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.

There will be a work day at Seven Bends State Park to plant new maple and oak memorial trees, and maintain the ones already in place.

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.

In preparation for the Christmas Bird Count, come brush up on your avian identification skills with one of our Rangers!

Join rangers at the park for a fun nature reading session.

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

Join a Ranger at Leesylvania State Park to learn about the animals and organisms that are found here.

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

Come discover the world of self-publishing!

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

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

Dive into an ancient craft with a ranger, known as Gyotaku fish printing.

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.

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.

During this annual winter event, visitors will drive their car through the park’s campground and beach area to experience a wonderland of lights and community displays.

Experience the park at night, illuminated with lights and decorations.

As you ride down on the chairlift and make your way to the tunnel, you will be surrounded by thousands of Christmas lights and see animated Christmas displays.

Carol your way through the winter woods on a wagon decorated with holiday lights.

Carol your way through the winter woods on a wagon decorated with holiday lights.

The Geminid meteor shower is considered by many to be the best of the year, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak.

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

What better way to start the day than with a hot cup of coffee.

Explore the rich natural history of trees guided by a Virginia Master Naturalist.

Discover how the Pocahontas State Park you've grown to know and love got its start as you travel back to the late 1930's to learn what was happening in Chesterfield County and the rest of the nation.

Use your phone or provided GPS units and join a ranger to learn what multi-billion-dollar technology and plastic containers have in common, as you and the whole family go on a thrilling treasure hunt along Muddy Buddy Trail.

Some of Virginia's coolest mammals are rarely seen by humans.

Belle Isle has animals that appear and disappear during the Winter months. Bring your cameras and join a ranger for a brief walk on the Porpoise Creek Trail, to our observation blind, and learn about the critters we see and don't see and learn where they came from or where they've gone.

We all enjoy a yummy meal and that’s the same for our resident snake that lives here in our Visitor Center.

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

Come and explore a dynamic ecosystem that prevents erosion and brings life to the river.  The living shoreline between the rip-rap and water’s edge is attracting interesting estuarine and marine creatures and plants. .

Celebrate your festive season early with this special  craft event, using natural materials and greenery collected directly from Chippokes State Park.

Celebrate your winter season early at Chippokes with a day full of holiday crafts and park history!

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.

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

Tundra Swans are known for their striking white plumage and long, graceful necks, making them a favorite among birdwatchers.

Winter reveals hidden secrets as animals leave tracks in the snow.

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

Identifying trees in the winter can be a difficult task.

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! .

Meet Ranger Scout, the Western Hognose snake who lives and works at Twin Lakes. If the handsome fellow is feeling up to it, you may even get to pet or hold him!

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 a festive celebration filled with holiday activities and music.

Join Pocahontas State Park staff and volunteers in creating seasonal cheer.

Create a holiday keepsake from False Cape!

It is that time of year we begin thinking about the Winter holidays.

Embrace the beauty of winter and get crafty with natural materials. Join us at the Camp Store to create unique, nature-inspired crafts.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

How much do you know about Douthat State Park's past?

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.

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

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

Discover our International Dark-Sky Park!

Join astronomers from the Richmond Astronomical Society for Saturday Under the Stars.

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.

During this annual winter event, visitors will drive their car through the park’s campground and beach area to experience a wonderland of lights and community displays.

Experience the park at night, illuminated with lights and decorations.

As you ride down on the chairlift and make your way to the tunnel, you will be surrounded by thousands of Christmas lights and see animated Christmas displays.

Come join the storytellers from CHAOS (Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society) on the Observation Field to share the stories of the stars.

The First Saturday Community Coffee House is an open-mic event and is open to all family-friendly performers.

The First Saturday Community Coffee House is an open-mic event and is open to all family-friendly performers.

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.

Craft a keepsake for the upcoming holiday season.

Walk in the footsteps of moonshiners of decades gone by.

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.

Tundra Swans are known for their striking white plumage and long, graceful necks, making them a favorite among birdwatchers.

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'.

Come to Widewater and help our Rangers fill our windows with Holiday cheer!

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

Join a ranger in creating a mushroom garland using natural materials such as dried orange peels.

Nothing could make the Christmas season more merry and bright than being in the great outdoors!

Join the Rangers in learning a new outdoor skill in this engaging workshop.

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

Spend the afternoon creating your own handmade swag, the perfect addition to your holiday decor. One of our rangers will walk you through the process using fresh greens and berries collected around the park.

Did you know there was once a thriving "boom town" located where our lake is today?

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

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

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

Carol your way through the winter woods on a wagon decorated with holiday lights.

During this annual winter event, visitors will drive their car through the park’s campground and beach area to experience a wonderland of lights and community displays.

Experience the park at night, illuminated with lights and decorations.

Carol your way through the winter woods on a wagon decorated with holiday lights.

All are welcome at the Friends of Sailor's Creek Battlefield volunteer support group during their monthly meeting as they focus on a variety of objectives designed to assist the park's mission in preserving the hallowed grounds of the last major battle of the American Civil War in Virginia on April 6, 1865.

When the temperatures drop, our heaters crank up; but how do the animals keep warm and survive the long, dark months of Winter?

Explore the natural and historic world of Twin Lakes State Park with a ranger. This program is part of a homeschool series, but all curious kids are welcome.

Explore the natural and historic world of Twin Lakes State Park with a ranger. This program is part of a homeschool series, but all curious kids are welcome.

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

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

Want to experience the New River Trail State Park in a way few people get a chance to?

The Senior Ranger series is geared towards senior citizens who are interested in learning more about nature.

If you ever wanted to see a shooting star, come join our biggest meteor shower watch of the year! Join park rangers for an exploration of our night sky at this International Dark Sky Park.

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

Have a specific program you'd like to see?

This field-based game is a fun and safe way to examine the interactions between a predator population of coyotes and a prey population of deer in a forest. This program is suitable for all ages.