Park Lodges Virginia

Helwo! Mai name’s Tommy and I’z Simeon Zorro’s brofur (a kittycat of course!) and only one year’s old. That’s my pixture to the left….a most hansome tuxedo kitty (if I does says so meself!) Simeon writ about the Virginia State Parks Reservation Call Center. I’s goings to wite about the new cabins and campground coming wery soon to Shenandoah River State Park in 2010. I’z sooo ‘cited! ‘Dere is two state parks dat’s goings to has cabins in 2010. Griffin the Cornsnake writ about Natural Tunnel’s cabins and campground wecently. Now’s my turn! Puleez pardon my English as Simeon’s still teachings me.

Griffin (the Cornsnake) showed me how to catch a ride to Shenandoah River State Park in Warren County, VA, near Bentonville. It’z a bootifull place! None of the cabins nor the lodge iz waterview, howsomever the views is awesome! Checks out the picture below sent by the Assistant Park Manager Andy Davis and Office Manager Donna Smith…..i tolds you it’z more awesome than you could imagine! WOW!!! (pictures are hard to do with so much snow during the winter)

There iz 10 cabins, including one 6 bedroom we in State Parks refer to as a Lodge. Also there are two 3-bedroom cabins (one handicapped accessible) and seven 2-bedroom cabins. The cabins and campground are located in the Culler's tract of the park. Da cabins are gorgeous inside! I wub the smell of new homes…..and these will be temporary homes for people on vacation in this park. Dese cabins and lodge are numbered 1 thru 10. I ‘pects dey will be quite popular too!!!

De campground has electric and water hookups….curwently there iz only tent only sites with no hookups, so we’s very excited about these new campsites: 33 electric/water back-in and pull-through campsites with 20, 30, and 50 amp plug ins, plus one camphost site! The entire electrical pedestal is 100 amps. 

Oo! Oo!...almost forgots about the FOUR camping cabins (bunkhouses for 4 peoples each) being built in the campground. … The camping cabins are clustered two by two, so Camp Cabins 01 & 02 use the same driveway in the campground and Camp Cabins 03 & 04 are beside each other in the campground.  Da camp cabins use the campground bathhouse too (no kitchens, bring your linens for the bunkbeds). Da new bathhouse in the campground will have laundry facilities,too!!! I’z not a shower/water wover myself, but peoples wuvs hot showers!

Well, dat’s alls i knows fur now…..i hopes my furriends will checks out dese new cabins and campground in 2010. More later…..Tommy.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary spring fever is a listless, lazy, or restless feeling commonly associated with the beginning of spring.  Over the past several weeks, I’m finding myself daydreaming about warmer climates and the upcoming spring season in Virginia. This anticipation of blooming flowers and temperatures above 60 degrees was shattered when I learned Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and we were told to look forward to six more weeks of winter!  I’ve decided to take a different approach to this situation and look at it as only SIX MORE WEEKS TIL SPRING!  I’m ready for spring fever and all the silliness that goes along with it. 

I’m also ready for the upcoming Women’s Wellness Weekend hosted by Virginia State Parks this spring  at Fairy Stone State Park in Stuart.  This weekend is a perfect opportunity for women of all ages to treat themselves to a weekend of pampering and fun activities.  Fairy Stone is a picturesque setting where you can unwind and regain balance in your life.  For the entire weekend, a wide variety of workshops, programs and outdoor activities will be offered.  The only decision you’re need to make is what programs to attend.  Participants will enjoy choosing between hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, yoga, aroma therapy, searching for fairy stones and outdoor photography just to name a few.  But don’t worry, there will be lots of time to socialize, relax and have fun.

The weekend begins on Friday, April 23rd with registration at 3 p.m. and ends Sunday, April 25th at noon. And it’s affordable.  The commuter program is $149 and includes dinner on Friday, three meals Saturday and breakfast on Sunday.  The full package includes meals plus two nights lodging and ranges in price from $180 to $332 depending on cabin size and the number of people in a cabin.  You can also bring your RV or camp in the campground. So call your girlfriends and make your reservations today.  Cabins go quickly!
 

If you are unable to attend this session, don’t worry the next Women’s Wellness Weekend will be held at Bear Creek Lake State Park the weekend of October 15th – 17th, 2010.  

