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

There is a lot to discover at Leesylvania State Park.

Become a birder, snorkel in the river, explore underground in a cave, catch a butterfly, tour a historic village, and learn primitive skills and campfire cooking...all in one week!

Your next adventure is HERE!  Join us for a week-long day camp as we explore Mason Neck State Park.  Each day we will find new adventures and learn more about the ecology of the park, while we play and challenge ourselves to try something new. Each camp will run Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 1:00 pm.

This summer, the Junior Ranger program is exploring a different life group every week, and Week 4 is Amphibians & Reptiles! Programs run Monday - Wednesday from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Outdoor and weather appropriate clothing must be worn as we will be exploring the park; getting dirty and/or wet are both strong possibilities! Closed-toed shoes are required every day. Please don't forget to bring a snack and a reusable water bottle, as well as apply sunscreen and bugspray before the program begins.

Come walk the park's bluebird trail with a Virginia Master Naturalist as she checks the nest boxes and records data for the Virginia Bluebird Society.

Enjoy a brief escape from civilization and unwind at your local state park, where you will learn about the wildlife of Westmoreland State Park.  Join a ranger on this short 1-mile hike.

Take a walk and discover life in four different aquatic ecosystems.  We will hike to a small woodland and marsh stream, freshwater pond, and brackish/saltwater river.  With nets, we will capture and identify different crustaceans, fish, and take note of plant life. .

What is wet, muddy, has lots of plants and animals, and kind of stinks?

In the 18th century, this area was a thriving place for business, people, and transportation.

Step inside to learn all about the magic of the Chesapeake Bay and its inhabitants.

Toads, Turtles and Snakes- Oh my!

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

Douthat State Park is home to many mammals including black bears.

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 travel to the site.

Let’s go on a fun "History Hike" at Staunton River State Park.

Do you love art and nature?

Do you enjoy listening to the birds chirp outside and hearing the trees in the wind?

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.

Explore amazing insects, get up close and personal with some of our reptile friends, splash through a creek looking for critters, and discover the world of rocks and minerals.

Do you have what it takes to be a wildlife detective?  Get ready for a guided mission!

Have you met the animals living at Hungry Mother State Park's Discovery Center?

Take a half of a hike with a park ranger.

Join us at the Wood Warbler Boardwalk, across from the Camp Store, to learn about the 7 Leave No Trace principles while we come together to clean our beaches.  Buckets and trash grabbers will be provided. .

Have you ever fished the Chesapeake?

Every Monday you can find local fresh produce, baked goods, honey, jams and jellies, soap, and local artisan crafters, as well as food vendors, here at Fairy Stone State Park.

Twilight is the perfect time to search for salamanders.

How I wonder what you are...

We are looking for the next generation of rangers, are you ready to give it a try?

Spend the cooler morning in the shade of the Lake Trail, as you follow the interpreter for a six-mile round trip on half the Lake Loop Trail.

Learn about the history of Westmoreland State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as you walk to Rock Springs Pond accompanied by a ranger.

Ride with a park guide as we experience the shores of Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Have you ever bumped into one of our tall bark-covered residents and wondered who it is you've just run into?

The Fairfield Foundation opens the Timberneck house for free walk-in tours every Tuesday.

We need your help.

Want to learn how to play the outdoorsman’s version of BINGO?

Join us for Toddler Adventure Time at Holliday Lake State Park!

Join the Rangers on a guided hike through our most popular trail!

From the ashes of the old Fossil Beach has arisen a new, dynamic ecosystem.  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.

For ages 10+.

Are all snakes venomous?

Have you ever found a piece of colored glass or bottle along the shoreline that appears frosted, weathered, and tumbled almost as if it were stone?

A face only a mother could love?

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 travel to the site.

First Landing’s swamp are truly special, largely due to a particular type of tree.

Pocahontas State Park and the American Red Cross are hosting an upcoming blood drive, please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today.  The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community.

Sometimes the best way to make new discoveries in nature is to play a game. I spy something round on the ground. I spy something blue up high. Can you guess what “I Spy” as we hike the River Bank Trail?  Come find out and play along.

In the bird world, wingspan means everything.

Let's go on a scavenger hunt to learn about the geology of the park.

