Camping VA

Women’s Wellness Weekend Caters to Mind, Body & Spirit

Friday, March 12, 2010 by Zoe Rogers

Women are looking for affordable vacations where they can leave their hectic lifestyles behind. A three day weekend is just what the mind needs. Women’s Wellness Weekends at Virginia State Parks is just that place; we offer a picturesque setting where women can unwind and regain balance in their lives.

Our wellness weekends offer a wide variety of workshops and outdoor activities for women of all ages. Women participating in the upcoming weekend in April will enjoy activities such as fly fishing, yoga, aromatherapy, hiking, and kayaking.

The weekend begins on Friday, April 23rd with registration at 3 p.m. and ends Sunday, April 25th at noon. And it’s affordable. Share your stay with friends or make new ones. You can also bring you RV or camp in the campground. No matter where you stay you’ll have the opportunity to explore the natural beauty and the scenic views of Fairy Stone State Park. So call your girlfriends and make your plans today. Call our reservation center at 800-933-7275, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit our website at www.virginiastateparks.gov.

If you’re unable to attend this weekend, our next Women’s Wellness Weekend will be held in October at Bear Creek Lake State Park in Cumberland County.

Fairy Stone State Park - Magically Delightful

Friday, March 12, 2010 by Nancy Heltman

Sometimes I marvel at how I get my ideas for blog posts. I get an email with the "Lens of the Day" from Squidoo (neat stuff by the way). Today's title was "Purple Star Awards." I confess I haven't read the post yet but it made me think of Lucky Charms Cereal. Then I thought, "Hey it's almost St. Patrick's Day" and then I decided it was time to do a blog about Fairy Stone. Not sure what this says about my creative process.

The connection between St. Patrick's Day and Fairy Stone is a little more obvious. Fairy Stone State Park is located in Patrick County. Okay, so Patrick County has nothing to do with St. Patrick. Once in Virginia there was a giant county called Patrick Henry County named after that famous Virginia forefather. In 1791 they split the county into Patrick and Henry counties.

In addition to the tenuous "Patrick" connection, the story behind the park's name sake involves fairies and wee people right out of Irish folklore. Fairy Stones are naturally formed staurolite crystals that form cross-like shapes. The Captain John Smith/Pocahontas legend talks about Pocahontas giving Captain John Smith a necklace of lucky fairy stones. Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson as well as Charles Linberg and Thomas Edison reportedly carried the crosses for luck. If you have jewelry made out of the crosses (and we sell some at the park), a lot of work went into making the rough stones into crosses appropriate for jewelry.

While nothing beats a good fairy stone hunt, the real magic of Fairy Stone State Park is the more than 4,600 acres which makes this park an outdoor paradise. The park is situated on Fairy Stone Lake which was created by damming Goblintown Creek. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the park infrastructure and Fairy Stone opened June 15, 1936 as one of the six original Virginia State Parks.

A CCC Log Cabin at Fairystone State Park

Today the park features a campground with great views, twenty-five cabins with some lakefront, a family lodge that sleeps 16 people, Fayerdale Hall Conference Center, and a seasonal swimming beach. There are nine miles of multi-use trail for hiking, biking and horseback riding as well as about six miles of hiking only trail. The 168 acre lake offers great fishing (no gasoline powered boats allowed). The park rents rowboats, paddleboats, kayaks and canoes on a seasonal basis.

The swimming beach is loaded with fun for the kids

For camping and cabin reservations, call our reservation center at 800-933-7275 or book on line.

Picnic on the Potomac

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Cyndi Juarez

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. And this year the symptoms are even stronger than ever. So naturally, I'm thinking more about being outside and to me that means picnics.

My son and I had our first picnic of 2010 just last week-end. It really wasn't much of a picnic we were on the back deck but we were excited just to be outside and not freezing.

One of my favorite picnic spots though just happens to be in a Virginia state park.

