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.

On September 28th, all of our Virginia State Parks will celebrate National Public Lands Day with all of the public lands across the country.

To celebrate National Public Lands Day, we're hosting a park-wide scavenger hunt!

How do you give back to the land that surrounds and nurtures you?

The Margaret Watson Bird Club will co-host a site cleanup and birding adventure with High Bridge Trail as we celebrate National Public Lands Day.

Meet with a ranger and go on a guided hike along the Oak Hickory Trail.

Join us as we remove litter and other debris from our shoreline. Staunton River State Park sits at the confluence of the Staunton and Dan Rivers, so as you can imagine, we have quite a bit of shoreline that needs tending to. Rangers and volunteers alike will be working hard clean up the shoreline along the Dan River. The park will provide trash bags and trash grabbers. Please bring gloves, closed-toe shoes, and plenty of drinking water.

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

To celebrate Bike Your Park Day, we will be offering a special overnight primitive camping for 'bikepackers' and off-road tourist.

Join thousands of other volunteers around the country on a project to improve public lands, this time along the Cedar Creek Trail.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single‐day volunteer effort for public lands and works to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity in the great outdoors?

How do you give back to the land that surrounds and nurtures you?

Join a park ranger for a morning bike ride on High Bridge Trail.

This one is for the girls.

Stop by the Discovery Room on your way out on the trail to visit some of First Landing's premier animal ambassadors!

Join us for National Public Lands Day, a nationwide celebration of environmental stewardship and public land preservation!

Get competitive while enjoying the beauty of Smith Mountain Lake!

11 a.m.   Shoreline Cleanup @ the Beach Building Volunteer  your and help stop pollution.

Would you like to have the chance to explore the trails in Powhatan State Park and meet new people?

Come check out our Trailgate which is like a tailgate for a football game, but this one's more nature-centric.

National Public Lands Day is a call for all of us to restore and improve our public lands.

Be a part of our 9th Annual Campsite Cook-off.

Stop by the nature booth to borrow a Family Learning Adventures adventure pack for the day.

Curious about how the light green house looks from the inside and its restoration process?

Come learn what makes cave ecosystems so delicate and special.

'Family Learning Adventures,' formally known as 'Arks for Parks,' is back this year at Twin Lakes State Park.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by learning how to identify and remove invasive plants so native species have a chance to thrive.

Help preserve the beautiful Belle Isle State Park and protect the wildlife that calls it home.

Join us for a volunteer opportunity in honor of National Public Lands Day.

We're excited to invite you to join us for a special trail clean-up day at Mason Neck State Park on National Public Lands Day.

The Children's Garden Workshops are a great way to get your little one up, moving, creating and learning.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by volunteering at your local state park!          Join rangers and other volunteers at Leesylvania State Park and help clean up our beaches and shoreline.

Minerals and Rocks, what could they have in common?

Come honor and celebrate the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Virginia State Parks. Create your own pennant flag, then wonder on over to the CCC Museum to see how yours compares to the pennants of the 1930s.

Explore the park's expansive wetlands with us as we search for and identify the plants and animals that call this unique habitat their home.

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

Paleo art is any art depicting prehistoric life on earth based on the evidence we have.

From woodlands to wetlands, fields and pastures, let's investigate the plants, animals and history of farming at Sky Meadows State Park.

Join us in late September for the Grayson Highlands Fall Festival.

Ever wonder what animals call Kiptopeke home or what those shells on the beach are called?

We are celebrating National Public Lands Day.

This National Public Lands Day, we will highlight the success of our living shoreline and it's impact on marine life.  Friends from the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Reserve and Williamsburg Montessori School will lead a count of aquatic species along the breakwaters and marshes.  Observing and recording our finds is a great way to monitor the diversity and health of the park.

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

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

Volunteer your time to help stop pollution.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day with Machicomoco State Park by participating in a guided hike which explores the history of the land and the park, as well as the natural elements that form the park.  We strive to make our programming and special event opportunities accessible and inclusive to all.

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) is a shrub that was introduced to North America from Asia for its foliage and for soil stabilization.

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! .

You never know what critters you will see around Belle Isle, there's dozens to pick from.

The Chesapeake Bay Lab is home to many marine creatures found in the Park.

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.

In honor of National Public Lands Day, Wilderness Road State Park will host a guided hike along the Pioneer Trail.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands and works to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

Be on the lookout for our Roving Ranger as they roam the trail around High Bridge with interesting historical items from the park.

