Law Enforcement Officers hold training at Douthat State Park.

Day two kicked off with fire arms qualification at a local area outdoor range, with a backstop, which is a devise constructed to stop rounds after they are fired from a weapon.  

The last time I was at this range was during the Women’s Wellness Weekend in September 2011.  We offered fire arms to the women as a class option, but I will say the atmosphere was a tad different this time around. 

I think the seriousness of fire arms speaks for itself.  It is a loaded weapon and when misused could cause some serious damage.  The best and brightest law enforcement fire arm instructors for Virginia State Parks were supervising these employees.

When I arrived at the shooting range during in-service training an employee was qualifying behind the yard line.  Every employee had to stand behind this parallel line while discharging rounds from his or her gun.  Each person had a certain number of rounds to fire from his or her weapon within a certain time period. 

Fire Arms Qualification during in-service.

Law enforcement officers must qualify once a year with their weapon as mandated by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 

Today was the day I observed and didn’t open my mouth too much.  The tone for the day was somber with little room for joking.  I was quite impressed with how everyone handled themselves.  Law Enforcement officers with Virginia State Parks take firearm safety serious to provide protection to themselves and the public.

Virginia State Parks is state accredited law enforcement agency.

Did you know our 35 state parks are open 365 days a year? You can also find detailed information about our trails including maps with GPS way points and video guides by clicking here and selecting the park of interest.

For more information on Douthat or any of Virginia’s 35 award winning state parks click here or call toll-free 1-800-933-PARK.

Contact the park office directly at 540-862-8100 or e-mail Douthat State Park.  Douthat is located at 14239 Douthat State Park Road, Millboro, VA 24460. 

Francis Wood, a local story teller, radio personality, and award winning author born in Farmville, Virginia writes and publishes his own wild tales.

From the tales of the tree climbing Indian Chadega to the touching Christmas story of a certain wooden bell, Francis Wood has been delighting readers for years with his wholesome and natural, down-home tales of nature and caring. Francis is a local story teller, radio personality, and award winning author born in Farmville, Virginia who writes and publishes his own wild tales.

Last summer guests of Twin Lakes State Park, located in historic Green Bay, Virginia, were lucky enough to be witness to Mr. Wood’s amazing stories come to life in a regular program called Tales & Traditions where Francis retold stories of mother nature and his own tales of adventures in the great outdoors.  Pulling from his own life growing up in Brunswick County, Francis strives to teach and tell stories of nature and the beauty around us. On his website Francis says:

“I loved the forests and the river and felt a kinship with nature at an early age, which I've retained throughout my life. Many of my stories come from my past… I write about the things I know. It's not forced at all. Just real natural. When you are quiet you notice things around you.”

Francis currently has 22 books on sale for readers to enjoy, including his newest release The Toy Maker’s Son, and the 3 volume series of the The Nikpins.

Not only will one of Francis’ stories be the highlight of the Twin Lakes’ Story Hike for National Kids to the Parks Day on May 19th, 2012, at 11 a.m., but Twin Lakes is pleased to welcome back Mr. Wood this summer for several Tales & Traditions programs, the first of which will be on May 26th, 2012, at 6 p.m.

Francis, and the rest of the park, would love nothing more than to have you join us for an evening of amazing stories. You never know, maybe it will inspire a few adventures of your own. Click here to view some of Francis Wood's books.

Twin Lakes State Park is the perfect setting for park visitors to hear Francis Wood's stories of nature and the beauty around us.

For more information on Francis’ visits, or about other park programs, click here, or don’t hesitate to call our main office at 434-392-3435 or email us.

The park is located near Farmville, about an hour southwest of Richmond. To get there, take U.S. 360 West of Burkeville to Route 613. Then go east on Route 629.

Drive Time :Northern Virginia, three to four hours; Richmond, one to one and a half hours; Tidewater/ Norfolk/ Virginia Beach, two and a half to three hours; Roanoke, three hours.

Sometimes birds and cats just don't get along

Being a cat owner and bird lover are not two mutually exclusive states of being.  Much controversy swirls around about whether domestic cats should have access to the outdoors, especially with respect to bird populations.  While I see both points of view, there are some particular cautions cat owners and bird lovers can take during spring and fall bird migrations.

