National Parks in Virginia

It's hurricane season so it seems prudent to take the time to explain one of the less pleasant decisions we have to make - when and how to decide to close a park for severe weather.


From the first hint that a Hurricane or significant weather event is heading our way, Virginia's Department of Emergency Management scheduled conference calls for Federal, State and Local officials and major utility providers to discuss preparedness for the storm.


From our perspective, the safety of our visitors is of paramount concern and Virginia State Parks has an official policy that helps us decide when it is prudent to close our facilities. In other words, when we decide we need to make our overnight and day guests leave the park. We do not make the decision lightly, but you can see with the policy, below, that we have well defined parameters for making that call.

Our official call to close a park or facilities is the trigger for when we waive cancellation fees. Prior to that determination, guests are free to cancel using our standard cancellation policy. You can always check the current conditions on the NOAA weather site.

Sometimes our guests have been upset that we have closed the park and sent them away from a place to stay with nowhere for them to go. However, our decision is always based on our determination that it is UNSAFE to be in the park under the forecasted conditions. Our goal is to provide the most accurate and advance notification within reason and to notify customers in advance of their arrival whenever possible. It is important that guests provide us with email addresses or multiple contact phone numbers so we can reach them in advance of their departure.

To help get the information about park closings to customers without the need for everyone to call our Reservation line, we have instituted a new emergency bulletin system. If there is urgent information like whole park closures or specific facility closures, there will be a brown box close to the top of a park's webpage (see arrow in the picture below) with "Click here to read an urgent message about this park." If you click that link you will be directed to a page with the current information.



We hope this new alert system will enable our visitors to know about any possible closings or issues that may impact their overnight stay or day visit before they leave their house.

The last thing we ever want to do is ruin someone's vacation or park visit, especially since some of these trips are planned eleven months in advance. But there is nothing like a tree falling through your tent or cabin to do just that not to mention potential life threatening events. And, yes the forecasts can be wrong but our intent is always to err on the side of caution when it comes to your safety!

This is the last big weekend of the summer.  Still time for you to visit and enjoy spending some time at a Virginia State Park!   Like this young lady from Rocky Mount Virginia and her guide "The Shenandoah Rover" did at Shenandoah River State Park.



The park is 1,604 acres with 5.6 miles of river frontage along the south fork of the Shenandoah River. The rolling, mountainous land features steep slopes and is mostly wooded. In addition to meandering river frontage, the park offers scenic vistas overlooking Massanutten Mountain to the west and Shenandoah National Park to the east.

Park Size: 1,604 acres, 5.6 miles of river frontage along the south fork of the Shenandoah River. About 140 acres are pastoral.  There is no boat launch, but there is a canoe put in spot with ample parking.

Shenandoah River State Park has 11 brand new cabins, a primitive campground right beside the river, an incredible new RV campground with full hook ups and even camping cabins for you to enjoy!  You can reserve your spot on line today or call 1-800-933-PARK for your Virginia State Parks experience.


Other features at this amazing Virginia State Park is a brand new state-of-the-art visitor center with LEED certification, picnic shelters, hiking, biking and horseback trails and plenty of parking.  Don't miss the view from the lookout near the Visitor Center, especially at sunset or sunrise, it is spectacular!

There is so much to love at Virginia State Parks - I dare you to prove me wrong!

Big Country 101 Annual Back to School Beach Bash was held on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, beginning at 11 a.m. at Douthat State Park.

The day was a big success at Douthat’s beach complex.  To kick off the morning at 11 a.m. was the hula hoop contest.  Third place was 33-year-old Amanda Hart from Roanoke, second place was 16-year-old Joe Brendel from Highland County, and first place was 10-year-old Lindsay Gunsallus from Charlottesville.  All contestants hula-hooped under three minutes.

The toilet paper toss started around 11:30 a.m.  Guests had to throw 12 rolls of toilet paper while his or her partner caught it blindfolded while sitting on the toilet.  First place was a tie with both teams catching eight rolls: Tom Mahr and son Nicholas Mahr from Washington D.C. and Joey Brendel from Highland County and friend Kyle Judy from Pendleton County.

Lunch was served at noon with 300 hot dogs donated from U.S. Food Services.

At 1 p.m. the limbo contest took place with 16-year-old Joey Brendel winning from Highland County.

