Thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding with the Town of Farmville, High Bridge Trail State Park opens four more miles on Saturday, July 3rd.

Are you wondering what to do for the 4th of July Weekend?  Well wonder no more! Pocahontas State Park is offering outdoor activities for the entire family.

The Mechanicsville Riding Club has embraced the Tread Lightly! concept and is working with James River State Park to promote a good conservation ethic with all visiting equestrians.

In this addition we talk to Nancy Heltman, state parks operations director, about the Youth Conservation Corps and their efforts to create quality youth initiatives.

On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, 2010, ten families from across the state of VA brought one of their most precious assets, their daughters, to Hungry Mother State Park.

First Landing State Park is a truly unique camping destination.  It is a 2,888 acre natural area set within the coastal urban area of Virginia Beach.

As you may know, the State Parks Division is part of a larger agency, the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Gaston Rouse, his assistant Carrie McCrory, and I are spending four days at Bear Creek Lake State Park preparing 40, mostly College aged youth, to lead youth 14 to 17 year old youth in this summer's program.

There are so many things we do better in Virginia State Parks because of our loyal and large cadre of volunteers.

Our mission is to conserve the natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources of the park, as well as...

Last month, I challenged readers to make a "Virginia State Parks To-Do List" by visiting our events website at  www.virginiastateparks.gov/ and selecting five things to do at Virginia State Parks.

There are a lot of fun things to do at Occoneechee State Park throughout the upcoming weekend. Hike through the woods, ride a bike, visit the museum, have a picnic, and enjoy these great programs along with many others.

June is National Get Outdoors Month and after the record setting Memorial Day weekend we had, it is clear folks are ready for a great summer playing outdoors!

On Saturday, June 5, 2010, High Bridge Trail State Park will host the 2nd Annual National Trails Day Celebration in celebration of American Hiking Society’s 18th Annual National Trails Day.

Recent research published in England indicates that getting outdoor exercise can significantly improve your mental health and well-being within FIVE MINUTES of being outdoors!! 

Both last April and this April, some of you were introduced to Carrie Sparks at our Women’s Wellness Weekend.

The 2010 Gathering in the Gap music festival, which will be held at the Southwest Virginia Museum in Big Stone Gap on May 29, offers an opportunity for area musicians to test their skills in a variety of musical competitions.

Maybe you've been reading about Women's Weekends at Virginia State Parks, but can't seem to find the time to get away from your family obligations to enjoy the outdoors.

Join us for a celebration of Armed Forces Day with a late afternoon performance by the 380th United States Army Reserve Band on Saturday, May 15th at 6 p.m. at the Heritage Amphitheater.

Big Stone Gap, VA, local woodworker and Master Craftsman Tom Dickenson saw an opportunity to preserve the history of the storied tree.

The Friends of Bear Creek Lake State Park are citizen volunteers from Virginia’s Central Piedmont region that enjoy supporting the park’s mission and operation.

A big volunteer hug for volunteers from Virginia Commonwealth University.

For the first time, the “Gathering in the Gap” Music Festival, which takes place at the Southwest Virginia Museum on May 29, 2010, will include a new Songwriting Contest.

Last night I read an article from CNN's SciTech Blog (Children and Nature Network tweeted it) about the new Boy Scout Video Game Badge.

Local schools were invited to participate in Douthat State Park’s Twelfth Annual Earth Day Celebration which was held on Friday, April 16, 2010.

The Friends of Holliday Lake State Park will hold its second of two organizational meetings in starting a Friends group on April 22nd at 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center.

Once again the Eagle Festival is coming to Mason Neck. This event, the largest Earth Day related environmental event in Northern Virginia includes exhibits from nearly 30 non-profit, environmental, historic ...

Although I myself am new to geocaching, I would like to get the word out about a new and fun geocaching game that all Virginia State Parks will be launching on March 29, 2010 that will run until December 15, 2010.

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park in Big Stone Gap, VA honors the coming of Spring and Virginia Garden Week with a day-long event, “A Celebration of Spring,” Saturday, April 24, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

State Parks Director Joe Elton talks with staff from Virginia’s National Award Winning State Parks.