Designated as Prince William County’s Most Scenic Spot by a newspaper reader’s poll, Leesylvania State Park exceeds its well deserved reputation. Located just thirty miles south of Washington D. C. and situated on the shores of the mighty Potomac River, Leesylvania is a breathtaking picnicking location.

You can enjoy scenic views of the river from abundant picnic tables in the park’s designated picnic area. The picnic area at Leesylvania offers lots of parking, a fun playground for the children and a shady, quiet respite for all from the busy world.

Free standing grills are located in each of the secluded picnic sites and you will immediately notice the delicious smell of barbecue on warm summer days.

The park also offers picnic shelter rentals for groups wishing to reserve a space in advance. The shelters are very clean and offer a unique location for special events and picnics.

Some park visitors also enjoy hiking the numerous trails in the park and having a relaxing lunch on a trail-side bench.

I often take my lunch to the sandy beach area and watch the birds and boats along the Potomac River.

So start planning your special outings now and wherever you choose to picnic in this beautiful park I am sure you will make memories that will last a lifetime.

Weddings-Wilderness Road Style

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Wilderness Road State Park is about as far as you can go in Virginia without leaving the State. But I can tell you it is well worth the ride, with a reproduction of Martin's Station, a supply fort for many before heading out West into hostile territory. Period actors work their crafts in front of you just as they would have in the 1700's. Park Manager Jon Tustin and his staff have worked very hard to now offer a first rate facility for weddings and receptions. Karlan Mansion built in the 1870's has been restored to some of its' luster of yesteryear. The grounds outside this historic building is a great place for a wedding ceremony with the old Oak trees along the front lawn. Inside there is plenty of room for a nice reception with breathtaking mountain views from the many windows. Best of all, Virginia State Parks remain an affordable family destination.

Nature's Fireworks about to Hit

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

Goodbye Old Man Winter, boy you were tough this year. This past week we got a little taste of spring with temperatures in the 60's and low 70's and it sure felt good. Now we are getting some showers and we all know what that will bring, spring flowers. Some of your earliest blooms are starting to pop up and open like the Crocus. For my money though, I like the trees when they explode like a Forth of July show. Shortly the Redbud with its purple petite flowers and the native dogwoods with their white flowers, will bring a showcase of color to Virginia's woods for all to enjoy. In just a few weeks it will become one of the perfect times to get out to a Virginia State Park for a hike, bike ride, go horseback riding, or just go sit in the warm sun. A great park to go to for a real escape to enjoy the trees is Sky Meadow State Park. Although only a short distance from the hustle of Washington D.C., it truly feels like a getaway. Later this spring they will also have their annual Strawberry Festival, yummy! So go visit Park Manager Skinner and the great staff at the park and enjoy the blossoms of spring.

Park Ranger Geoff Hall

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

In a career that has spanned 24 years since I started with Virginia State Parks, I have worked with a lot of great people. One of the nicest people you could ever encounter is a friend of mine named Geoff Hall at Hungry Mother State Park. I hired Geoff as a seasonal employee back in the 1980's. I left the park and transferred to Mason Neck State Park, while Geoff left the park altogether to pursue other goals in life. About 20 years later at an Employee's Fishing Tournament at Kiptopeke State Park, one of our employees looked at me and said, "you don't remember me do you?" Well the name I may had temporally forgot, but that kind voice and smile were unmistakable. Geoff had come back to Hungry Mother and was now a Park Ranger where it all started for him. I manage our customer service program and I can tell you he gets some of the nicest comments from our visitors. I'm talking the above and beyond kind of acts of kindness that just reinforces what I already knew about my old friend. You are one class act Geoff Hall with a big heart to help your fellow man. Next time you are at Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, VA, stop in and see Geoff and tell Tom sent you.

