Press releases

Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.

• Visit a Virginia State Park for your First Day Hike (December 17, 2024)
• Wilderness Road State Park names new park manager (December 13, 2024)
• Public information meeting to be held for Virginia's future Mayo River State Park (December 11, 2024)
• Luminary Nights returns to Natural Bridge State Park (December 02, 2024)
• Staunton River Battlefield State Park offers six nights of lights (November 26, 2024)
• Bear Creek Lake State Park to host 10th annual Lights at the Lake (November 25, 2024)
• Explore a Virginia State Park and Opt Outside on Thanksgiving weekend (November 19, 2024)
• Celebrate the holidays at Virginia State Parks (November 14, 2024)
• Natural Bridge State Park hosts Festival of Trees, collects donations for local charities (November 12, 2024)
• Public comment meeting for Machicomoco State Park to be held Nov. 20 (November 07, 2024)
• Cabins and/or campground renovations to take place at seven Virginia State Parks (November 01, 2024)
• Inn at Foster Falls receives Virginia Historic Preservation Award (October 28, 2024)
• Natural Tunnel State Park hosts special day of programming on Oct. 26 (October 23, 2024)
• Halloween happenings at Virginia State Parks (October 21, 2024)
• Caledon State Park will host annual Art and Wine Festival (October 18, 2024)
• Westmoreland State Park presents “Halloweekend” on Oct. 26-27 (October 16, 2024)
• Public information meeting for High Bridge Trail State Park to be held Oct. 21 (October 15, 2024)
• Public comment meeting for Lake Anna State Park to be held Oct. 17 (October 10, 2024)
• Portions of New River Trail State Park reopen after Hurricane Helene (October 10, 2024)
• Chippokes State Park will host the 11th Annual Harvest Festival (October 09, 2024)
• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation announces park and natural area preserve closures due to Hurricane Helene (October 01, 2024)
• Mason Neck State Park debuts All-Terrain Wheelchairs (September 26, 2024)
• Natural Bridge State Park offers Haunted History Lantern Tour (September 25, 2024)
• Machicomoco State Park announces Adam Newland as park manager (September 23, 2024)
• Grayson Highlands State Park hosts Fall Festival Sept. 28-29 (September 20, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks celebrate National Public Lands Day, provide free parking Sept. 28 (September 18, 2024)
• Fall festivals coming soon to Virginia State Parks (September 13, 2024)
• Machicomoco State Park debuts new trail (September 12, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks hires park manager for the Future State Park at Hayfields (September 10, 2024)
• Pawpaw Festival returns to Powhatan State Park (September 03, 2024)
• Albert Hash Memorial Festival returns to Grayson Highlands State Park (August 23, 2024)
• Reservations open Sept. 3 for hunting opportunities at Virginia State Parks  (August 21, 2024)
• Shenandoah River State Park hosts two adventure races this September (August 19, 2024)
• Natural Bridge State Park becomes the first state park in the US to install RightHear, creating a fully accessible location for people who are blind or have low vision (August 14, 2024)
• Widewater State Park boat ramp has reopened (August 12, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks becomes first park system in the nation to install EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests at every park (July 29, 2024)
• Friends of Occoneechee State Park named Virginia State Parks’ Friends Group of the Year (July 18, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks announces winners of 2023 Volunteer of the Year Awards (July 17, 2024)
• Two Virginia State Parks win Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award (July 17, 2024)
• Campsite Cook-off returns to Douthat State Park (July 12, 2024)
• Juneteenth July Jubilee to be held at Twin Lakes State Park   (June 18, 2024)
• Second installment of Ray Judd’s Music in the Park to be held at Smith Mountain Lake State Park on June 22 (June 14, 2024)
• Celebrate History and Culture Day at a Virginia State Park (June 12, 2024)
• 160th Battle of the Bridge Anniversary to be celebrated at Staunton River Battlefield State Park (June 10, 2024)
• Natural Bridge State Park hosting special event celebrating 250th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s purchase of Natural Bridge (June 05, 2024)
• Firefly Festival to be held at High Bridge Trail State Park (June 04, 2024)
• Poca Go! mountain bike race returns to Pocahontas State Park (May 31, 2024)
• Music in the Park kicks off this weekend at Occoneechee State Park (May 24, 2024)
• Chippokes State Park to host live Revolutionary War reenactments (May 23, 2024)
• Douthat and Fairy Stone state parks complete final phase of cabin renovations (May 17, 2024)
• High Bridge Trail State Park dedicates trail extension and trailhead in Pamplin (May 15, 2024)
• Turtle "Shellebration" is back at Twin Lakes State Park (May 10, 2024)
• Natural Tunnel State Park hosts special astronomy events (May 09, 2024)
• High Bridge Trail State Park to hold 3 Adventure Series races (May 09, 2024)
• Natural Bridge State Park named Green Park of the Year by Virginia Green Travel Alliance (May 06, 2024)
• Summer music series to be held at Virginia State Parks (May 06, 2024)
• Annual Eagle Festival to be held at Mason Neck State Park (April 29, 2024)
• Parking fees to be implemented at Sweet Run State Park (April 24, 2024)
• Natural Tunnel State Park hosts Colonial Experience this weekend (April 18, 2024)
• Dog and Jog is back at Westmoreland State Park (April 16, 2024)
• Croaker Landing Boat Ramp has reopened at York River State Park (April 10, 2024)
• Celebrate Earth Day at one of Virginia’s 43 state parks (April 10, 2024)
• Volunteers donated record number of hours in 2023 (April 04, 2024)
• Celebrate 75 years of the Concrete Fleet at Kiptopeke State Park (March 25, 2024)
• Smith Mountain Lake State Park names new park manager (March 22, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks invites visitors to witness the solar eclipse on April 8, sells solar viewing glasses statewide (March 21, 2024)
• Virginia’s longest and longest-running adventure triathlon returns to New River Trail State Park for 25th year (March 15, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks provides educational experiences through new Let’s Go Adventures series (March 07, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks to hire more than 1,000 rangers (March 06, 2024)
• Austin Monnett named new park manager at False Cape State Park (March 01, 2024)
• Juneteenth July Jubilee to be held at Twin Lakes State Park (February 29, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks accepting applications for Virginia Service and Conservation Corps (February 28, 2024)
• Hungry Mother State Park opens registration for new birding festival (February 26, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks to host annual gift show March 12-13 (February 22, 2024)
• Kiptopeke State Park will host a Job Fair March 9 (February 21, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks campgrounds reopen March 4 with burn restrictions in effect through April 30 (February 15, 2024)
• Volunteer Park Cleanup at Kiptopeke State Park (February 15, 2024)
• Staunton River State Park invites astronomer to Spring Star Party (February 12, 2024)
• Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count at a Virginia State Park (February 07, 2024)
• Trevor Johnston named new park manager at Chippokes State Park (February 02, 2024)
• Plunge into the Potomac and raise money for Special Olympics (February 01, 2024)
• Accepting applications for Youth Conservation Corps Crew Leaders (January 22, 2024)
• Virginia State Parks Adventure Series returns for 7th year (January 18, 2024)
• Now accepting applications for Youth Conservation Corps crew members (January 17, 2024)
• Master Plan public meeting to be held for Lake Anna State Park  (January 16, 2024)
• Embrace winter with an adventure at Virginia State Parks (January 10, 2024)

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