Discover the art of being a park ranger!

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.

Who wants to be a junior ranger?  Join us for our junior ranger camp for ages 6-9 from Monday, July 15 - Thursday, July 18.

Discover the art of being a park ranger!

The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak.

After the iron industry moved away from the area, residents of Fayerdale went from mining to 'shining.

The Park is excited to announce their Children’s Junior Ranger Camp is back again for 2024.

Paddle your way around the park’s unique ecosystem.

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

This week's Junior Rangers theme is Animals and their Habitats.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to identify some of Virginia’s native trees? It can take some time to develop this skill, but we have a park Interpreter who is willing to help you get started. We will go on a short hike on the River Bank Trail, and along the way will stop at some of the more well-known trees in Virginia.

Explore the mighty James River via canoe with your very own guide!

Just as caterpillars grow and change, our Caterpillar Club programs are designed to help your little one grow and change.

Find time to head down to the Tunnel Platform where you’ll find amazing views of the 300-foot-tall amphitheater walls of the Natural Tunnel, rock pigeons, and if you’re lucky, a train.

Been itching to go fishing?

Explore the 32-acre Prince Edward Lake, the larger of the park's two lakes, on this guided canoe tour.

Join us for an unforgettable Junior Ranger Camp adventure at Holliday Lake State Park.

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

Come across our Ranger outposts stationed at a lesser-known part of First Landing State Park: the Narrows Beach!

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. .

View the park from the best vantage point - a canoe or kayak.

Ever wonder what the fish are doing when they dive deep under water?

Enjoy a fun paddling adventure at Leesylvania State Park on Powell's Creek!  Watch majestic bald eagles and ospreys soar above, a heron hunting along the shore, and turtles basking in the  sunshine.

Are all snakes venomous?

Join us as we explore the wonders of nature.

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

Stop by and investigate the variety of flora and fauna found around Smith Mountain Lake.

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.

Have you ever heard an owl sing at night?

Have you ever thought about where the railroad at Natural Tunnel goes and what it has been used for through the years?

Did you know you can make paper from paper?

Join us as we open the doors to the old Norfolk and Western caboose 518517.

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

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.

Christmas has come early at the park!

Did you know owls don't chew their food?

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.

Imagine a world without fruits and veggies...this could exist without pollinators! Join us for "Buzzy Gardens" as we explore the needs of our pollinators and create our own "Buzzy Gardens" that keep bees and our native pollinators happy and healthy.

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.

Over 200 years ago, early adventurers like Daniel Boone walked these same hills and valleys we see today.

Explore the mighty James River via canoe with your very own guide!

There are many different wildlife that call Leesylvania State Park their home.

Ahoy Matey!

Stop by the ranger's tent on the way to the pool for fun a peek at some critters and a cute craft.

Robin Hood, Katniss Everdeen, Hawkeye, fictional archers with real world skills.

While we sleep a whole new set of nocturnal animals come out to begin their "daily" activities.

When it comes to carrying survival materials with you on the trail, every little bit of space counts, so hikers come up with creative ways to carry their gear.

Join us for an immersive adventure!

Leesylvania State Park is part of many different watersheds, some large and some small.

Not all bees live in hives.

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

Get your feet wet investigating the vast array of life in a stream.

What's under that rock?

Have you ever wanted to see one of the park’s many reptile residents up close?

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

Embark on a guided tour of the area known as Group Camp 7.

Join us for a week-long celebration honoring the vibrant history of Pocahontas State Park, specifically highlighting the activities and programs once offered at its formerly segregated side, Group Camp 7, which was opened for use for the first time on July 15th, 1939.

Embrace your creativity by exploring unique connections to the natural and historic elements of the park through this dynamic art program.

The Friends of Twin Lakes State Park is an all-volunteer non-profit that supports Twin Lakes State Park.

The Chesapeake Bay provides visitors with some of the most stunning views of the sunset and sounds of the waves.

Shine a light on days gone by with a lantern-lit history tour of the Natural Bridge.

The surface of the water might seem calm, but down under there is an exciting world filled with all kinds of life.

Silent and spooky, the owl is a magnificent animal.

Come take a walk with us under a starry sky to search for some of the park's most elusive night-time predators: owls!  As we walk along under the quiet cover of darkness, we'll listen for their haunting voices as they cry out across the landscape.

The Hungry Mother Arts and Crafts Festival is attended by over 20,000 people each year.

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

The Let's Go Adventures staff will introduce you to the basics, like how to select a rod and reel combo, knot tying, and selecting the right fly for conditions and species.

Let us teach you all the basics you'll need to know to get yourself started with one of our most popular outdoor activities, from tying on your hook and tackle to casting your line.

The Park is excited to announce their Children’s Junior Ranger Camp is back again for 2024.

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

Overlooking the New River, the Shot Tower was built in the 1800s to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

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

Explore the beautiful wetlands with us.

Explore the mighty James River via canoe with your very own interpretive guide!

Learn the essentials of basic target archery, a skill that, thanks to artifacts found at the park, we know humans have been practicing here for thousands of years.

How many animal inhabitants of First Landing can you identify?

The Hungry Mother Arts and Crafts Festival will be held once again on the third full weekend in July and is sponsored by the Art League of Marion.

Toads, Turtles and Snakes- Oh my!

Become a prospector as we follow in the footsteps of "Stampmill Sam".

Learn about the reptiles that can be spotted in the park!

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 along with our resident Eastern box turtle. Learn how to identify the different species and what they all like to eat.

Fishing can be as easy as tying your shoes.

Leesylvania State Park makes its own worm compost!  Join rangers as we take a closer look at worms and how they can benefit your kitchen and backyard.

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!

Second only to humans in the ability to change their environment to fit their needs, learn just how smart a beaver can be.

Join us and Mount Rogers Community Services and immerse yourself in nature's grandeur while fueling your body, mind, and soul every Friday at noon.

Owls are known as silent fliers, impeccable listeners, and skilled hunters.

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

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.

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.

Learn about the local history of Draper, it's early inhabitants and significant figures and the early industry of the 1800's.  The Draper Historic District, covering 40 acres in Pulaski County, encompasses a concentration of historic resources that coalesced in the Draper Valley into a railroad depot community in the late 1800s.

Come as a family, with friends, or fly solo on this seasonal scavenger hunt.

Meet local 'shellebrity', Ranger Shelly, our Red-eared Slider turtle as she suns herself and enjoys some enrichment at the beach area.

You can learn a lot about the health of a stream by seeing what lives beneath its surface.

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

Celebrate creativity and individual expression with a tie dye workshop, reminiscent of the arts and crafts activities once popular at Camp Pinoaka.

Learn about oysters and their importance as a keystone species as you create your very own keepsake charm using a real oyster shell.

Join us for a week-long celebration honoring the vibrant history of Pocahontas State Park, specifically highlighting the activities and programs once offered at its formerly segregated side, Group Camp 7, which was opened for use for the first time on July 15th, 1939.

For those who just want something short and sweet, the ADA Fishing Trail is the place for you.