The sand sculpture contest was judged and third place went to Lilly and Erin Brendel who built a sea turtle, second place was Megan Safara who built a shark, and first place was Katie Niebuhr who also built a sand shark. 

The day came to an end with the Cardboard Boat Regatta.  The boats were first judged for Best in Show.  Jeff, Lora, Madison, and Hailey Flint from Fishersville won Best in Show by creating a Hokie Boat.

First place in the boat race for the second year in a row was Logan Gunsallus from Charlottesville, Va. 

Second place in the boat race was Taylor Hubbard and third place was Paxton Jolly.

First National Bank and McDonald’s along with U.S. Food Services helped sponsor the event.

There were 364 guests who bought swim passes for Saturday and 12 boats entered in the Card Board Boat Regatta.

For more information click here, 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.

Overnight reservations can also be made by calling 1-800-933-PARK (7275) or by booking on line.

I had one of those dream childhood experiences - I had my own horse. In my memories my horse, named King (yes, after the horse in the National Velvet TV series) looked like the TV King or Black Beauty or Flicka of some other beautiful stallon. In truth he was a little sway back and deathly afraid of tractors (I have the scars to prove that).

Back then, there was still lots of farmland in Williamsburg and even Hampton and we could find a farm (not a boarding stable) to keep my horse. My dad had lots of friends.

Today, people who own horses either have some land of their own or board their horses somewhere. And regardless, it is not easy to find places to go riding. The places in Williamsburg and Hampton where I used to ride on farms have long ago been turned into housing developments.

What many people may not know is that many Virginia State Parks offer multi-use trails that are suitable for horses. We also have several parks where you can bring your horse and camp overnight. We have one park where we operate a horse livery where you can take a horseback ride even if you don't own a horse.


If you use our cool amenity search tool on our website and click "Equestrian" under trails, you will get a list of all the parks by region in the state that offer horse trails or access to horse trails directly from the park. The Virginia Outdoors website lists the parks with equestrian trails and also lists other public lands that feature equestrian or multi-use trails through their partnership with the Virginia Horse Council. Before traveling a distance to visit a park for equestrian use, I recommend you call the park and verify that the trails are open. After significant rain, the trails may be too dangerous for equestrian use.

We have campsites that allow visitors to camp with their horses at Grayson Highlands, New River Trail (Cliffview), Occoneechee and James River state parks. New equestrian campgrounds are in the construction phase at Douthat, Fairy Stone, Staunton River, and James River state parks.


New River Trail State Park offers a horse livery so you can take a trail ride on one of the park's horses. The livery is open from the first weekend in April through the end of October. Call (276) 699-2460 for details.

So, if you have horse and will travel, be sure and check out riding and camping opportunities at Virginia's state parks. For camping reservations, call 800-933-7275.

By Taylor Thorp, Cove Ridge Center Director, Natural Tunnel State Park

This past June, 7 students and 2 staff left the Cove Ridge Center at Natural Tunnel State Park, heading off on the annual Virginia Is For Students Tour 2010. It’s a trip that’s been done before, visiting sites such as coastal Virginia during the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, as well as Chincoteague, False Cape, touring Washington, D.C., and visiting 9 Virginia State Parks in 1 week! But this year marked something different … something that hasn’t been done before in the history of Virginia Is For Students.


This year, the students followed in the footsteps of the American Civil War, from events that helped trigger it, to the first major land battle, to the site of some of the most important moments, and to the site of the surrender of Confederate forces that marked the end of the war. This year, the Virginia Is For Students Tour was planned around the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War – the 150th Anniversary.


So what is the Virginia Is For Students Tour, you ask? That’s easy – it’s a multi-day, overnight, educational and adventure touring program that focuses on the recreational and historical opportunities that exist within Virginia, or have direct bearing on our state. Working with Virginia SOLs, it offers rising Sophomores and Juniors a chance to visit parts of the state they may have never seen, while allowing them to be immersed in activities that can make a lasting impression. The Tour is run by the Cove Ridge Center of Natural Tunnel State Park in conjunction with the school systems of Scott, Lee, and Wise counties, and the City of Norton. It is partially funded through gracious contributions from the Cove Ridge Foundation & Advisory Board, a non-profit group that works with the Cove Ridge Center.