Soaring with the Eagles

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I just went to check out the "Eagle Cam" that is set up at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens on an active nest. This is really cool and several school groups were checking it out for education. What a great idea. Speaking of great ideas, Virginia State Parks are one of the best interactive classrooms you can go to. Our parks have great environmental educators on site ready to take classes out to learn, or perform interpretive programs for visitors. There are several parks along the Bay that have active Bald Eagle nests and large populations to view. While working at Mason Neck I had the luck of doing an Eagle count from a blind as they came off their roost for the night. In about an hours time, I counted 35 Bald Eagles. Wow, what a treat for a bird lover. Mason Neck has a great guided canoe trip up Kane's Creek during parts of the year that will give you a great chance to see this majestic bird up close, along with other wildlife.

Easter Bunny Hopping To Wilderness Road

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Michael Brindle

Following the overwhelming success of last year’s event, Wilderness Road State Park will host the second annual Easter at Karlan celebration. Colorful eggs will decorate the Karlan Mansion lawn on Saturday, April 3, with children ages 1-10 invited to join the Easter Bunny for a candy-filled Easter egg hunt that highlights an afternoon filled with fun, games and prizes. The event begins at 1:00 pm, with light refreshments to be offered following the egg hunt.

The picturesque Karlan Mansion will provide a spectacular backdrop for the candy-filled egg hunt which begins promptly at 1:15 pm with four age groups providing fair competition for prizes that include chocolate bunnies and Easter baskets loaded with candy. Age groups include: ages 1-2, ages 3-5, ages 6-8 and ages 9-10. The boy and girl from each group finding the special marked egg will receive a chocolate bunny as a prize while the one individual from each group that finds the “lucky” egg will receive the goodie-filled basket. Prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the egg hunt.

“Participants are advised to stick around at the conclusion of the event for the awards ceremony,” stated park concession manager Mike Brindle. “Following the awards, we will have races, games, and more. There will also be a meet and greet with the Easter Bunny, who will be more than happy to pose for photos.”

Games and activities scheduled include: egg toss, egg race, bunny hop race, and crafts with a visit by the Easter Bunny concluding the event.

This program is free of charge, but normal parking rates apply. Pre-registration is required and participants are asked to bring their own basket. For more information, or to register, please call the park office at 276-445-3065 or email us at: WildernessRoad@dcr.virginia.gov. Wilderness Road State Park is located in Ewing, Virginia, less than a 2 hour drive from Knoxville, Kingsport, Bristol and Lexington.

Your Next Family Reunion

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Nancy Heltman

Virginia's State Parks have always been fantastic family vacation spots. The parents can relax and unwind from their normally busy vacations while the kids enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, hiking or a variety of programs offered at the park.

Many parks have water features for swimming and boating fun for the family

What's good for the immediate family is even better for larger family groups. We have families who come to a particular state park year after year or every other year to celebrate their annual family reunions. Twenty-four of our Virginia State Parks have campgrounds for families that enjoy the camping experience. Nineteen parks have comfortable cabins for those family members who prefer a bed, kitchen and bathroom all under the same roof. Thirteen parks now have our family lodges that have five to six bedrooms and sleep 15-18 people (most sleep 16). The family lodges offer large gathering areas where many family members can gather and prepare meals together.

The family sitting down for dinner at the Bear Creek Lake State Park family lodge

Photo by Bill Crabtree Jr., Virginia Tourism Corporation

In the summer, all of our parks offer special programming and events. We are all about catering to our customers, so for a large group you can arrange a special program just for your family group. Hungry Mother and Douthat state parks offer catering for your event and many other parks like Claytor Lake, Twin Lakes, Bear Creek Lake and Westmoreland have meeting facilities you can rent for an event.

Our cabins and lodges do require a week stay during the Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day period. We accept reservations up to eleven months in advance so if you have a big group coming, plan in advance. Normally we require payment in full fourteen days after making a reservation but for a large group with one coordinator, we will make special arrangements if you ask to speak to the Reservation Center or Assistant Manager. Reservations and information are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-933-7275.

