Virginia State Parks received 221,132 hours of time from more than 8,000 volunteers in 2024. Every year parks have the opportunity to nominate volunteers for the annual Volunteer of the Year awards. Read who won this year and why.

Virginia is home to five International Dark Sky Parks, four of which are state parks. They earned their designations from DarkSky International for their exceptional quality of starry nights. However, light pollution is a growing concern.

Virginia Screen-Free Week, occurring from April 13-19, 2025, encourages individuals and families to unplug from screens and explore Virginia's state parks.

Join Sky Meadows for the inaugural Stars & Guitars event on Saturday, April 19. What better way to celebrate Earth Day and Global Astronomy Month than an evening of music under the stars surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors?

Sky Meadows State Park is known for its panoramic vistas of the surrounding pastoral landscape and offers several hiking trails that take you to some of these famous overlooks.

For a park that has been a part of the Virginia State Parks system for more than 40 years and a working farm for more than 200 years, Sky Meadows State Park is keeping things fresh with a new trail and an addition to the campground.

Ever wonder what activities your kids or grandkids may enjoy during a Virginia State Parks visit? Hattie (age 12) and Cam (age 11) share their favorite experiences over the years. Spoiler alert: there are fun opportunities for all ages!

Kerry O'Neil serves as the Piedmont Region Resource Specialist with Virginia State Parks. She initially dreamed of various careers but found her passion for resource management through her experiences visiting Virginia State parks.

For outdoor enthusiasts, and for those seeking to try something new this Valentine's Day, Sky Meadows State Park could be the romantic getaway you are looking for.

Interviewing Master Hiker Jessica Hairfield on her experience with Trail Quest. Jessica is a trail runner who ran on the trails during most of her park visits. She shares her experiences, her favorite parks to trail run at and advice for new runners.