This year, the Virginia Is For Students Tour took 5 students from Lee County High School and 2 students from Rye Cove High School (in Scott County) on a 8-day trip around our state. Beginning on Sunday, June 20th, the students traveled through more than half the state, and took in 3 State Parks, 1 National Battlefield, 1 National Military Park, 2 National Historical Parks, a large Ropes Course and Zip-Line, whitewater tubing, and canoeing – not to mention the sights, experiences, and friendships that occurred along the way! Two nights were spent in tree house shelters – yes, in real trees! – at Maple Tree Campground, while 2 nights each were spent at Lake Anna and James River state parks, and 1 night at Hemlock Overlook. The group returned to the Cove Ridge Center on Sunday. June 27th.


When it came to adventure and recreation, this year’s Tour made sure that the students kept active. From whitewater tubing on the Potomac River during their first full day out, to tackling an 8-mile canoe trip on the James near the end of the trip – this trip made full use of the outdoor activities throughout our state. In addition to the swimming and hiking offered at each State Park, the students spent an entire day in the middle of the week at the Adventure Links Hemlock Overlook, where they participated in various team building activities. From ground initiatives to low-ropes elements to soaring down a zip-line – the programs at Hemlock Overlook helped to raise group and individual confidence, self-esteem, and group dynamics and cohesion. And all the students agreed – it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip!


While adventure and recreation were an important part of the trip, some of the most unforgettable moments came from visiting the historical sites throughout the Tour. As the first stop on the trip, the students toured Harpers Ferry, WV, site of the infamous John Brown Raid on the federal armory, and one of many precursors to the American Civil War. The next historical stop centered on Manassas National Battlefield, where the students toured the sites of the first and second battles of Manassas (or Bull Run). It was here that they learned about spectators venturing out from nearby Washington, D.C. to watch the first battle – only to flee back to the city when the Confederate forces won. One student told the staff after visiting: “Manassas was heartbreaking. It’s sad to hear about the thousands of men dying and (us) actually being there.” It was also here the group saw firsthand the spot where General “Stonewall” Jackson earned his nickname.


Later in the week, the students toured the battlefields and sites around Fredericksburg, VA. They followed the Sunken Road and saw the wall that protected Confederate forces during the Marye’s Heights portion of the battle, where failed Union charges led to more 6,000 casualties. The group also visited the Stonewall Jackson Shrine, where they saw the bed in which he had died. One student commented, “It was awesome, yet very… creepy. The bed he passed away in still had the indentation of his body.”


The last place the students visited was Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park, the site of the last major battle of the Civil War. The group toured the McLean House, and saw firsthand the room and desks where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant signed the surrender papers that ended the war. All the students mentioned that site and the house had a profound impact on them, and one student said, “We got to see ‘where our nation reunited.’”


Waging through “battles” of their own, the students fought heat and bugs and long days to follow in the footsteps of some of the most important parts of Virginia’s history. They witnessed and toured sites that marked the beginning, middle, and ending to a war that saw more battles fought in our state than in any other. And one thing all the students and staff could agree on was the fact that there was no information in any textbook that could compare to the impact of actually being there.


So, where will the Virginia Is For Students Tour go next year? When will it run? These are questions that the students are already asking! Not to worry – planning is already underway, with hopes that next year’s Tour will be better than ever!

The Coca-Cola Live Positively Campaign is donating $100,000 to the national or state park that garners the most votes on their Live Positively website. You must have a Facebook account to vote.

Coke will also donate up to $200,000 to the National Parks Foundation based on votes received.

At this writing, four Virginia State Parks are in the top ten! Vote now and vote often! Click here.

An official Press Release from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation by Jim Meisner, Jr.

A statewide volunteer program, the Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps, has been named the Outstanding State Volunteer Program in the United States by the Take Pride in America program.

Virginia State Parks are operated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Take Pride in America program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The award was presented by Robert Stanton, senior advisor to Secretary Ken Salazar and a former director of the National Park Service, and Lisa Young, director of Take Pride America. “Virginia State Parks have received many accolades over the years, from awards honoring facilities and amenities to being recognized as the best managed state park system in the United States,” said DCR Director David Johnson. “This award recognizes the hard work and contributions of nearly 1,000 young people and staff who made this program so successful.”