Photo by Bill Crabtree Jr., Virginia Tourism Corporation

If you are not sure which park you want to visit, try our new park amenity search.

If you have been coming to Virginia State Parks for years with your family, tell us about it! Add your own blog here. If you have more than one picture, you can email me the others at nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov. If you post your own blog between now and August 31, 2010 you will be eligible for a drawing for a week cabin stay at any of our parks.

Family camping trip at Pocahontas State Park

Full Destination Wedding at Hungry Mother State Park

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Amy Atwood

Your wedding will be a day to cherish forever. A celebration of love in the presence of your family and friends. Hungry Mother State Park is a perfect setting for a romantic, memory filled event. Our 108 acre lake surrounded by mountains and a white sandy beach are two of many locations to choose from. We can accommodate parties from 2 to 300.
Our park provides a full destination wedding site. We can assist you in making arrangements with local photographers, floral designers, and entertainment. Hungry Mother’s cabins and lodges ensure there is ample room available for any size wedding party.

With our full service catering staff, wedding parties can be assured that all of their expectations will be exceeded. Menus include food stations, buffets and elegant dinners. Chef Lisa Mullen’s ability to create and customize any menu just for you is our specialty.
Hemlock Haven Conference Center is a full service wedding destination site located with-in Hungry Mother State Park.

Experience the Beauty and Romance of a Mountain Wedding in Southwest Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

Get an early start and avoid
the last minute rush.
Contact John Stone at 1-276-781-7425
John.Stone@dcr.virginia.com

Your Camera - Don't Leave Home Without It

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by Nancy Heltman

The old American Express slogan "Don't Leave Home Without it" came to mind today when my husband called with the news. He had been on a hike around our neighborhood's nature trail and had foolishly chosen not to bring his camera. He's out on the trail and there is a magnificent bird - a hawk or eagle (neither of us are particularly schooled in bird watching).

Now that my Blackberry has become an appendage, I always have something available to shoot a photo on the fly. In fact, cell phones have done a lot for digital photography (albeit maybe not the highest resolution pictures).

Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about a new partnership that we hope will be making your Virginia State Park visits more memorable. This partner is WildObs. Wildobs is a great database designed for outdoor lovers to post pictures of wildlife they observe. It is also a really cool way to find the best places to spot various types of wildlife. Our staff are loading up existing pictures of wildlife in our parks and are anxious to start having new encounters and posting them. For example, I just checked out the recent post section on the site and found this posting from Hungry Mother State Park.

Our webmaster is going to be adding a widget to all of our park pages that will show some recent observations and link to the whole list of what has been reported at the park. Soon I hope we will have pages like this one from Smith Mountain Lake State Park for all our parks.

We need your help! Sign up for WildObs and the next time you are in one of our parks, snap a shot of the wildlife and upload it. You guessed it - there's an app for that - for the IPhone and Clones. On my Blackberry I can use the regular site since it is optimized for web based phones. Or, take your high quality pictures and upload them when you get home. Your account becomes your permanent record of wildlife observations. Who needs a notebook?

Albino Deer at Staunton River State Park

Oh, if you are not so great with wildlife identification (like my husband and I), no worries. Go ahead and post that shot of the eagle or hawk or whatever it was. You can even ask the WildObs community to help you with the identification.

New Virginia State Parks Guide Available

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Nancy Heltman

Remember that scene in Steve Martin's movie The Jerk -- the one where he gets the new phone book (where he would be listed for the very first time) and runs around yelling "The new phone book is here - the new phone book is here?" As a kid I was always like that when the phone book came out - I just had to look up our listing. As an adult, I have gotten past the thrill of being listed in the phone book. But, I confess I still feel that excitement when our new Virginia State Parks Guide comes out each year.