Have you ever thought of running a triathlon with your kids but the opportunity was not there?  Well that opportunity is now available.

My trip to Occoneechee State Park was well worth the two hour drive to Clarksville, Virginia.

Think about it, you deserve a little more “me” time.

Jo and Johnny Finch, stalwart friends and volunteers for Virginia State Parks, are also Friends of Lake Anna State Park (Jo is President the Friends Group and Johnny is President of the Virginia Association for Parks).

As I kid I was never a very successful kite flyer but boy did I have some fun trying!

Join wild foods enthusiast and park interpreter, Vicky Shufer, for a journey through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to False Cape State Park's interior on Saturday, April 3 from 1pm-5pm.

After writing this morning's post about rain showers bringing spring wild flowers to Mason Neck State Park, I couldn't resist going to look for early flowers myself.

In honor of the start of Spring, here are a few pictures to wet your appetite for a visit to a Virginia State Park.

Last week I started a weekly series on recommending other great websites for readers of this blog similar to the Twitter tradition called #FollowFriday. Today's recommendation is The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Kiptopeke State Park, Natural Heritage and Chesapeake Bay Foundation teamed together today planting trees and shrubs creating wildlife habitat while conserving natural resources.

Every college student dreams of sandy beaches and warm sunshine for spring break, but there are some that put service to their communities above this thought.

One of our most popular destination parks is Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Fourteen college students from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York are spending a week at Douthat State Park as an alternative spring break volunteering.

Natural Tunnel State Park along with the Daniel Boone Wilderness Road Association and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park will be hosting a 2-day workshop "Skills Along the Wilderness Road."

Twelve college students from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan and seven college students from Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia chose to volunteer

Come and walk in the park. Take a look out on the water and you might see a bald eagle.

My thoughts are turning more and more towards spring and summer. Maybe it's a touch of  spring fever. Growing up in San Diego, I never really experienced the fever until recent years spent in Virginia.

I just read a story that in the toughest of times, Americans are volunteering at a record rate.

Eleven volunteers from the American Hiking Society are working at Douthat State Park this week and have started their first day of trail work.

March brings many things like longer days and more sunshine.  It also means it is spring break time.  One group of college students is spending their spring break at Hungry Mother State Park volunteering.

Normally I like to use a background image on my computer that matches the season.  Here at Mason Neck State Park, I work indoors most of the time but still try to keep my desktop image in tune with the natural world.

Technology has been great in many ways, for instance I'm using it this very moment to communicate to an entire audience of people I don't really know.

Join us at Pocahontas State Park during National Wildlife Week, March 15th –21st, for outdoor nature programs that will introduce you and your family to the wildlife found in the park.

A trip to the beach or manual labor doing work around a Virginia State Park?  That is the choice 19 college students are making for their spring break this year.

Enjoy the outdoors and want to do something new? Now you can enjoy looking for treasures hidden within Kiptopeke State Park as part of the Star Spangled Banner Geotrail.

Two different volunteer groups will be spending a week of their time at Douthat State Park working on a variety of volunteer projects.

Girls weekends are one of my favorite adventures because you never know where you’ll end up or who’ll you’ll meet, which is the fun of the weekend anyway.

My most recent state park visit was to Smith Mountain Lake State Park at the beginning of December.  My husband and I got married on December 5, 2009 and spent our honeymoon at Smith Mountain Lake.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary spring fever is a listless, lazy, or restless feeling commonly associated with the beginning of spring.

Spotsylvania couple active in projects, new technology for state parks here and elsewhere

Traditionally spring break - the week before and after Easter - are busy times in Virginia State Parks.

False Cape State Park is hosting Wild Women Weekend on March 5-7, 2010 at their Environmental Education Center.

False Cape State Park is offering an Winter Woods Walk on Saturday, Feb. 7th from 1pm-4pm.

The Virginia State Parks Office of Volunteer Services is part of the Operations Section that I manage.

Okay so this will probably give away how ancient I am, but when I was a girl Alan Sherman did a song called A Letter From Camp: "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh. Here I am at Camp Granada."