For more information or for reservation, call 800-933-7275 or visit our website at www.virginiastateparks.gov.
 

Okay so this will probably give away how ancient I am, but when I was a girl Alan Sherman did a song called A Letter From Camp: "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh. Here I am at Camp Granada. Camp is very entertaining. And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining." It actually won a Grammy for best comedy song in 1963 (maybe I was still in utero). If you are not familiar with the song it is several messages from a young boy at Camp Grenada to his parents. In the beginning it is clear he is miserable and homesick but things turn around before the end of the song (after is tops raining).

I never went to away camp for the summer. I'm not sure any of my friends ever did either so possibly this was something that appealed to me about the song. My sense was that summer camps were very expensive or there were some set up for disadvantaged kids. Then of course there was one movie after another - comedy or horror - about nightmare camp experiences.
 

We don't have a summer camp program at Virginia State Parks. What we have is a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program. The difference? Instead of fun all the time, the YCC is really hard work. The youth, aged 14-17, perform conservation and similar projects in the park for about 8 hours a day. In the evenings and weekends, they participate in educational programs about the environment, the natural world, and local culture, or participate in various outdoor recreation activities, or visit local historical or cultural attractions.

Like a summer camp, it is residential, the lodging fairly primitive (rustic buildings), and there are Supervisors you might equate to camp counselors - most of college age. Our program runs for three weeks. The other difference - for most summer camps the parents shell out a lot of money for their kids to attend. We PAY a program completion stipend of $500 to YCC participants. Trust me, they earn every penny!

I am not sure what kids learned from their summer camp experiences but I have first hand knowledge of what happens to the youth that attend our program. Gaston Rouse, our Director of Volunteer Services and retired Army Colonel, runs the program. I like to say "You can take the man out of the military but you can't take the military out of the man." That's Gaston. The program is structured and the supervisors expect and get the respect of the participants or they go home. While we occasionally have a young person decide pretty quickly the program isn't what they expected (usually due to being homesick), most of the attendees stay the course. By the start of the third week, those kids are determined to make it through to the end for their check. Gaston and I try to visit each and every crew during the sessions so I meet a lot of the participants. While it is hard work and sometimes even grueling, we have a high percentage of attendees apply to come back a second, third or even fourth year.
 

We try to have the youth complete one project from start to finish so they see they made a difference. At the formal graduation held on departure day, the youth are excited to show their parents what they accomplished. This program is valuable to us because of the work that gets done and because it introduces young people to the value of supporting parks. We usually find several young people each year who even decide to focus on a career in natural resources.

Parents have told us they sent us their son or daughter and got a different person back - one that seems more willing to do chores or has a new take on personal responsibility and doing for themselves. The youth prepare meals, clean their living quarters, do their own laundry. They learn how to use tools, how to work as a team, how to get along with people from different backgrounds or cultures. They learn the satisfaction of working hard for a goal. The work is physically demanding. It's summer so it's hot. And there are bugs. Lots of bugs.

We have an all on line application process and primarily make selection decisions based on the way the questions are answered by the young person. We offer the program at selected parks in two three-week sessions. In 2010 those are June 20-July 10 and July 18-August 7. You can select a session preference but not the specific park. We make every effort to assign successful candidates to a park outside of their immediate geographic area. But we also try to avoid parents having to drive across the state to drop off their child or pick them up. Based on the parks, sessions, and whether the program is male or female, sometimes we can't meet those goals. 

The program provides lodging, food, uniform shirts and hat, backpack, water bottle, first aid kit, goggles and work gloves. And, the $500 program completion stipend.
 

If you are interested in the program, I encourage you to read the details carefully on our website before starting the application. Also remember the answers to the questions are important. We have a non-negotiable, no exception deadline of noon on April 12, 2020.

You might also enjoy reading some of the blog posts about last year's program. Many of the posts about specific park crews include a slide show. The pictures give you a pretty good idea of what the pictures are like. Supervisors post pictures on Flickr as the program progresses so parents and friends can see what the young people are up to.
 

It’s that time of year when families gather to celebrate the holidays. Unfortunately, with all the traveling, shopping, cooking, and general hustle and bustle of the season, families are often too busy to really connect with each other during the holiday season.