Hundred of thousands of birds travel through Central and coastal Virginia during their annual spring and fall migrations.  This large swatch of "migratory pathway" from Florida to Canada is called the Atlantic Flyway.  Virginia sits smack in the middle of it--which means cats that live in Virginia can significantly impact the bird population!  .

This cat is ready to pounce!

Cats are instinctively nocturnal.  They prefer to hunt at dusk, throughout the night, and in the early dawn.  While it is best to keep your domestic cat indoors--extending their lifespan and protecting birds--it doesn't always work.  If your cats need to spend time both indoors and outdoors, I recommend that you keep them indoors at the very least from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.  There are several types of cat doors and cat windows with locking mechanisms that have enter and/or exit only settings, timers, and ID systems.  Outdoor cat owners should NEVER hang bird feeders!  Remember, some municipalities require cats to be on leashes at all times.

Under no circumstances should you feed stray cats.  While it seems the humane thing to do, you are prolonging their suffering and making them dependent on an unpredictable food source.  While stray cats kill many birds--sometimes the birds end up injuring the cats.  The best thing to do is either trap the stray animal and adopt it or trap the animal and place it with your local SPCA for evaluation and adoption. 

This cat has "tipped" ears most likely due to bird attack.  

If you are camping with your cat at one of our Virginia State Parks, we highly recommend that you keep your cat inside your RV.  We do not recommend tent camping with cats.  Feral cats that invade our parks often start out as domestic pets that escaped from their camping families.  While our job is to protect wildlife, we also want to protect your pet, too.  Keep them home or inside your RV so they don't fall prey to larger predators such as bobcats, bears, or eagles.

The American Bird Conservancy has excellent downloadable materials about the Cats Indoors campaign and the impacts domestic and stray cats can have on wildlife populations. 

His support made it possible for the park to buy replica civil war “gum” blankets to use when sitting on hillside lecture and demonstration sites during visits to the state park, where the last major battle of the civil war in Virginia was fought.

Mark Day Vice Commander of the Chesapeake Department of the
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

His generosity helps to preserve the landscape for the park by enabling portable and mobile “seating” for young visitors who, as a result leave, no lasting environmental footprint of their visit, because permanent seating construction is no longer required for school visits.

Mr. Day is currently chair of the history department at Liberty High School in Bedford, VA, where he has taught for the last 17 years. There he has earned numerous awards and recognitions for his outstanding teaching, including multiple awards of Who’s Who in American Education.

The 20-year U.S. Navy combat veteran, who retired after 20-years of honorable service in 1995, has been highly active in educational, cultural, and historical circles in Virginia, as well.

The park's staff and living historians offer educational programs, whether historical, nature or environmental, to park visitors throughout the year.

He has chaired the Lynchburg Civil War Roundtable, consulted on movie and film treatments of the American Civil War, guest spoke at Thomas Jefferson’s tomb at Monticello, and has been active in both public and community college education performance evaluation, applying his expertise as a “U.S. veteran crossover teacher” of distinction.

He has also been or continues to be a living historian in at least three different American Civil War reenactment units, embracing both sides of the conflict.

Virginia State Parks and especially Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park are deeply grateful for Mr. Day’s support and the support of others who donate their money and time to park education programs.

Donations similar to Mr. Day's and others help preserve the landscape of the park.

Other contributions to this unusual Blue-Gray effort in support of park education included the generous support of Lee Scouten, of the Virginia Society, Military Order of the Stars and Bars; Munsey Moore, Commander of the Colonel Thomas H. Williamson Chapter of the Military Order of Stars and Bars, and Greg Eanes, long time Friend of Sailor’s Creek and distinguished member of several American Civil War Societies, who prompted this particular campaign to support education programs at Sailor’s Creek.

The purpose of Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historical State Park is to preserve the cultural landscape as it was in 1865, and to provide historic setting to tell the story of the last major battle of the Civil War in Virginia, before the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s Army at Appomattox Courthouse, and its impact on the citizens of Southside Virginia. Both the state park and the Overton-Hillsman Farm House Museum are on the National Register of Historical Places and listed as a National Historic Landmark.

For more information on the park and their education programs, click here or contact the park’s visitor center at 804-561-7510 or by email. 

The park is located at 6541 Saylers Creek Road, Rice, Va. From U.S. 460, take Route 617 (Saylers Creek Rd.) to Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park. From U.S. 360, take State Route 307 (connecting highway between U.S. 360 and U.S. 460) to Route 617 North (Saylers Creek Rd.).

