Open fires are prohibited throughout the park from midnight to 4 p.m., Feb. 15 through April 30. Learn more.
Earth Day Events
In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, Virginia State Parks offers a range of special events and activities highlighting the importance of conservation and sustainability. Visitors are invited to participate in educational programs, guided nature walks, wildlife observation, tree plantings and service projects to help preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the state’s 44 parks. The theme for Earth Day 2026 is “Planet vs. Plastics," which focuses on reducing plastic production and consumption to address its harmful health and environmental effects.
April 17, 2026 8:00 a.m. - April 26, 2026 4:00 p.m.
First Landing State Park
Come celebrate our planet with First Landing Rangers during Earth Week!
April 24, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
False Cape State Park
Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.
April 24, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Pocahontas State Park
Celebrate Earth Week by giving back to your park and making a positive impact on the environment!
April 24, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Sky Meadows State Park
Celebrate Earth Week and Arbor Day with staff from The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) in partnership with Sky Meadows State Park Rangers for an unforgettable hike to the Piedmont Memorial Overlook.
April 24, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Twin Lakes State Park
Take care of your mother Earth by joining the more than one billion people worldwide who celebrate Earth Day annually.
April 24, 2026. 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fairy Stone State Park
Trees have magical qualities that provide us with many important everyday items, as well as a large portion of the oxygen we breathe.
April 24, 2026 3:00 p.m. - April 25, 2026 8:00 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
Help us celebrate our planet with some special Earth Day programs: Friday, April 24: 3 p.m. - Tree Identification Hike @ the Howe House Join us for a scenic hike around the historical Howe House and learn how to identify some of our native trees.
April 24, 2026. 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
Come celebrate Arbor Day with us! Join our rangers for a scenic hike from the Howe House to the beach as we learn how to identify some of our common native trees using our handheld identification sheets.
April 24, 2026. 7:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
'Whooo' will hear 'whooo' first?
April 24, 2026. 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Hungry Mother State Park
Whooooo’s calling in the night!?
April 25, 2026. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Hungry Mother State Park
Take a chance, step outside and discover your local "flew" crew.
April 25, 2026. 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
High Bridge Trail State Park
In a partnership program with High Bridge Trail, the Margaret Watson Bird Club will have volunteers available to share their knowledge during this birding adventure.
April 25, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Powhatan State Park
On this special edition of "Ranger-led Hikes", we will celebrate Earth Week as we hike through areas of the park that show signs of human impact.
April 25, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
False Cape State Park
Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.
April 25, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Pocahontas State Park
Celebrate Earth Week by giving back to your park and making a positive impact on the environment!
April 25, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Culpeper Battlefields State Park
Still on the fence about volunteering?
April 25, 2026. 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Caledon State Park
Give back to our beautiful planet and create art at Caledon State Park as part of our annual Earth Week celebration.
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Wilderness Road State Park
Celebrate Earth Day with Wilderness Road State Park and create a personalized micro environment.
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
New River Trail State Park
Join us for a Ranger-led Nature Search to celebrate Earth Week!
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sky Meadows State Park
Celebrate Earth Day by giving back to beautiful Sky Meadows State Park!
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Southwest Virginia Museum
The Dogwood Garden Club of Big Stone Gap, Va., will host “Bee” Power for Our Planet Exhibit in observance for Earth Week.
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
James River State Park
Celebrate Earth Day in a big way at James River State Park!
April 25, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
James River State Park
Discover the hidden world of James River State Park’s grasslands, and the beauty of its riverfront, on a special Earth Day guided hike.
April 25, 2026. 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Westmoreland State Park
Leaf your worries behind and tree-t yourself to a ranger-led hike that shows how trees are everything but still! We will be hiking ~0.5 miles down an accessible paved trail to Rock Spring Pond.
