At Virginia State Parks you’ll find plenty activities from geocaching to nature programs. Our 35 parks have thousands of campsites, hundreds of cabins, more than 500 miles of trails and convenient access to Virginia’s major waterways. Beaches, picnic shelters, family lodges, meeting facilities, festivals, concerts, nature programs, cultural happenings… the list goes on and on. From Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, there’s something for everyone at Virginia State Parks. Whether you’re after a relaxing picnic or a two-week vacation, leave life’s daily pressures behind and reconnect with nature and your family at a nearby state park.
You have probably already been here, and done this
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THESE THREE AMAZING STATE PARKS?
Daniel Boone Slept here (sort of)
Wilderness Road State Park was purchased in 1993. The park is about 310 acres that lie astride the Wilderness Road, a route carved by Daniel Boone in 1775. The route, which followed a buffalo trace, opened America’s first western frontier. Most notable in the park are the Karlan Mansion built in the 1877, a state-of-the-art visitor center and Martin's Station, a replica of a colonial frontier fort that was near this site in 1775. Click here to visit the Friends of Wilderness Road's website, which provides details about the fort.
Karlan Mansion is unfurnished but may be rented for special events. Bikes can be rented to ride the Wilderness Road Trail, an eight-mile multi-purpose trail that passes through the park. The park also has the Indian Ridge Trail, which is a self-guided trail, and offers interpretive and environmental educational programs. Snacks and other merchandise are available year-round at the Powder Horn Gift Shop in the visitor center.
Click here (PDF) for a two-page brochure that generally describes the park.
Wilderness Road State Park is a unique outdoor living history museum
General Lee's Retreat Driving Tour
Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park is a great place to stop for a picnic lunch because it's midway between Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. There are charcoal grills and picnic tables at the Overton-Hillsman House and the visitor center grounds. The visitor center also has restrooms.
The site is historical because on April 6, 1865, the Black Thursday of the Confederacy, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia lost 7,700 men, including eight generals, in the battles of Sailor's Creek. This defeat was key to Lee's decision to surrender at Appomattox Court House 72 hours later, thus ending the war in Virginia.
Click here to download a brochure that details the battle (PDF).
The Overton-Hillsman House, used as a field hospital during and after the battle, is open to visitors April 1 through Oct. 31, Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. There's no fee for touring the Overton-Hillsman House. Contact the park at 804-561-7510,
sailorscreek@dcr.virginia.gov, to arrange a special tour for large groups during the off-season. The park can also arrange for special tours featuring period costumed interpreters.
The park is a stop on Lee's Retreat Driving Tour, which follows the route of his army from Petersburg to Appomattox Court House. While on the trail, drivers can set the radio to 1610-AM for battle details and descriptions. Learn more about this offering by visiting the
Virginia's Civil War Trails website or calling toll-free 1-888-CIVIL-WAR.
Ambulance at Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park
The Symbol of American Freedom
A designated National Natural Landmark,
Caledon State Park provides visitors the unique opportunity of viewing bald eagles in their natural habitat. Caledon and the surrounding areas are the summer home for one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles on the East Coast. As many as 60 eagles have been spotted on the bluffs overlooking the Potomac River in King George County. Preservation of the national bird's habitat is the primary focus of the park. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of Caledon by hiking and picnicking in a mature forest. Hiking trails in the eagle area are closed April through September to allow young birds undisturbed time to perfect their hunting and fishing skills. Limited tours of the eagle area are offered, however, mid-June through August by reservation only. Park guests can learn more about the natural history of Caledon and the American bald eagle by touring the visitor center.
Kayakers quietly look for eagles at Caledon State Park
If you have not yet been to these parks, add them to your list of must-see state parks in Virginia. We hope you can visit all 35 Virginia State Parks with your family and friends, and make some memories!