Drive Time :Northern Virginia, three to three and a half hours; Richmond, one to one and a half hours; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, two and a half to three hours; Roanoke, two hours.

Each Friday night between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the park welcomes regional musicians to the park to showcase their talents. You are invited to join us - the first concert is scheduled for May 25, 2012!  

Music programs are available to many of the VA State Parks

Here is the lineup for the 2012 Music in the Park at Hungry Mother State Park: 

May

25

Night Crossing

June

1

The Leigh Beamer Duo

8

Pointer Brothers

15

JAM-Oldgrass

22

TBA

29

Tim Seaman

July

6

Jim Lloyd

13

Bill & Maggie Anderson

27

Raisin Cain

Aug

3

Sweet Wednesday

10

TrueGrass

17

Valley Grass

24

Supper Break

31

Night Crossing

Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. behind the Restaurant at Hungry Mother in the gazebo. The concerts are free but donations to the Friends of Hungry Mother are appreciated. All money donated to the Friends of Hungry Mother goes back into the park to support the park’s mission.

Local talent is highlighted at Music in the Park at Hungry Mother

The Music in the Park schedule is subject to change, so please contact the park office to confirm the schedule before heading out.

Spend the day or the night at Hungry Mother State Park! Learn more about overnight accommodations on our website here.

Hungry Mother State Park, 2854 Park Blvd., Marion, Va. 24354-9323; phone, (276) 781-7400; email hungrymother@dcr.virginia.gov. Visit our website here.

Park Manager, Doug Graham and I visited the campground with intentions to support and get to know our friendly neighbors. We met with co-owner, Kristy Bazzanella, as she gave us a tour of the campground and everything they have to offer. With access to the lake and beautifully maintained facilities, we highly recommend this campground to those looking for an affordable family getaway.

This cabin has a kitchen, bathroom, electricity, including heat and A/C.

There are a variety of campsites to accommodate everything from tent camping to large trailers and RVs. Fully equipped cabins are available to rent, or complete hookups with spacious wooded campsites for your popup or tent camping experience. A Laundromat, bathhouse with hot showers, recreation hall, camp store, playground, picnic pavilions and even a miniature golf course, ensures you'll have everything you need at your fingertips.

Private and wooded campsites

Christopher Run offers plenty of social activities, incase you're looking for entertainment or a chance to meet other campers. Planned events are held throughout the season including cocktail parties, Fourth of July fireworks, DJ dances, karaoke, kid-friendly competitions and lots of other special weekend activities- check here to see what they're all about! 

With water access to the lake being a major draw for boat lovers, the campground's six boat ramps make for a quick easy launch. There's a 50 wet-slip marina with dry storage and inside/outside storage (check rates here). Complimentary boat tie-ups are offered so you can let your mind rest at ease while enjoying your time with the family.  If you don't own a boat, don't worry! Canoes, kayaks, hydro-bikes and V-hulls are available to rent by the hour, or by the day. For safety, a roped off area for swimming only is also on site. Fishing piers with a live bait shop at the camp store, is available for your added convenience.

Picnic pavilions are available to rent

Not only were Doug and I impressed with how meticulously maintained the campground was, but also with how many activities and things there are to do! The staff and campers were very friendly, and courteous, all the while enjoying their stay. Jean and daughter Kristy Bazzanella, are a family owned private campground that comes very highly recommended for families with children of all ages. To find out more on this campground or to make reservations click here. Ask about Senior Citizen discounts, Good Sam and AAA rates before booking your reservation. You may also obtain a Virginia Campground Directory by clicking here, which lists other camping opportunities in Virginia including Virginia State Parks. 

Stay in a state park cabin or family lodge, experience all the color and majesty Spring offers at Virginia State Parks, and save money while you're at it!

Make a new reservation for a stay between now and May 24 and save 25 percent off all Sunday through Thursday cabin rentals! Act now, time is running out!

Call 800-933-7275 and use the special code WTRCPN to redeem your special savings today.

Please click here for cabin rental rates. Click here to check on availability and to reserve online or call 800-933-7275 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Two bedroom cabin at Douthat State Park

It's time to sit a spell

Cabins and family lodges

Climate-controlled cabins are available at Bear Creek Lake, Chippokes Plantation, Claytor Lake, Douthat, Fairy Stone, First Landing, Hungry Mother, James River, Lake Anna, Natural Tunnel, Occoneechee, Shenandoah River, Smith Mountain Lake, Staunton River, Twin Lakes and Westmoreland state parks. Cabin sizes and sleeping arrangements vary by park.