April 25, 2026. 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Lake Anna State Park
Calling all hikers, bikers, equestrians, and trail enthusiasts! Celebrate Earth Week at Lake Anna State Park by joining our Trail Survey Team. Volunteer Trail Surveyors will mark damaged signs, fallen trees, and other potential hazards on the Avenza free navigation app to help guide our maintenance projects for the upcoming season. Volunteers will check in at the Visitor Center by 10:30AM.
April 25, 2026. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Hungry Mother State Park
Have some old hiking, camping, fishing, or any other kinds of outdoorsy gear that you no longer need?
April 25, 2026. 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Twin Lakes State Park
Did you know Twin Lakes State Park is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
April 25, 2026. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Mason Neck State Park
Join us in celebrating Earth Day with a special outdoor story time featuring the beloved book The Lorax by Dr.
April 25, 2026. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Raymond R. "Andy" Guest, Jr. Shenandoah River State Park
Meet two of our wildlife ambassadors, Henry and Sam, during Turtle Time!
April 25, 2026. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Douthat State Park
Celebrate Earth Day by discovering the magic of vernal pools!
April 25, 2026. 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Holliday Lake State Park
Join us in an Earth Week discussion while making earth crafts. We will gather at the Campfire Circle to express our creativity and our care for the earth. We would love to have you join us, even if you don't want to make a craft.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Douthat State Park
Celebrate Earth Day by diving into the fascinating world of native fish.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
York River State 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.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Southwest Virginia Museum
Come join the fun.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Smith Mountain Lake State Park
We only have one planet, and it is up to all of us to help care for it, for ourselves as well as future generations.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Chippokes State Park
Observe and capture the natural world of Chippokes State Park with writing and drawing in this introductory session.
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Powhatan State Park
Join a park ranger and your fellow earth-lovers in removing Japanese honeysuckle vine which will be used for future basket-weaving programs!
April 25, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
James River State Park
Discover the hidden world of James River State Park’s grasslands, and the beauty of its riverfront, on a special Earth Day guided hike.
April 25, 2026. 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
Join the rangers for a fun tree craft!
April 25, 2026. 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Hungry Mother State Park
Give trash a second chance.
April 25, 2026. 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Natural Tunnel State Park
Learn how Mother Nature can both inspire and help you create your next masterpiece.
April 25, 2026. 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
Learn about how pollution can spread in an aquatic environment and help us protect ourselves and our wildlife by cleaning up our shoreline.
April 25, 2026. 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Claytor Lake State Park
Can you match the skull to its pelt?
April 25, 2026. 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Natural Bridge State Park
Celebrate Earth week by getting close up with frogs and toads under the Natural Bridge during the Illumination. Late spring is the perfect time to check the creek for frogs and toads, and as evening falls they are more common on the trail.
April 26, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
False Cape State Park
Celebrate Earth Week 2026 at False Cape State Park all week long by supporting healthy and happy beaches.
April 26, 2026. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Pocahontas State Park
Celebrate Earth Week by giving back to your park and making a positive impact on the environment!
April 26, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Hungry Mother State Park
Stop being another brick in the wall and make one instead.
April 26, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Powhatan State Park
During Earth Week, you are invited to see, smell, and taste the many ways the earth nourishes and provides for us! Foraging can foster a special connection with the land as well as with fellow foragers.
April 26, 2026. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fairy Stone State Park
National Audubon Day is celebrated annually on April 26th to honor the birthday of renowned ornithologist, naturalist, and painter John James Audubon.
April 26, 2026. 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Southwest Virginia Museum
The Dogwood Garden Club of Big Stone Gap, Va., will host “Bee” Power for Our Planet Exhibit in observance for Earth Week.
April 26, 2026. 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Occoneechee State Park
Help us keep our trails beautiful.
April 26, 2026. 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Fairy Stone State Park
Frogs, crawdads, and children - oh my!
April 26, 2026. 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Natural Tunnel State Park
Nature journaling is the intersection of art, science, and curiosity.
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