A beloved holiday tradition, the Festival of Trees celebrates its 29th year.

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

Craft a keepsake for the upcoming holiday season.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

Ready, set, crawl, to join General Raphael, our non-releasable rescue eastern box turtle, as we explore more about her and the animal friends she shares her habitat with.

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'.

Come to Widewater and help our Rangers fill our windows with Holiday cheer!

Join us for a fun, hands-on workshop where you'll craft your own adorable pinecone gnomes while discovering the importance of pollinator gardens!

Winter is here and many animals have entered hibernation.  What is hibernation?  Join a ranger for a story about this amazing adaptation, and create your own cozy bear cave to take home.

Join the Rangers on a walk down the beach to find all kinds of interesting wildlife and beach artifacts that wash up on our shores!

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

Learn some of the trade secrets of what it takes to create the perfect 'fairy stone' that everyone is looking for.

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.

Invaders are taking over Fairy Stone State Park and your own backyard.

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).

The Staunton River Scavenger Hunt is a self-guided program that you can enjoy with family and friends.

Pick up the Staunton River State Park bird identification list in the Visitor Center for this self-guided program.

Pick up the Junior Ranger booklet at the Visitor Center to begin this self-guided program.

Pick up this Ranger Quest guide at the Visitor Center to begin this self-guided program.

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.

Take a hike back in time by visiting our tour points located at the same location as our collection of photos and videos from past years at Claytor Lake State Park and Claytor Lake.

Earn your junior ranger patch through a variety of programs and fun family activities.  Visit the park office, gift shop, or contact station for a copy of our junior ranger booklet, or you can download it from the link below.

Find out what it takes to be a ranger at Sky Meadows State Park.

A new discovery awaits your family with Sky Meadows' Discovery Backpacks.

Discover the different habitats Sky Meadows has to offer on our Kids in Park's TRACK Trail!

Stop by the Visitor Center and pick up a copy of a self-guided brochure on the "22 Trees of Virginia Tour." This one-mile hike will take you on an adventure to awe-inspiring overlooks while identifying some of the common trees you may find in your backyard.

Experience geocaching at Sky Meadows State Park with three park-themed caches.

Contribute to citizen science by helping us create a time lapse of this mysterious site.

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

Request a ranger to give your family or group a chance to engage in activities not otherwise available in our park.

We have some exciting self-guided activities launching this year; whether it's kayaking the New River, enjoying an audio tour, or becoming a Junior Ranger, there's something for everyone. Here is a list of what is available: Geocaching: This is a fun way to merge technology and outdoor exploration.

As you explore the Wilderness Road Blockhouse and the surrounding area, discover what makes this building so unique as well as what was commonly used on the frontier for survival during the 18th Century.

Enjoy a self-guided tour as you walk down to see the Natural Tunnel.

Put on your boots and take your class outdoors with our new teacher-led Outdoor Educator Backpack.

Biking is a wonderful activity to do here in the park.

Smith Mountain Lake is the perfect location for fishing.

Discover the secrets of the park through geocaching.

Schedule some fun at New River Trail State Park!

Forgo the fireworks and crowded festivities and accompany a ranger on this guided hike through the quiet woods with the moon and stars lighting the way.

The New Year's Eve Night Hike is full.

Belle Isle State Park has some great activities that you can do on your own schedule.

Belle Isle State Park is looking for the next generation of ranger, are you ready to give it a try?

Go on a hiking adventure with Track Trails!

While Americans traditionally ring in the New Year at midnight on New Year's Eve, other cultures welcome it with the first sunrise of New Year's Day. Join rangers for this unique experience, witnessing the sky transition from dark to light as a new day and a new year dawns. While on top of the Piedmont Overlook, we will have ample time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.

Greet the sun along Beaver Lake trail to start the new year off right.

Come join our Ranger on a sunrise hike through the Holly Marsh Trail! With sunrise at 7:30am over the Potomac River, the hike will begin at 7:00am sharp. Registration is required and you can register here.

Immerse yourself in the serene wooded landscape just after sunrise on New Year's Day, where the soft light filters through the trees and the sounds of nature come alive.

We are looking forward to starting off 2024 on the right foot with our series of First Day Hikes: December 31, 2024 New Year's Eve Night Hike (11 p.m. - 1 a.m.): Hike in the new year.

While jumping into the new year, join some guided hikes or take in the beauty of nature on your own.

Ring in the New Year with a self-guided hike at Kiptopeke. This scavenger hunt will take you all over the park and show you spots you never knew existed.  Copies of the Kiptopeke Scavenger Hunt will be available at the brochure holders at the contact station, park office and trail head.  You can also download and print it yourself.   .

Drop by the kiosk at the Spillway, pick up a special brochure, and get ready to get dirty with our seasonal scavenger hunt for kids.

Start a healthy New Year's resolution by taking up or resuming your state park hiking journey.

Start the new year with a photo scavenger hunt at Powhatan State Park.

Join us at Occoneechee State Park for a ranger-led First Day Hike.

Get your heart pumping in the New Year, on this ranger-led hike along Purchase Ridge.

Breathe in the New Year.