Fashioned after the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, the YCC is a summer program for young volunteers between the ages of 14-17. Working in crews of approximately 10 volunteers and three college-age supervisors, the young people each contribute between 120 and 180 hours of service. Participants work in state parks across Virginia on a variety of conservation projects including trail and campground maintenance, construction, fence building, tree planting, noxious weed removal and fish habitat improvement. Program projects are designed to foster teamwork, self-esteem, social responsibility and respect for the environment, said Gaston Rouse, State Parks director of volunteer services.

“These youngsters are the future of the Commonwealth and the future of America,” Rouse said. “Volunteering is one of the most important facets of adult life, and we need to incorporate that into the lives of our children.”

In 2007, the YCC program received the Virginia Governor’s Best Youth Volunteer in Virginia award.


Since its creation in 2002, nearly 1,000 young people have participated in the YCC program. This year, YCC volunteers will work in 20 parks in two three-week sessions. Ten were completed earlier this summer, while the second session of YCC volunteers will work through Aug. 7 in nine state parks: Westmoreland, Holliday Lake, Leesylvania, York River, Belle Isle, Claytor Lake, Lake Anna, Sky Meadows and Wilderness Road state parks, as well as the Petersburg National Battlefield.

In 2009, 165 youths performed park development and maintenance projects, putting in 45,483 hours of work, valued at $933,765 in employee wages.

“The YCC program gives young people opportunities to serve their state and communities while learning important skills and it introduces natural resource and environmental fields as a possible career path,” said DCR State Parks Director Joe Elton. “The YCC embodies the core responsibility of the state parks system by fostering environmental awareness at a young age and connecting our volunteers to the awe and wonder of nature. YCC participants carry the memories of these experiences with them for the rest of their lives and they remain our partners in protecting state parks for future generations.”


This year, 246 are expected to participate in the program, logging an estimated 65,000 hours worth $1,360,450 in employee hours. The program attracted 447 applicants in 2010.

The YCC program was selected by a panel of judges from hundreds of qualified nominations representing outstanding examples of public lands stewardship from across the country. This year, there are 15 National Award winners, representing projects and events in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

Take Pride in America is a nationwide partnership program authorized by Congress to promote the appreciation and stewardship of our nation’s public lands. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the benefit of all public lands at all levels of government nationwide.

Creolization is the complex process of cultural borrowing and lending in a region with many different cultural influences.

Official Department of Conservation and Recreation Press Release by Jim Mesiner

For the eighth consecutive year, the 35 Virginia State Parks operated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation have been recognized by ReserveAmerica as among the nation’s best.

Virginia State Parks was honored with 101 awards in 17 categories. A dozen parks were named in the Top 100 Family Campgrounds: Chippokes Plantation, Claytor Lake, Douthat, Fairy Stone, First Landing, James River, Kiptopeke, New River Trail, Occoneechee, Smith Mountain Lake, Staunton River and Westmoreland state parks.


“In the past few years, we’ve hosted record numbers of visitors as more and more people recognize the beauty and affordability of our parks, as well as the many activities our parks have to offer. We are honored to have Virginia State Parks recognized again this year by ReserveAmerica,” said DCR Director David Johnson. “I know park employees take great pride in their work, and it’s rewarding to have their dedication nationally recognized.”


A part of the Active Network, ReserveAmerica is North America’s leading camping reservation and campground management solutions provider. ReserveAmerica manages the Virginia State Park electronic reservation system.

To determine the top campgrounds and locations, over 3,000 parks were evaluated based in part on testimonials from park rangers, regional park management and campers, as well as specific family-friendly criteria including kid-friendly parks, scenic views, hiking trails, children’s activities and more.


 “Our parks play an important role in the lives of our visitors,” said DCR State Parks Director Joe Elton. “Virginia State Parks are a tonic for the mind, body and spirit, and they are places people return to year after year, generation after generation.”

In 2009, 7.5 million people visited Virginia State Parks. Attendance through May 31 of this year was 2.2 million, 8.8 percent more than the same time last year.