A survey done by the NASPD (National Association of State Park Directors) have shown some great results.

Unfortunately, with all the traveling, shopping, cooking, and general hustle and bustle of the season, families are often too busy to really connect with each other during the holiday season.

I have mentioned before that we are deeply indebted to our volunteers in Virginia State Parks.

Take a Winter Tram Ride to Wash Woods at False Cape State Park.

Discussion between Virgininia State Parks Director Joe Elton and Walter Wright from the Friends of Pocahontas State Park.

How to make a Snow Day Special by having fun outdoors.

Discussion between Virgininia State Parks Director Joe Elton and John Tamminger from the Friends of Hungry Mother State Park.

Several members of the Blue Ridge Foothills and Lakes (BRFAL) Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist Program recently installed new interpretive signs along the Oak Hickory Trail at Fairy Stone State Park.

If you were in Leesylvania State Park on the morning of Saturday, November 21, you might have seen a sight that is increasingly rare these days: children having fun while being active outside.

Regardless of falling temperatures or even falling snow, Mason Neck State Park is a great place to visit in December.

Fairy Stone State Park is truly at a mountain lake. For those flat landers this means trees, wildlife, rocky outcroppings,fresh air and NO SHARKS!

Discussion between Virgininia State Parks Director Joe Elton and Herb Distefano from the Friends of Lake Anna State Park.

The Park Manager at Staunton River State Park tells of how different the park and cabin guests are in the winter verses the rest of the year.

An additional six miles of trail are now open at High Bridge Trail State Park, a perfect place for hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders  to enjoy the beauty of Central Virginia.

Leesylvania Elementary school children were invited to get outside and experience Northern Virginia nature on Nov. 21, 2009 at the Turkey Trot.

Claytor Lake State Park and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are hosting a Youth Deer Hunting Workshop on Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19.

Fall is a gorgeous time to visit Mason Neck State Park.

Take time to read highlights from Tom's visits and to five state Parks on the far west side of the state. This is the last in the series of five articles.

Each year State Park employees, some family members, volunteers and friends of parks get together on the Eastern Shore at Kiptopeke State Park for a very important event, The State Parks Benevolence Fund Fishing Tournament and Raffle.

False Cape State Park invites the entire family for a fun-filled weekend of hiking and exploring Virginia’s Outer Banks while discovering tricks and tips on how to survive in the wilderness.

Johhny Finch, President, Virginia Association for Parks (VAFP) announces rennovation of VAFP website, its new companion virginiaoutdoors.net and dates and location for the 2010 Spring Conference.

Explore what the Virginia State Parks have to offer.

Virginia Beach is a great destination year round and First Landing State Park makes an excellent base for visiting that resort city and the surrounding cities.

Apple Day, a Celebration of Appalachian Heritage at Douthat State Park is just around the corner on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Innovative program that’s getting kids to check their sap buckets before checking their emails.

Virgil S. Possum explores the Virginia State Parks and tells tales of his adventures.

Virginia State Parks soon to launch a great new program “Trail Quest – Explore Virginia State Parks One Step at a Time”.

Summer is the best time of year for star gazing, programs available at Belle Isle State Park.

Pocahontas Premieres featuring Page Wilson with Recklass Abandon, Marna & Macy and Li'l Ronnie and the Grand Dukes

Take a Fall Bird Walk to Celebrate the Fifth Birthday of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail

Virginia State Parks Camping Tips

Virginia is a state literally overflowing with things to do in the outdoors, yet not everyone takes advantage of the opportunities to get outdoors.

Fairy Stones State Park is so named for interesting geological formations

Studies show that children are becoming more disconnected to the outdoors.  Learn about the causes and effects, and what some are doing to reverse the trend.

Kiptopeke will feature the Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival in September, and birdwatchers the world over will be on hand.

Virginia has more national parks and monuments than almost every other state in the U.S., and there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Mathews County, Rebecca Grow

A crew of ten participants were chosen from current high school students 14 to 17 years-old who demonstrated an interest in protecting Virginia’s environment.