Click here for photos of Virginia State Park cabins, which vary greatly from park to park. Note that not all of the cabins pictured on Flickr may be rented. Many are historical features.

All cabins have kitchens and bathrooms. Furnishings and equipment include simple furniture, microwave, refrigerator, oven, dishes, cooking utensils, silverware, kitchen towels and glassware. Bath towels and bedroom linens, including mattress covers, pillows, blankets, sheets and pillow cases, also are included.

All cabins except those at Chippokes Plantation State Park and Twin Lakes State Park's Hill Lodge and Martin Cottage have fireplaces. Cabins at Smith Mountain Lake have wood stoves.

Click the park name below to learn more about that park, overnight accommodations, hiking, biking, and events:

Bear Creek Lake (BC)
Belle Isle (BI)
Breaks Interstate (BR)
Caledon Natural Area (CA)
Chippokes Plantation (CP)
Claytor Lake (CL)
Douthat (DO)
Fairy Stone (FS)
False Cape (FC)
First Landing (FL)
Grayson Highlands (GH)
High Bridge Trail (HB)
Holliday Lake (HL)
Hungry Mother (HM)
James River (JR)
Kiptopeke (KP)
Lake Anna (LA)
Leesylvania (LE)
Mason Neck (MN)

Natural Tunnel (NT)
New River Trail (NR)
Occoneechee (OC)
Pocahontas (PO)
Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historic (SC)
Shenandoah River Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. (SH)
Shot Tower (ST)
Sky Meadows (SK)
Smith Mountain Lake (SM)
Southwest Virginia Museum Historical(SW)
Staunton River (SR)
Staunton River Battlefield (SB)
Tabb Monument
Twin Lakes (TL)
Westmoreland (WE)
Wilderness Road (WR)
York River (YR)

For my family, Virginia’s state parks have been a constant.  The girls have never known a time when Hungry Mother State Park was not in their life.  In fact, two of the three girls actually lived in the park during their childhood.  So, it didn’t really surprise me that the park is where our 19 year old wanted to go on her first weekend home from college. 

She and her daddy took off (with our dog) to Molly’s Knob in the park.  Molly’s Knob is one of the most popular but strenuous trails at Hungry Mother.  But a hike is never too strenuous to take pictures (it is a wonderful excuse to stop and get your breath too).  The afternoon was a get way for the two to reconnect after her first year away from home.  What a way to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Starting the hike to Molly's Knob

Time spent together is never wasted!

And the view is unbelievable...

Hungry Mother State Park, 2854 Park Blvd., Marion, Va. 24354-9323; phone, (276) 781-7400; email hungrymother@dcr.virginia.gov. Learn more about park offerings by calling 1-800-933-PARK or email resvs. Be sure to specify the park of interest.

‘National Kids to Parks Day’ is intended to encourage children and their parents to spend more time outdoors. Children spend less and less time playing outside and just being kids. Lack of a connection with nature and outdoor free play have been linked in studies to everything from the obesity crisis to attention deficit disorders.

Events include hay rides at Caledon Natural Area and Occoneechee State Park, special kids activities at the Douthat Lake Run Car Show in Douthat State Park and a Swamp Stomp at Staunton River Battlefield State Park.

Hungry Mother and Grayson Highlands state parks will celebrate the opening of their TRACK Trail programs, featuring family-friendly trails that use colorful signs and fun activities to introduce children to nature. Claytor Lake State Park also offers a TRACK Trail. The TRACK Trail program is part of the Kids in Parks Initiative sponsored by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.

Other special activities include a ‘Story Hike’ at Twin Lakes State Park and bird Olympics at First Landing State Park, as well as crafts, guided hikes and geo-caching in other parks across the state.

For a complete list of events, vist: http://1.usa.gov/IFd6NO.

National Kids to Parks Day has been endorsed by Department of the Interior's Youth in the Great Outdoors, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association, Western Governors' Association, Children's National Medical Center, Boy Scouts of America, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, America's State Parks, National Recreation and Park Association, Children & Nature Network, and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition in support of the First Lady's Let's Move Outside! initiative.