Other award categories (and the number of winning Virginia State Parks) include: Top 25 Amazing Spots (seven parks), Top 25 Biking Trails (five parks), Top 25 Bird-Watching Spots (three parks), Top 25 Canoeing Spots (seven parks), Top 50 Educational and Historical Facilities (five parks), Top 50 Fishing Spots (nine parks), Top 50 Hiking Trails (11 parks), Top 25 Horse-Friendly Parks (two parks), Top 25 Kid-Friendly Parks (six parks), Top 25 Park Beaches (three parks), Top 25 Picnic Areas (five parks), Top 25 Romantic Spots (four parks), Top 50 Scenic Views (four parks), Top 25 Tours and Events (seven parks), Top 25 Unique Cabins (six parks), and Top 25 Water Recreation Parks (five parks).


For the complete list of specific winners, click here. Click here for the Virginia State Park winners by park.

For more information about Virginia State Parks activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,600 campsites or 220 cabins and lodges, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at (800) 933-PARK or visit our website.

Independence Day, an American holiday through and through!  A perfect excuse to gather the family and have a cookout, vacation on the beach, or visit one of the many historic areas in Virginia as we celebrate the birth of our great country!

I am surrounded by history every day I come to work here at Wilderness Road State Park.  Seeing Joseph Martin pass by my door is a common occurrence many would love the opportunity to experience.  You know, it is often said that the war for American Independence was won right here on the frontier.  The backwoods soldiers, the militia formed from farmers and the Native American peacekeepers such as Martin and Daniel Boone are truly unsung heroes of the Revolutionary War.
 
But don’t just take my word for it.  Join us on Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4 from 10 am to 5 pm for A Declaration of Independence at Historic Martin’s Station.  Imagine the reaction from the thousands of men, women and children that were struggling to find a better life, when they found out about the Declaration of Independence. The news spread quickly across Virginia’s frontier backwoods that on July 4, in the year 1776, the Second Continental Congress is to meet in Philadelphia. Word has it that at this congressional meeting, a Declaration of Independence from King George and Great Britain, will be executed and signed, thus allowing these fledgling colonies to spread their wings and journey forward into this world as a new nation with foundations built upon freedom.  Severing the ties with the British Crown brought forth both fear and excitement. Join the men and women at Martin’s Station as they receive this historic news and share their hopes and dreams of this new nation.

While visiting the park, be sure to enjoy a festive picnic in one of our shelters, or in our picnic area, all framed with the picturesque Cumberland Mountains, on the very ground traveled by Boone and 200,000 men, women and children known simply as the Wilderness Road.

I have always loved history, growing up right in the middle of Virginia’s Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, in my opinion the real birthplace of our country!  The very thoughts of walking along the same path as George Washington, Patrick Henry and many of our other forefathers still brings chills to my spine.

For more information, please contact 276-445-3065 or email us at: wildernessroad@dcr.virginia.gov

I am pleased to be able to share more posts from Daniela and her dog Shawnee as they visit Virginia once more. You may have seen the earlier post: Serious Hiking at Douthat State Park. This time they used Hungry Mother State Park as their base camp and took advantage of some of the best hikes in that part of the world.



Their week long visit included 56 miles of hiking in four states and in the hottest June I can remember.

Good hiking information is hard to find. Even if you invest in the best topo maps, there is always uncertainty in the mix. These posts are so detailed that even the most novice hiker should be able to set out for an enjoyable day of hiking.

During their stay in Virginia, they visited three of our parks: Hungry Mother, Grayson Highlands and Wilderness Road. Additionally they hiked at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Jefferson National Forest, and Stone Mountain State Park (North Carolina State Parks).

Many of our family friendly Virginia State Parks are adjacent to other public lands that have excellent hiking or are a short drive away.

Here are the posts from this trip:

Hungry Mother State Park, VA

Jefferson National Forest - Crawfish Valley (Rural Retreat, VA)

Grayson Highlands State Park and Mount Rogers, VA

Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap, NC

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, VA-KY-TN and Wilderness Road State Park, VA

Be sure and check out Gone Hikin' to read of their other hiking excursions usually in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Or, for a different perspective, you might enjoy Shawnee's blog The Shenanigans of Shawnee the Shepherd. The accompanying posts from this trip can be found in Hiking with Shawnee Shep - Southwest Virginia. 

Back by popular demand is the delightful hiking exploits of Shawnee Shep and her mom. This time they ventured from New Jersey to Hungry Mother State Park. From their cabin at Hungry Mother they were in reach of some of the best hiking in southwest Virginia and they hiked 56 miles in one week and in four different states!