Join us as we comb the beach to discover what natural treasures await.  Great for all ages!  Meet at the south beach entrance. .

Grab your gear and saddle up for a ride down the Cape Henry Trail, First Landing‘s longest multi-use trail.

Bring your creativity and express your individuality and join Leesylvania State Park Rangers throughout the park for a unique crafting experience!  Each session is a one of a kind experience.  See you there!

Through the ages humans have had an intimate relationship with fire.

Tie-dye wasn't the brainchild of American hippies during the 1960s.

Explore the marshes of Back Bay by kayak while observing birds and other wildlife.

Do you have a special button from your grandmother or a piece of jewelry that broke but means a lot to you?

Allow the evening to envelop you and enjoy a hay wagon ride with our park guide.

Become a Junior Ranger at James River State Park!

Follow the path taken by old miners of days gone by.

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

Yes, you too can canoe! Canoes are stable and easy to control, despite what you might have heard.

Try out freshwater fishing from the lake shoreline using our tackle.

Time to go on a scavenger hunt in the campground.

Explore some of the coolest little critters that fly in our amazing world of the night sky above. Join an interpreter on Wednesdays this summer to learn about bats and what they mean for our ecosystem.

On this hike, all 5 of your senses will be stimulated as we immerse ourselves in nature.

For ages 10+.

Join a Virginia Master Naturalist and enjoy a one hour stroll on easy terrain looking for wildlife and plant life.

Join us at the Big Water Visitor Center for a feeding frenzy.  You will be able to observe a variety of animals in our saltwater fish tank while they eat.  Learn how to identify the different animals and what they all like to eat.  Great for all ages!   .

Are you comfortable climbing in a gym but want to try bouldering in the wild?

It's feeding time, watch and learn about a few of our ambassador animals, Reba the Corn Snake or Stevie the King Snake, as they prepare to feed on a frozen mouse! .

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 travel to the site.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

What animal inspired a popular children's game?

Are you trying to secure the tarp over your tent, or interested in how to keep your boat or canoe tied up so that it won't float away? If so, then come on down and our ranger will teach you the correct knot to use.

Step inside to learn all about the magic of the Chesapeake Bay and its inhabitants.

Let’s go on a fun "History Hike" at Staunton River State Park.

Do you want to witness the art of Gyotaku fish printing, an ancient craft where you can create your own fish masterpiece!

Bear Creek Lake is a modest 40 aces in size yet has a many-faceted story to tell.

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

Get your feet wet and explore life in the creek.

Do you think you have what it takes to build a shelter that will withstand the wind and the rain?

Can you recall taking a break on a hot summer day and sitting under the shade of a maple tree, or swinging on a tire swing hung from a giant oak? Trees provide many benefits including food, shelter, and oxygen, to both humans and wildlife.

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.

Murders over moonshine rocked the town of Fayerdale in the 1920s and 30s, leaving a dying town remembered for tragedy rather than the mining operations that once made it a boomtown. Moonshining (illegal whiskey making) was quite prevalent in and around the Fairy Stone State Park area in the early 1900s. Jealousy, greed, and competition often led to feuds, brawls, and even killings.

Getting out in nature has incredible benefits to our health and wellness.

What's a benthic organism and how do they survive in the creek?

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

Every animal has unique features and traits that make them special and suited for their natural environment.

Soar on over and take a virtual tour of a family of "fish hawks".

Paddling a kayak gives you a new perspective of the world and lifetime of adventures.

Come along on a hike through Kiptopeke's trails to learn about the nature in our park. Meet at picnic shelter #2. The hike is roughly 2 miles long. Great for all ages!

Hop on over to learn the calls and search for some of Virginia's native frog species.

Practice your netting skills to find out what lives in the Bay using techniques dating back to ancient times!

Come experience the beautiful James River on this guided kayak tour. The trip includes a brief overview of paddling safety and techniques, as well as on-the-water interpretations of natural and cultural features.

The day has been filled with fun activities, but now it is time to wind down with a peaceful paddle on the lake.

Join us down by the RV campground for a campfire!

Become a Junior Ranger at James River State Park!

Join an interpretive ranger on a hike to the Fairy Stone Dam and Spillway.

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

Paddle your way around the park’s unique ecosystem.