The Bear Creek Lake State Park Archery Club is open to beginner and intermediate level archers 18 years old and older.

The trash and litter we leave behind can hurt the environment.

Explore all about the Northern Flying Squirrel and why they call Grayson Highlands State Park their home.

Take a guided kayak paddle through beautiful Back Bay to look for wildlife and learn about this spectacular freshwater ecosystem.

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

Introduced by the National Parks, B.A.R.K.

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

Hike a short two-mile section of the Lake Loop Trail with a park guide.

Explore the life cycle of butterflies.  Learn what is special about the monarch butterfly.  What do they like to eat?

The Bay can hold many secrets.

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.

Grab your coffee or other non-alcoholic beverage and join one of our Park Rangers for a chance to sit and chat about the park, history, programs, volunteering and future plans.

Join certified Forest Therapy volunteer, Tina Hayes, for a relaxing program made to calm the mind.

Meet at the Big Water Visitor Center and help our resident box turtle have some fun in the sun!  Learn about different turtles that call Kiptopeke home and why it's important to keep wildlife wild.

Explore fascinating natural treasures at the Park Office, where a park ranger will showcase intriguing items you can see, touch, and learn about.

Of all the mammals, opossums are the most misunderstood. They are fascinating creatures with very unique characteristics.

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.

Join us to learn about insects and the different jobs they do here at Fairy Stone State Park and in your own backyard. Our adventure will continue as we search the area to find examples of these important members of our neighborhood.

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the picnic areas and beaches with interesting animal or historical artifacts from the park.

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

Take a short walk with a ranger and explore the history of Douthat State Park.

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

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.

Is your little one interested in becoming an official Seven Bends State Park Junior Ranger?

Got an eye for nature?

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

Immerse yourself in nature and experience the calming and health-promoting benefits of the forest.

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

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

Toads, Turtles and Snakes- Oh my!

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.

Pollinators are more than just bees.

Owls, bats and bugs oh my!

Perched upon a small hill overlooking the old Norfolk & Western railway station sits the old Foster Falls Hotel.

Come be a scientist for the day with our park rangers!

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

Scurry on over to investigate the secret life of a bug.

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.

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.

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

Do you love art and nature?

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

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

Climate Change impacts our environment.

This "crab" is actually more closely related to spiders and scorpions.

Perched upon a small hill overlooking the old Norfolk & Western railway station sits the old Foster Falls Hotel.

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

Take a half of a hike with a park ranger.

Do you enjoy coffee, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables?

Frogs, turtles, and fish, oh my!  Explore the life that exists in the pond while learning about the abundance of animals that call this ecosystem home.  Join a park ranger and learn how you can help protect these fascinating creatures.  For more information, please call the Visitor Center at (703) 583-6904 or send an email to leesylvaniavc@dcr.virginia.gov.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

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

For ages 10+.

Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea.

Become a Junior Ranger today at Westmoreland State 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 while they eat.  Learn how to identify the different animals and what they all like to eat.  Great for all ages!   .

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!

Are all snakes venomous?

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

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.

Want to go on a scavenger hunt in the wilderness?

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. .

Leesylvania State Park is home to many different turtles!

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

Explore the various ways you can connect with the Earth through keeping a nature journal.

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.

Join park staff and volunteers as we take a glimpse into the history of postcards, from their inception to present day.

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

Celebrate World Ranger Day by becoming a Ranger for a day!

Join a ranger to hike along a section of the Mountain View Trail and cut through the woods for a short distance, seeing the ruins of an old moonshine still along the way.

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

This three-hour class will cover the basics of paddling skills including how to select and fit a person flotation device (PFD), different types of kayaks, planning and safety, and proper paddling strokes.

This nature walk and talk is about the textures and aromas of three native forest species and their role in developing special relationships between plants and humans.

Early morning is one of the best times to experience the lake.

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.

Come join a ranger on World Ranger Day for a fun hike on our very own Sugar Hill Trail head.

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

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! .

Greenhouse Gases help keep our Earth at optimal temperatures for us to live comfortably.

What animal inspired a popular children's game?