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

Discover the art of being a park ranger!

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.

The Park is excited to announce their Children’s Junior Ranger Camp is back again for 2024.

Who wants to be a junior ranger?  Join us for our junior ranger camp for ages 6-9 from Monday, July 15 - Thursday, July 18.

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.

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.

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

Join us for an unforgettable Junior Ranger Camp adventure at Holliday Lake State Park.

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

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.

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.

Can you recall taking a break on a hot summer day and sitting under the shade of a maple tree, or swinging on a tire swing hung from a giant oak? Trees provide many benefits including food, shelter, and oxygen, to both humans and wildlife.

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.

Discover the art of being a park ranger!

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?

Delve into the world of terrariums, a creative activity that reflects the connection between nature and artistry cherished by campers at Camp Pinoaka.

Climate Change impacts our environment.

Join us for a week-long celebration honoring the vibrant history of Pocahontas State Park, specifically highlighting the activities and programs once offered at its formerly segregated side, Group Camp 7, which was opened for use for the first time on July 15th, 1939.

Join the fun of this centuries old art and show your creativity while learning about the fish of Smith Mountain Lake.

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.

Rising sea levels is something we have heard on the news and from public officials.

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.

Let’s head over to Edmunds Lake and try to wrangle in some big fish.

The Park is excited to announce their Children’s Junior Ranger Camp is back again for 2024.

Join the Friends of Mason Neck and Fairfax Master Naturalists for a rewarding day of volunteer garden work!

Experience the thrill of archery, a favorite pastime at Camp Johnson.

Join us for a week-long celebration honoring the vibrant history of Pocahontas State Park, specifically highlighting the activities and programs once offered at its formerly segregated side, Group Camp 7, which was opened for use for the first time on July 15th, 1939.

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.

Curious about how streams in the mountains turn into the Shenandoah River, then the Atlantic Ocean?

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

Join us for an unforgettable Junior Ranger Camp adventure at Holliday Lake State Park.

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

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.

Pollinators are more than just bees.

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?

Have you ever found a piece of colored glass or bottle along the shoreline that appears frosted, weathered, and tumbled almost as if it were stone?

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

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

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.

Have you ever wondered what owls look like, what they eat, or where they live?

In the bird world, wingspan means everything.

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.

If you love nature and the outdoors, come check out the Friends of Powhatan State Park monthly meetings and gather with like-minded people who are passionate about supporting Virginia State Parks through volunteerism and legislation.

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

The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak.

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!

The Park is excited to announce their Children’s Junior Ranger Camp is back again for 2024.

Try out freshwater fishing from the lake shoreline using our tackle.

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.

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

Spend time floating five and a half miles down the Clinch River.

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.

Join us for an unforgettable Junior Ranger Camp adventure at Holliday Lake State Park.

On this hike, all 5 of your senses will be stimulated as we immerse ourselves in nature.

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. Great for all ages! .

Come join us for a treat that was highly coveted at Camp Pinoaka.

Have you ever been walking along a trail and come across a pile of "meatballs"?

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! .

Join us for a week-long celebration honoring the vibrant history of Pocahontas State Park, specifically highlighting the activities and programs once offered at its formerly segregated side, Group Camp 7, which was opened for use for the first time on July 15th, 1939.

Douthat Lake is home to some big, beautiful trout.

What animal inspired a popular children's game?

“What does the fox say?” Did you know that there are two different foxes found in Virginia, the red fox and the grey fox?

All aboard the Virginia Dare for a fun-filled and informative lunch cruise.

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

Do you want to witness the art of Gyotaku fish printing, an ancient craft where you can create your own fish masterpiece!

Bear Creek Lake is a modest 40 aces in size yet has a many-faceted story to tell.

Get ready to catch gold fever and mosey on over to join our interpretive rangers on a quest for this elusive mineral.

Get your feet wet and explore life in the creek.

Every animal has unique features and traits that make them special and suited for their natural environment.

What does a mushroom sit on...a toadstool!

What can bones tell us about animal characteristics? Different animals have unique skeletons that are specialized to their way of life.

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.

What's a benthic organism and how do they survive in the creek?

Like them or loathe them, snakes are important to our ecosystems.

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.

Soar on over and take a virtual tour of a family of "fish hawks".

Migrate to the Discovery Center to learn about the fascinating "Fish Hawk".

Enjoy a relaxing paddle on the Potomac River. This paddle tour is designed to show you the ecosystem, wildlife, and scenic views from the river as we look back to the shoreline of Westmoreland State Park.  This paddle provides excellent views and wildlife sighting opportunities to include, the Horsehead Cliffs (from a safe distance),stratigraphy of the Cliffs, erosion and water as a true natural force, a brief fossil hunting on fossil beach, and significant bird watching opportunities to include special and unscheduled appearances by Bald Eagles, Osprey, Great Blue Herons, and more!  Please sign up and pay in advance for this program at the Visitor Center. Guests should meet at the day-use beach and boathouse area. All equipment is provided however participants should wear closed-toed shoes. All children participating should be over 35lbs. Participants should wear a hat, sunscreen, bug spray, and bring water and snacks with them.  This paddle begins at the scheduled time and can run for roughly 2 hours. This program is limited to 8 spots.