A lot goes into this publication each year. We call it the #1 brochure in house. Once upon a time we had a #2 and a #3 but with the internet, the need for those publications declined over the years. We use our color brochure primarily for the Virginia Welcome Centers and various Tourism offices and libraries around the state. Our web content is far more thorough than anything we could ever print and distribute, so we use this brochure as a teaser publication to get folks inspired in learning more about Virginia State Park.

We are part of a larger agency, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and we share our graphic designed with the rest of the Agency. Esther Zabronsky is very talented and has, as usual, outdone herself with this edition. A lot of the credit also goes to Jim Meisner, our Public Relations Specialist, who serves as the project manager, works on theme ideas, edits the copy, and creates the copy for the middle four pages. He also holds our feet to the fire to meet the deadlines for content and review.

Facebook and Twitter followers - you may recall that sometime last fall I asked for you to share the reasons you love Virginia State Parks. Throughout this year's Guide you will see some of the comments we received from this request.

We are already planning for next year's guide. Since it's our 75th anniversary, the theme is pretty easy. What we need from you is some good content about how you have enjoyed Virginia's state parks over the years. The best way to share it with us is through posting your own blog by clicking here. You can even add a picture. If you have more pictures you want to add to your "post" you can email them to me at nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov. If you contribute to the blog before August 31, 2010, you will be eligible for a drawing for a week's cabin stay.

Hungry Mother State Park Hosts Alternative Spring Break Group

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Amy Atwood

Grand Valley State University ASB group at Hungry Mother State Park

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. They are a part of Grand Valley State University’s Alternative Spring Break program. The school is located in Allendale, Michigan.

Lunch with Hungry Mother State Park staff and Friends of Hungry Mother.

After a first morning of orientation, the group was treated to a potluck lunch hosted by the park staff and Friends of Hungry Mother. After lunch the work began. Some of the projects the crew will be working on are creating fish habitat by tying cinderblocks to old Christmas trees, help the Friend of Hungry Mother pick-up trash along Hwy 16 leading into the park. & to help the park to prepare for the busy season. Their evenings are spent soaking up local culture and attractions. They will spend one afternoon exploring Grayson Highlands State Park.

Alterative Spring Break is designed to give students opportunities to reach out to help people in different parts of country by serving with various types of organizations. The students pay all the expenses for the trip and come to lend a helping hand. Especially during these economic times, volunteers make a huge contributions to Virginia State Parks. Many things would not happen without the effort of volunteers.

Thank you, Grand Valley State University for choosing to spend your Spring Break at Hungry Mother State Park.

American Hiking Society Volunteering at Douthat State Park

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Jaimie Lomasney

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

The group of volunteers were split up into two groups to install new trail signs throughout the park. One group started at the intersection of Brushy Hollow Trail and Flat Run Trail and the other group started off of Guest Lodge Trail onto Mountain Side Trail. All volunteers will do an extensive amount of hiking this week.

Douthat State Park employees John Nicely and David Reynolds are leading the group this week through the volunteer projects.

Park Ranger John Nicely and Volunteer leveling trail sign

A lot of the volunteers have previously participated in American Hiking Society volunteer trips in the past. The group ranges from 21-years-old to 62-years-old.

Volunteers installing trail sign at Flat Run and Brushy Hollow Intersection

The group of volunteers consist of: Brad and Jeanie Newcomer from Hagerstown, Md.; Brian Merrill from Depew, N.Y.; Caroline Neff from Fairfield, Ill.; Dan Krull from Washington, Va.; Greta Steber from Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Sandra Hart from Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Jenna MacFarlene from Charlotte, N.C.; Thomas Jones from Hawley, Pa.; Libby Wile from Arlington, Va.; and Tina Temple from Owensboro, Ky.

Any one interested in volunteering at Douthat State Park needs to contact the main office at 540-862-8100.

For general park information go to www.virginiastateparks.gov, contact the park office at 540-862-8100 or email Douthat State Park at Douthat@dcr.virginia.gov. Douthat is located at 14239 Douthat State Park Road, Millboro, Va. 24460.

