Virginia State Parks Trail Quest

Explore Virginia State Parks One Step at a Time

If you love spending time outdoors, we have a challenge for you. Trail Quest is a self-paced program that rewards you for visiting Virginia State Parks.

There are 43 total state parks, with 40 offering the Trail Quest program. What state parks do you need to visit? Click here. All of the locations listed on the map are state parks that are part of the program except:

Breaks Interstate: Owned and operated jointly by Virginia and Kentucky but not managed as part of Virginia State Parks.
Culpepper Battlefields: While we have dedicated our 43rd state park, we are currently not managing it and have no staff presence. We will be adding this as a Trail Quest requirement in the future. If you visit now, you can add it to your list when it is added as a requirement for program completion.
Falling Springs is managed by Douthat State Park but is located off the park. It is not a separate state park and is not included in the program.
Green Pastures Recreation Area is managed by Douthat State Park but is located off the park. It is not a separate state park and is not included in the program.
Shot Tower: Shot Tower is a State Park, but it happens to be located at New River Trail State Park. Because it created a lot of confusion when we had it listed separately, we removed the separate listing for Shot Tower, and you get credit for both parks when you visit New River Trail State Park.

You must visit the Know Before You Go section on each park page before visiting and check with the park about operating hours and trail conditions.

How does it work?

1. Visit a Virginia State Park. (Shot Tower, Culpeper Battlefields and Breaks Interstate Park do not participate in the Trail Quest program.)
2. After your visit, log into (or make a new account on) the State Park Adventures page.
3. Select the name of the park you visited, pick “Trail Quest” and record the date of your visit.
4. The State Park Adventures system keeps track of your progress, and you will receive email confirmation.
5. You are welcome to record duplicate visits to the same park. The system will only count the first visit toward your park count. 

Here’s what you get when you visit participating parks:

• We’ll send you five Virginia State Park pins: one after visiting 5, 10, 20, 30 and all parks.
• You will receive a welcome email after your first visit and a confirmation when you earn each of the pins.
• Once you visit all the parks, you earn the Master Hiker designation and will be recognized at a park of your choice by a member of our staff.

By accepting the Trail Quest challenge, you’ll do much more than earn pins and become a Master Hiker - you’ll explore Virginia's diverse state parks that are full of history, offer thousands of educational and nature programs, and provide access to more than 700 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What about the parks I visited before creating a Trail Quest account?

Don’t worry, it’s not too late to receive credit for parks you already visited. When you log a previous park visit, provide your best estimate of the date you visited.
Please note, while we allow back posting for Trail Quest, we do not offer it for our Geocaching or Paddle Quest programs.

2. Can my whole family participate?

Absolutely. Each family member can create a Trail Quest account and start earning pins. Children without an email address can use their parent’s email. Each participant must have an account to be an official participant, receive pins, and to attain the Master Hiker certification.


3. I am a returning user. How do I log in?

To log in, return to the Virginia State Parks Adventures page and enter your first name, last name and email address. You must use the same information you provided when you created your Trail Quest account.

4. I am having trouble logging in. What should I do?

It’s important to keep a record of the first name, last name and email address you used to sign up for Trail Quest. You must use this exact combination when signing in or the system will assume you are creating a new account.
If you did not enter the correct login information, the system will ask you to add your address again. If you did enter the correct login information, the address fields will be filled automatically, and after you click “Submit,” you will see the list of parks you visited at the bottom of the next page.
If you can't remember the correct log in information, email vastateparks@dcr.virginia.gov for assistance.

5. I moved. How can I update my address to receive my pins?

To change your address, go to the State Parks Adventures page, log in using the first name, last name and email address you used when you created your Trail Quest account. After logging in, you will be prompted to confirm or change your address.

6. How long does it take to receive my awards?

Due to delays in processing the pins and long mailing times (we have yet to learn why the mail takes so long), please allow two months after receiving the email confirming your accomplishment before letting us know you have yet to receive the pin. Because of the vagaries of the postage rates and despite our best efforts, sometimes pins never arrive or arrive with postage due, so please contact us if it has been longer than two months. We apologize for the delay.

7. Will I get a 30-park pin if I have already passed that level?

No. As we change from dropping the first park pin and adding the 30-park pin, only Trail Quest participants who reach the 30 park level going forward will receive that pin.

30 park pins are in production and we expect to ship them out to those who have earned it since January, sometime in March.

8. How do I finish my Trail Quest?

To allow you and the park time to prepare a ceremony, when you visit your 35th park, you will receive an email with details on how to obtain your Master Hiker pin and, if you choose, how to schedule a Master Hiker presentation at your preferred park. If you want to hold a Master Hiker ceremony at a park, please give us 30 days' notice so we can deliver your reward on time. If you do not want to have a ceremony at a park, your Master Hiker pin and certificate can be mailed to your address once you log your final park.

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