Not all of the hikes are in one of our Virginia state parks but many of our parks are excellent base camps for other hiking destinations on public lands. They visit three of our parks: Hungry Mother, Grayson Highlands and Wilderness Road. Additionally they hike at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Jefferson National Forest, and Stone Mountain State Park (North Carolina State Parks).

Get ready for some great views, good hiking and delightful commentary. There are some special pictures in these posts taken by Shawnee Cam, a camera she wears on her collar.

Here are the posts from this trip:

Hungry Mother State Park, Marion, VA

Jefferson National Forest - Crawfish Valley (Rural Retreat, VA)

Grayson Highlands State Park and Mount Rogers, VA

Hungry Mother State Park, VA - Molly's Knob Trail and Lake Loop Trail

Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap, NC

Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, KY, TN, VA, and Wilderness Road State Park, VA

Follow Friday? I have taken a Twitter custom of recommending fellow accounts to followers and applied it to my blogging and choose a website or blog each week to recommend to those who read my posts.

The National Parks Foundation is the national charitable partner of the National Parks Service. In addition to doing some much needed fundraising for National Parks causes (if you check the site today you will see a campaign to raise money to match a gift for a memorial to the passengers of flight 93), the site helps people connect to National Parks. They are very much like our Virginia Association for Parks only on a national level.


Look for the National Parks Foundation on your favorite social media sites: Twitter, Facebook, Flickr.

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell joined the 49 other state governors, the Mayor of Washington, D.C. and President Obama in declaring June 2010 Great Outdoors Month.



The gubernatorial Great Outdoors Month proclamations began four years ago, but 2010 marks the first year proclamations have been issued in all 50 states.  While the state proclamations vary in emphasis and reflect key state features, most praise volunteerism, the power of outdoor recreation to contribute to happier, healthier lifestyles, and the legacy of parks and public lands and waters.

President Obama's Proclamation states, “America's vast and varied outdoor spaces are a source of great national pride, and we have long strived to protect them for future generations.  Our lands provide countless opportunities for exploration, recreation, and reflection, whether in solitude or with family and friends.  During Great Outdoors Month, we renew our enduring commitment to protect our natural landscapes, to enjoy them and to promote active lifestyles for ourselves and our children.”  Referring to America's great outdoor spaces, the proclamation goes on to say, “These places are especially important today, as an increasing number of Americans, especially children, fall into unhealthy sedentary lifestyles.”

The proclamation highlights current Administration efforts to get Americans healthier through outdoor activity, like the recently launched America's Great Outdoors Initiative to protect natural landscapes and reconnect Americans to the outdoors, and the First Lady’s Let’s Move effort to help children eat more nutritious foods, lead healthier lives, and increase their physical activity.

Read all of the proclamations here.

The driving force behind the Great Outdoors Month is the American Recreation Coalition. ARC is a Washington-based non-profit organization formed in 1979. Since its inception, ARC has sought to catalyze public/private partnerships to enhance and protect outdoor recreational opportunities and the resources upon which such experiences are based. ARC conducts research on a regular basis, organizes and conducts national conferences and meetings and disseminates information through a variety of newsletters, columns and other media regarding recreational needs and initiatives. ARC also monitors legislative and regulatory proposals that influence recreation and works with government agencies and the U.S. Congress to study public policy issues that will shape future recreational opportunities.

If you follow my posts, you may recall from last year that I am deeply committed to our Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps. Gaston Rouse, his assistant Carrie McCrory, and I are spending four days at Bear Creek Lake State Park preparing 40, mostly College aged youth, to lead youth 14 to 17 year old youth in this summer's program.

Our first session begins next Sunday (Supervisors report on Saturday) at ten parks across the state. The second session starts July 18 at nine state parks and a special program at Petersburg National Battlefield.


This year we are fortunate to be able to expand the program from last year's 13 parks to 20 thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. This grant is supporting programs at ten of our Chesapeake Bay Gateways Parks. Participants in the program at those parks will receive special environmental education related to the Chesapeake Bay. Environmental education has been an important component of the YCC program from the outset. The youth work on projects in our park but they also come away with a new respect for nature and a better idea of how to have fun outdoors.