Finished trail sign - the first of the day!

Have you Volunteered Lately?

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Tom Cervenak

I just read a story that in the toughest of times, Americans are volunteering at a record rate. Hearing this makes me very proud to be an American. There is something in us that wants to help those less fortunate or just to pitch in and make our community a better place to live in. I myself give a lot of time to the Boy Scouts and community service projects. Virginia State Parks has a great volunteer program and if you wish, you can work in some of the most beautiful places in the State.

Although most volunteers don't do it for rewards, the park system does have great benefits that range from parking passes to a weeks stay in one of their lovely cabins. So now that the weather is getting nice, why don't you think about getting out of the house and going down to your nearest State Park and become a volunteer. Go ahead make a difference, it will feel GOOD!

2010 Douthat State Park Arts and Crafts Fair Accepting Applications

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Jaimie Lomasney

Douthat State Park is now accepting applications for The Twelfth Annual Douthat Arts and Crafts Fair on July 31, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Last year we had 53 spaces registered for in advance with a total of 47 vendors show up for the fair, which was our highest turnout ever.

With the popularity of Douthat's Arts and Crafts Fair the park has decided to move the event to the Discovery Center to allow for more room. This will provide more room, parking, shade and a grassy area for the vendors convenience. Vendors also have the opportunity to buy a booth space with electricity this year, something not done before.

There are several options for booths this year. A single booth is a $20 for a 15' wide x 10' deep space. A single booth with electricity is $35. A double booth is $40 for a 30' wide x 10' deep, and a double booth with electricity is $55.

It is recommended to bring a pop-up tent to set up due to the outside setting. If you visit http://www.douthatspeed.org/artscft.htm you can find a vendor application along with a set of terms and conditions and information about the day on the website.

If you are just interested in attending please come out for the event. Admission is free, but there is a $3 parking fee per vehicle.

So, if you are an Arts and Crafts person and are interested in any way in having a booth at Douthat State Park’s event please let Jaimie Lomasney know at 540-862-8100 or Jaimie.Lomasney@dcr.virginia.gov.

New Cabins Go On Sale March 12

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Nancy Heltman

We are excited to announce that our brand new cabins at Shenandoah River State Park will be available for reservations starting March 12 at 9 a.m.

Since the cabins are still under construction, we will take reservations for July 15, 2010 forward. We hope they will be finished and ready for occupancy sooner and when we know a definite date we will back date the opening.

Shenandoah River State Park is located on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River approximately twenty minutes south of Front Royal, Virginia. The park will have a six-bedroom family lodge (sleeps 16), one three-bedroom cabin (sleep 8) and nine two-bedroom cabins (sleep 6). Cabins will offer a fantastic mountain view. Shenandoah River State Park is located near the start of the Skyline Drive, part of Shenandoah National Park.

See my previous posts, My Visit to Shenandoah River State Park (Parts One, Two and Three), or Cyndi's post Discover Shenandoah River State Park.

We are building new cabins at Natural Tunnel and Douthat state parks as well but the winter weather have set those projects back such that we do not have a comfortable date to use for future reservations.

These new cabins are part of the 2002 State Park and Natural Area Bond. While these cabins are not yet complete, they are our new cabin design. Bear Creek Lake, Claytor Lake, James River, Kiptopeke and Occoneechee state parks have similar cabins. The cabins also feature our Legacy Line of furniture designed in conjunction with Virginia Correctional Enterprises. Our goal was attractive, comfortable and long lasting furniture and comments from our guests indicate we were successful.

All Virginia State Park cabins have a two night minimum. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, we have a week stay requirement. If cabins are not booked for a week stay a month prior to the date of arrival, we allow the two night minimum. At this time you can only book for less than a week in the summer season through the reservation center.

Reservations will be accepted for these new facilities starting a 9 a.m. on March 12, 2010 through our Reservation and Information line at 800-933-7275 or on line.