What would your shell say about you if you were a box turtle?

We would like to introduce you to “Boxer” the box turtle.

What do you think of when you hear the term wildlife?

National Public Lands Day fosters a strong connection between people and the environment, educating and cultivating environmental stewards.

Come learn about the tools once used by the Occaneechi Indians.

This program will orient you to a few invasive species that are present at the park.  Invasive species are non-native species that have been introduced to the environment.

Are all snakes venomous?

Ever wondered how a small piece of plastic can impact an entire ecosystem? Join the rangers for an interactive talk about pollution and how we can learn to Leave No Trace!

Use all your senses to learn something new about the environment.

Have you ever wondered what lies under your feet?

Celebrate National Public Lands Day with Machicomoco State Park by participating in a guided hike which explores the history of the land and the park, as well as the natural elements that form the park.  We strive to make our programming and special event opportunities accessible and inclusive to all.

Become an owl pellet detective as we dissect the clues an owl leaves behind.

Slither on down and join the Park Ranger for an in depth look into the fascinating lives of some local reptiles.

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

Tree identification made fun and easy through leaf rubbing.

Pan for gold in the James River while learning about Virginia’s unique geology, the rocks and minerals of the park, and the magnetic sand on the banks of the river.

Practice your detective skills by uncovering snakes hidden in images of their habitat, and discover how best to avoid those with venom.

Join Leesylvania State Park Rangers at the Bushey Point Trailhead for a guided hike and discussion on wetlands, their ecology, and their vital importance in maintaining a balanced, healthy ecosystem.  Perhaps we'll come across some wildlife on our excursion!  Meet at the entrance to the Bushey Point Trail on the south side of Boat Launch Parking Lot Number 1 for a 1.5 mile hike.  This hike is rated as moderate in skill level; please dress for the weather, wear sturdy closed-toe footwear, and consider bringing water.  For questions, please call the Visitor Center at (703)583-6904.

Learn the fundamentals of geocaching by participating on a guided hike.

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

Join us at Widewater State Park for a slithery, fun-filled adventure with “Snakes Alive!” Meet our friendly, live, non-venomous snake ambassadors and learn fascinating facts from a park ranger who’s a herpetologist specializing in snake behavior!

Have you ever fished the Chesapeake?

Trees have magical qualities which give us many important everyday items and the oxygen we breathe.

How do you tell trees apart?

Join the Ranger on an exploration of the Old Pond Trail.

Frogs, crawdads, and children, oh my!

Textile waste is over-crowding our landfills; definitely not the kind of crowd to be in!

The forests are full of things both delicious and dangerous, but can you tell which is which?

Join park rangers for an evening campfire at the Visitor Center.

We will start with the Occoneechee fire building challenge.

We have returning to close out our season, ZOSO The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience! It’s been over 28 years and over 4500 shows since ZOSO came together as a group in the mid-‘90s.

Can you pitch a tent?

Join the Virginia Peninsula Stargazers as they point out the different items of our solar system in the night sky.  They will have the equipment.  Just bring your curiosity.  This program is dependent on the clarity of the viewing sky on the night it occurs. .

Three hundred thousand men, women, and children traveled through Powell’s Valley onto a new frontier.

There are certain things that can’t be explained. Have you encountered doors that open and close abruptly with no visible force pushing them, a sudden shift of temperature in an otherwise ordinary room, or mysterious emanating noises indicating a presence unseen?

Contemplate the universe from Caledon as we observe the stars together.

Join us at picnic shelter #1 for a late-night hike as we search for owls and other nocturnal animals that call Kiptopeke home.  Hike is roughly 1 mile and better suited for older kids and adults.

What hides in the Appalachian wilderness after dark?

A nearly century-long tradition continues as the Natural Bridge is bathed in light the last Saturday night of every month, April through October. Experience the 200-foot-tall arch as it is lit from above and below by dozens of lights, with the only sound being the murmuring of Cedar Creek running below.

Three hundred thousand men, women, and children traveled through Powell’s Valley onto a new frontier.

Discover the “bear facts” about Fairy Stone State Park’s black bears at our ranger-led program. Find out their characteristics, their habits, how to avoid conflicts, and much, much more.

It's that time of year again!

The Archery Range opens for the season daily from 8 a.m. until dusk.

Walk through history by touring historic Mount Bleak House.