This series will focus on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at our Virginia State Parks. Part 1 asks the question of hours of operation, are parks year-round or seasonal?
ARE VIRGINIA STATE PARKS OPEN YEAR-ROUND?
Yes! Virginia State Parks are open 365 days a year. 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.
In fact, the off-season is a terrific time to rent a cabin, light the fireplace and get away from it all. For those who have birthdays or anniversaries in the winter months, Virginia State Parks are ideal places to celebrate those very special occasions!
You have 35 Virginia State Parks to choose from, click here for a map.
Winter at the beach (Kiptopeke State Park) Photo by Dee
Winter hike at Grayson Highlands State Park
Girls just wanna have fun year-round!
Getting outside is even more important in the cooler months when we tend to lock ourselves inside and hibernate.
While we are open 365 days a year, from time to time weather conditions or storm damage may cause us to close the entire park or parts of the park. Other situations can also close the whole park or certain facilities. For example, when we schedule our managed deer hunts sometimes we close the entire park or sometimes just part of it. The good news is that we post unexpected or planned facility closings on each individual park's web page at the top in a brown box. Calling the park is also a good way to make sure what you want to do is available before you spend significant time on the road to get there.
All parks with cabins have at least some of their cabins open year round. Our camping season is generally March 1 through the first Monday in December but we have some parks that have year round camping. Shenandoah River State Park (between Front Royal and Luray) has a full service campground with water and electric hookups and Hungry Mother State Park's Camp Burson campground with water, electric and some sewer sites are both open year round. Primitive camping is also available year round at False Cape, James River, New River Trail, Shenandoah River and Sky Meadows state parks.
Amenities may vary in different seasons, for example pools and swimming beaches and snack bars that support them are only open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day when there are lifeguards on duty and kids belly flopping from the diving board in the deep end! Likewise boat rentals are limited to times when water temperatures are high enough to avoid hypothermia if our visitors accidentally fall overboard or when demand is sufficient to warrant staff to handle the rentals.
You can search the state park amenities here on the park's website.
- Click here for a PDF of the amenity grid, or use the search feature here.
- Click here to learn more about our state park cabins.
I don't know about you, but I love the water, the sun, the fun outside in the summer months, but I also like it when the mosquitoes are gone, the sunscreen is packed away and I can walk the trails without breaking into a heavy sweat! I love Virginia State Parks in the off season, if you have never been for a picnic or hike when it's cooler; I invite you to give it a try!
VIRGINIA STATE PARKS IS ALL ABOUT FAMILY - FRIENDS - YEAR-ROUND FUN!