Download and print the interpretive trail guide to discover the hidden meanings behind the elements of the interpretive area as you guide yourself through the park.  We strive to make our programming and special event opportunities accessible and inclusive to all.

Start off the New Year with an invigorating winter hike in one of Virginia's most unique state parks.

Explore the hidden hamlet of Wash Woods and see the various coastal habitats of False Cape.

Here at Sailor's Creek Battlefield, greet the New Year at your own pace with a self-guided hike down any one of our trails.

Start off the New Year on the right, or left, foot.

Tundra Swans are known for their striking white plumage and long, graceful necks, making them a favorite among birdwatchers.

Step into the new year by joining Machicomoco's rangers on a hike through history at our interpretive area.

Join a ranger, enjoy Big Meadow Trail, and learn about the natural history of Westmoreland State Park.

Come on out to Chippokes State Park and discover what is left of a forgotten historic roadway on this ranger-led First Day Hike. Learn about historic transportation routes, the area's first inhabitants, speculation and myths of the road, and natural history.  This trail takes visitors from rolling farm fields into canopied woodlands, up and down inclines, and to a worthwhile scenic view of the beautiful salt marshes of Chippokes.  Parking is available at the Chipoax Trail Trailhead along Chippokes Farm Road.

Sweet Run’s 11 miles of hiking trails will be open for you to enjoy on your own or with us on one of our two naturalist-led hikes.

Have you ever wondered about the birds in your area?

Join our rangers on the first day of the New Year with some fun hikes or blaze your own trail.

What is the perfect sized walking stick for you?

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

Ring in the New Year with a guided hike led by Leesylvania State Park Rangers.  Guided Discovery Hike 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  - Lee's Woods Trail  Follow a Ranger on this guided hike to learn about the history and wildlife that make Leesylvania State Park unique.

Join us for our kick off to 2025 with one of two great hikes.  Take a two mile journey to our living shoreline with a grand view of the York River (the hike to the hill overlooking the shoreline is meant to be ability-inclusive and will have an all-terrain wheelchair available for reservation).  Or go on a four mile adventure to the Pamunkey Trail and gaze at the river from a secluded viewing platform.  Both hikes will begin at 10:00 am from the amphitheater.  .

Since hiking is a healthy activity and a great way to connect with nature, doing it more often is a perfect New Year's resolution.

Ring in the New Year by joining us on a ranger-led hike on the River Bank Trail. Is your New Year's resolution to get in better shape, spend more time with friends and family, or to be in nature more? This is the perfect opportunity to jump start those initiatives. The hike will be about two miles with a difficulty level of easy to moderate. We will have multiple opportunities to observe the Staunton River, Dan River, and the largest lake in Virginia: John H.

Grab your hiking boots and step into the rich history and vibrant landscapes of Sky Meadows State Park, once known as the Mount Bleak Farm.

Join the Ranger on Railroad Ford Trail for a leisurely 1.5 mile hike to start the year on the right foot! The terrain is generally flat with minimal elevation, but some areas have many roots.

Start the New Year off on a good foot with a ranger-led hike through winter woods, along banks of the James River, and by frosty golden meadows.

Start 2025 by joining park rangers for our annual First Day Hike. This year we will be admiring the Blue Ridge Mountains and beautiful panoramic views from Skyline Trail, which is a 1.6-mile, easy to moderate hike.

Whether you're a seasoned birding expert or a curious newbie, this hike is a great way to explore the park’s diverse habitats and spot some feathered friends along the way.

2025 is going to be a walk in the park!

Celebrate the New Year by going back in time to the historic village of Foster Falls.

You are welcome to hike on your own or join us for one of our four guided hikes throughout the day.

Welcome 2025!!

Bring the family and celebrate this New Year by adventuring out into the woods and on the Trail with a ranger. All tiny participants will be given helpful hands-on bug finding tools for investigating nature signs.    Let's try to use all of our senses to see, smell, touch, track and observe.

Our Little Tyke Hike, designed for families with children ages 6 and under (but suitable for all ages), is perfect for letting your little one(s) discover the park and the natural world in their own special way and at their own pace.

Join us in the New Year in exploring the future Mayo River State Park!

What better way to kick off the new year than a guided nature hike observing local wildlife.  Join Friends of Kiptopeke State Park for a guided nature hike.

Make a first-day keepsake!  Join us at the River Bend Discovery Center to make your first craft of the new year.

There is no better way to celebrate the new year than with a hike!

Head out into the woods and work on your navigation skills with the Central Virginia Orienteering Club.

Inhale a fresh new year breath while enjoying a ranger-led walk or one on your own.

As our modern-day fades, journey through the history of southwest Virginia on your first day hike.

Start your new year with constructive and invigorating action by joining us for a First Day Hike.

Start the new year of 2025 outdoors with a Virginia Master Naturalist and Chippokes Collaboration for First Day Hikes.  The Virginia Master Naturalist Historic Southside Chapter will be hosting a guided hike and workshop experience for all to attend and enjoy.  Spend time exploring and observing with Master Naturalists in the field.

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.

What can we see, hear, smell, and possibly touch?

Turn a new leaf this year by joining Machicomoco's rangers on a woodland hike.