Join the Rangers to learn a new skill to help you survive in the wild.

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.

Explore what hiking is all about with a ranger.

If you're looking for an accessible introduction to naturalism for young children, Story Time with a Ranger is the program for you.  Stories about the life cycle of trees, the anatomy of bugs, and animal life on the river are all on the agenda for August.

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

Discover the art of journaling in the wild with a ranger.

Join a ranger to make your own corn husk doll and learn about their unique history! The corn husk doll has origins in Indigenous culture.

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

Play classic Hide-and-Seek with a modern twist!

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

Are you predator or prey?

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

Grab your binoculars and get outside.  Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy will lead these monthly hikes to discover and identify birds at Sweet Run State Park. We will explore parts of this beautiful 900 acre preserve and see what lives in and visits its diverse habitats.

Join the Friends of Westmoreland State Park for the 12th Annual 5K Walk/Run and Fun Run!  Sign Up Here:  Runner Sign Up Page Get your gobble wobble on at your leisure right before the holiday season begins or give it your best to potentially earn a trophy.

Winter Trams at False Cape State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge offer the unique opportunity to observe and experience the incredible migration of waterfowl.

Join professional outdoor instructor Tim MacWelch to learn about the remarkable seasonal wild edible and medicinal plants of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

This hike honors the shared history of African, European, and Native Americans who made their homes along the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and York Rivers.

We don't always see animals, but we know they're there.

This land-based, hook-free fishing game is a fun and safe way to learn how to cast, but even those who are fishing fanatics will enjoy trying to beat out the competition in this game of limited resources.

Watch our ecosystem change before your very eyes on this Ranger led program!

Join us as we learn more about the prehistoric history of Chippokes through fossils that can be found right on our beaches!

Come along on a guided trek down College Run Trail to the James River, where we'll find and identify prehistoric fossils!

The Visitor Center is home to two freshwater Red-Eared Slider turtles, Jennika and Venus, and it is time for them to eat.

Join us for a special celebration as we unveil Myrtle’s new home!

Ever had homemade peach or apple crisp cooked over a fire, in a Dutch Oven?

It's feeding time for two of our ambassador reptiles, Stevie the King Snake and Reba the Corn Snake, and we welcome you to attend this demonstration and learn about these snakes as they prepare to feed on a frozen mouse! .

Turkeys have had a lot of tall tales made about them, from feathers hiding the rainbow to meals that make you sleepy.

Join us for a special guided tour uncovering the untold histories of High Bridge Trail State Park, conducted aboard a stretch golf cart.

Discover how Virginia’s First Peoples made pinch pots.

Try your hand at net making and learn more about the Indigenous people that once used the park as seasonal fishing grounds.

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'.

Join us for this holiday activity with a sweet ending using global positioning system (GPS) technology.

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

Fall is the perfect time for a campfire.  Meet us at the campfire ring near the picnic shelter off Farmstead Loop Trail.   Bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on since there are no chairs at the campfire ring.

What is your favorite camping activity: roasting marshmallows, hiking a trail, staying up late and looking at the stars, using a flashlight, or sleeping in a tent? Tell the ranger why you think camping is so much fun, then explore camping life as you create some awesome crafts.

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.

Celebrate the winter season by making your own wreath, sipping hot cocoa, and warming up by a cozy fire.

With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods.  Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Let the beauty of the season inspire your creativity!

Come out of your shell and spend some time getting to know the Eastern Box Turtle.

First Landing is home to many creatures both large and small.

Ever wondered what you could do with what's under your feet?

How did a railroad give hope to a community and how does the creation of a park continue to offer that hope?

Westmoreland State Park invites you to learn about the different fossil types that you can find here along the shoreline, and why, as you create your very own shark tooth necklace keepsake.

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

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.

How much Douthat State Park history do you know?

When a tree falls in the forest, what happens next?

Virginia is home to a healthy population of black bears; do you know what to do if you encounter one?

Join our rangers as we hang out in the park after dark!

