your own fire starter for your next camping adventure.

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!

Join us for a program that explores the often-overlooked psychological toll of the American Civil War.

What makes a bird a bird?

Hike along the riverbanks of the James River through the park's riparian forest to discover the fascinating history and wonders of the pawpaw tree.

Westmoreland State Park is home to 5 ambassador animals: Reba McEntire the Corn snake, Stevie Nicks the King snake, and three Red-Eared Sliders, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, and Earl Scruggs.

Ever wanted to learn how to crab?

Slime is survival.

Think you can stump a nature expert?

Mark your calendars and invite your friends for a great day of Jeeps, music, food, and community at the Tunnel Trek Jeep Cruise-In!  Presented by the Cultural Arts Council of the Cove Ridge Foundation, and Appalachian Krawlers.

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.

“What does the fox say?” Did you know that there are two different foxes found in Virginia, the red fox and the grey fox?

Build your very own bug hotel to help provide a habitat for beneficial insects. Your creation will offer pollinators a special space where they can breed and grow!

Join our park ranger for this fascinating workshop on owls and what they eat.

Join us for an in-depth look at the major generals who commanded on both sides during the Battles of Sailor’s Creek.

Join costumed interpreters for a demonstration of historical cooking methods in the Jones-Stewart Mansion's original brick kitchen. .

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.

It's feeding time in our Chesapeake Bay Lab!

Jump in and explore the underwater side of the Shenandoah River!

Travel through time on this scavenger hunt.

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

Have you ever wondered how snakes can swallow something as big as their own heads?

Help park rangers keep the park and the lake clean with this Litter Patrol.

Stop by the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center and learn more about the people who lived on the Wilderness Road frontier.

What lurks in the leaves below the surface?  Join us in searching for the many types of critters that call Long Pond home!

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.

Are all snakes venomous?

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic area and beaches with interesting animals or historical artifacts from the park.

Come say hello to Ranger Shelly, our red-eared slider and local shellebrity. Join us at the beach as she enjoys some sunshine and enrichment time.

Our friends Hisstopher and Harrold planned a feast, and they want you to join.

Come out to Chestnut Creek along the Cliffview Campground, get your feet wet, and explore life underwater!

Learn why they're called survival bracelets--and then make one yourself.

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

The Survival bracelet is the superhero utility belt of the outdoors.

Kiptopeke is full of beautiful sights to draw inspiration from. Breath taking sunsets on the bay, graceful migratory birds in flight, the swirling lines of seashells in the sand, and the pops of color from flowers in the fields can awaken the artist in all of us. Want to create your own masterpiece or capture a memory in your own impressionistic style?

What does fire mean to you?