More than 2/3 of these supervisors have been part of the Youth Corps in one capacity or another. Many have been supervisors in previous years and many have participated as a youth in the program. Eight are serving as Interns, a special designation for supervisors. Interns have just graduated from High School and have participated in the YCC program in a previous year. Most have won the Emmitt Award - the program award for the most outstanding youth. In fact, yesterday we asked all of the previous Emmitt Award winners to stand up and clearly one third or more of those attending stood up. This group knows the program and come back year after year to make a difference.


Brad Reedy is our current "grandfather" of the program. This is his eighth year with the YCC (our ninth year for the program). He started in 2002 in our very first program. Somewhere along the line he took one year off, but he has been part of the program ever since. His brother Tyler, is right behind him. We have another pair of brothers - Garret and Jason Milton - started as Supervisors and have now been with us three years. Supervisor Daniel Bachman's sister Sarah is serving as an intern this year. We have sisters too. Katie and Emily Shrader are Supervisors and both started as youth in the program. They are no strangers to Virginia State Parks since they have grown up in our parks - their father, Tim, is Park Manager at Belle Isle State Park, and their mother is our Camphost Coordinator. All three pairs of these supervisors are serving as Lead Supervisors this summer. Intern Jerry Poole is also a "Park Brat," son of Danette Poole, who just two years ago left her position as Park Manager of Chippokes Plantation State Park to work for our Planning and Recreation Division. Last month she was promoted to the Director of that Division.

Perhaps you are getting the sense that these supervisors are a family in a number of ways. In fact, Intern Jerry Poole's sister, Hannah, will be a youth in the program for a second time this year. Another long time supervisor, Dustin Haymaker, will have his brother, Harrison, participating as a youth. Sunhwa Yoon, a second time Supervisor, has a sister, Sunjeung, who is participating as a youth this summer. They will not be at the same parks.


So what do we train them in? The training deals with program requirements, team building, how to handle disciplinary issues, trail building, geocaching, and the less exciting aspects of making purchases using the state credit card and how to fill out an I-9 form. Once every three years we do first aid training and work so at least one first aid trained supervisor is on each crew. All of our full time and many of our seasonal staff are first aid and CPR certified. On Friday we had representatives from the host parks at the training to discuss coordinating issues with their supervisors.

Gaston mentioned on Thursday that he and I have the privilege of seeing these young people at 14 and 15 turn into young adults. Young adults that we are proud of and will spend three or six weeks this summer in the heat, leading a group of youth getting a lot of important projects done for our Virginia State Parks.

American cellist, pianist, and composer Dave Eggar will be appearing at the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, on Tuesday, June 29.  This free, open-air concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s Victorian Garden.  In the event of rain, the performance will be moved indoors to the Victorian Parlor.


A musical prodigy as a child, Dave Eggar began playing the cello and piano at age three. By the age of seven, Dave had performed on Broadway and with the Metropolitan Opera. He debuted at Carnegie Hall at the age of 15. Dave is a graduate of Harvard University and the Julliard School's Doctoral Program.

Mr. Eggar has appeared worldwide as a solo cellist and pianist. A virtuoso of many musical styles, Dave has performed and recorded with artists in numerous genres including The Who, Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, John Denver, Coldplay, Bon Jovi, Evanescence, Pearl Jam, Fall Out Boy, Dianne Reeves, Brandy, Carly Simon, Phil Ramone, Hannah Montana, Sinead O’Connor, and many more.

His list of awards and accomplishments includes accolades from Time Magazine, ASCAP, the National Endowment for the Arts, Sony Records Elevated Standards Award in classical music, the Geraldine Dodge & Leonard Bernstein Foundations, and at 15 was the youngest winner in the history of the Artists International Competition.

Dave’s mission to “not just cross over, but to cross through” multiple genres of music is apparent in all of his releases. His soon-to-be released CD project and companion DVD video, Kingston Morning, was recently recorded in, among other places, Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  Tracks on the CD include “High Atmosphere,” with vocals by Robin & Linda Williams, and “Jacob’s Vision,” with vocals by Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley.  Eggar says this project was an especially moving and emotional recording for to make.  He adds, “My imagination has always been captivated by the music and culture of Appalachia. These journeys were truly a life altering experience for me. I am especially proud of the music that has been produced as a result of our efforts.”

For additional information about the performance, please contact the Southwest Virginia Museum at 276-523-1322.