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to present “The Festival of Trees: An Evening Aglow” on November 23 and December 21 from 5-8 p.m. For these two evenings only, visitors will be offered an opportunity to view the museum in a different light.

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

Who-who-whooooo's calling?

This special introductory program is designed to provide an in depth look at the fossils that have been found along the Potomac River.  We will explore the world of fossils and the ones that occur here.

Happy National Family Literacy Month.

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

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.

Chippokes State Park welcomes visitors to accompany an interpretive guide on a very unique historical building tour experience to explore the oldest dwelling on the grounds.

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'.

Driftwood is nature's canvas!

Step back in time as we uncover the mysteries of those at rest in the park's historic cemetery.

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

Come out of your shell and spend some time getting to know the Eastern Box Turtle.

The big blue can hold many secrets and sometimes those secrets wash ashore! Join a Park Ranger as we wander the beach identifying shells, animals, and other treasures commonly found along the beach at False Cape. Expect to walk 2 miles round trip, partly over soft sand.

Can you hear the park talking?  There are many tales and tails throughout Sweet Run State Park.  Some are visual, some are tactile, most don’t use words, so how does the park share its stories?  Park Interpreters will help you discover the park through hands on activities, artifacts and even some stories.

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

Get ready to catch gold fever and mosey on over to join our interpretive rangers on a quest for this elusive mineral.

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

Foraging isn't just for animals, but for people too!

Bring your current project, plans or patterns, and work with others doing the same.  If you don’t have a project but would like to contribute, we are looking for some clothing items that we can either wear or display at the park for special events.

Winter Trams at False Cape State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge offer the unique opportunity to observe and experience the incredible migration of waterfowl.

The Visitor Center is home to two freshwater Red-Eared Slider turtles, Jennika and Venus, and it is time for them to eat.

It's feeding time for two of our ambassador reptiles, Stevie the King Snake and Reba the Corn Snake, and we welcome you to attend this demonstration and learn about these snakes as they prepare to feed on a frozen mouse! .

Want to work up an appetite for the big turkey day feast, while helping a worthy cause?

Virginia State Park license plate holders park for free on some of our national event days.  Parking fees will be waived on Earth Day (4/22), Arbor Day (4/26), National Kids to Parks Day (5/18), Virginia State Parks History and Culture Day (6/15), Veterans Day (11/11), and #OptOutside Day (11/29) for individuals with a Virginia State Park license plate.

Opt Outside Day  The day after Thanksgiving is often the start of a busy season for many.  Join us to get outside and take in some fresh air.

Take a fascinating hike to learn about the rich history of James River State Park from fossils to the American Civil War.

What do you think of when you hear term wildlife?

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

The rich story of Virginia’s First Peoples has many twists and turns that are steeped in mystery and controversy as their oral histories were scattered by European arrival, leaving the written and published accounts of those same foreigners to be some of the only well-known accounts that remain today.

Did you know owls get 'hairballs?' About once a day, an owl spits up a ball of hair and bones called an owl pellet which is actually the 'leftovers' from their most recent meals.

Come join a park ranger on an after-thanksgiving hike!

Come out of your shell and spend some time getting to know the Eastern Box Turtle.

Just because we don’t always spot them, we know the animals are around by the tracks and traces they leave behind.

Westmoreland State Park invites you to learn about the different fossil types that you can find here along the shoreline, and why, as you create your very own shark tooth necklace keepsake.

Join a park ranger to walk off that turkey!

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

This field-based game is a fun and safe way to examine the remarkable abilities of bats and the importance of preserving their habitats.

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

Foraging can foster a special connection with the land as well as with fellow foragers.

Need a break from your long trip and have a little fun? Do you like being creative? We have many things to see at our Visitor Center.

Start a new tradition the Friday after Thanksgiving and #OptOutside at False Cape State Park.

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.

While everyone else is out shopping or online this Black Friday, #OptOutside and join us by the campfire.

Join us for a magical and entertaining view of one of our most treasured holidays at the Karlan Mansion.

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

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

Winter Trams at False Cape State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge offer the unique opportunity to observe and experience the incredible migration of waterfowl.

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