This year, why not make plans to get together again at a less hectic time of year. Virginia State Parks cabins and family lodges provide an ideal location for family reunion vacations. The natural settingin our parks provides the perfect backdrop for creating special memories with family. There is something to offer for all ages and stages, and now is the time to make reservations for the upcoming year. (We offer reservations uo to 11 months in adance.)

My family is still talking about the fun we had in August 2008, when four generations of us vacationed together at Claytor Lake State Park. My husband, my son, my parents, his parents, his aunt and uncle, his brother, his wife, their kids, their grandkids, and I all spent a week together – and survived! The biggest argument we had was over what to do with all the luscious peaches we had picked up at farm stands along the way. (Should we bake them in cobbler, make fruit salad, save some for later in the week, etc.) 

The more active members of the family enjoyed the well-kept trails, where they were able to maintain their marathon training. The younger children liked the playgrounds, the beach, and just being with all the family members they don’t often see. The older folks inthe group especially enjoyed the porch rockers, where they could visit with each other and watch the kids play, or read a good book. We all had fun together with a pontoon ride on Claytor Lake. Everybody appreciated the large, well-equipped kitchen and family room where we could gather for meals, games, and puzzles.

We picked Claytor Lake State Park because it was centrally located between my family in southern Virginia, and my husband’s brother and his family in Tennessee. (Also, it was the only family lodge available in the Western part of the state for dates in August when we made our reservations in January)

Summer is just around the corner, so don’t delay – make your reservations soon. If your first choice is not available, try another of our 35 beautiful parks. By the way, Virginia State Parks has a very generous cancellation and transfer policy, if for some reason your plans don’t work out. For more information or to make reservations, call our Reservations Center at (800) 933-PARK (7275), or visit our website at www.virginiastateparks.gov.

Submitted by J. Shane Newcombe

Mulberry Hill is the ancestral home of the Virginia Carrington family, which was instrumental in many aspects of our country’s history from its infancy following the Revolutionary War leading up to the strategic Battle of Staunton River Bridge during the War Between the States.  The estate earned the name “Mulberry Hill” from the endeavor to raise silk worms, which fed on the overabundant mulberry trees located throughout the acres.  However, a local silk industry never reached fruition. 

The manor house dates back to the mid 1700s: its outbuildings, law office, and grounds provide a perfect timeline of history for interpreting the life of a successful colonial family that encompasses more than two hundred years of history.  The descendants of the Carrington family donated the house with all of its period antique furnishings as well as forty acres of land to the Staunton River Battlefield State Park in 2003. 

This year, the Historic Staunton River Foundation, a private organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and development of the Staunton River Battlefield State Park is hosting an Open House at Mulberry Hill with an Antebellum-themed Christmas. 

There will be a guided tour of the mansion, grounds and Judge Paul Carrington’s law office.  Docents in period dress will be present in each room of the house and in the law office to inform visitors about the uniqueness and history of the treasured heirlooms and period antiques. Please share in the joy of visiting with a jolly ol’ Antebellum Santa Claus! 

Also, there will be refreshments available to emulate what would have been available to families during Christmas for the duration of the hardships of the War Between the States. Confederate re-enactors of the 14th VA. Inf. Co. K and 23rd VA Inf. Co. will be on hand along with volunteer interpreters to provide visitors with a glimpse into the past. See how soldiers survived the harsh winters and what rustic and simple methods they used to celebrate the Christmas season.  The re-enactors will bivouac in the boxwood gardens.  Their encampment will be complete with tents, flags, campfires, and other accoutrements that will highlight an almost “realistic-feeling” of living history.  In addition, an open campfire will feature period cooking techniques and foods.
 
During this time of year, when we often become wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we should remember to take time out of our busy schedules to share in the joys of the season and to give thanks. 

Come out and share in the yuletide and cheer of the holiday season by making plans to attend the Antebellum Christmas Open House at Mulberry Hill on either Saturday or Sunday, December 5 & 6 from 1-5PM.   Don’t forget your cameras!  The event is open to the public. Admission is $5/person and children under 6 are admitted free.   Tickets are only valid for the one-day pass and can be purchased at the Roanoke Station Depot in Randolph.    Parking is available at the Depot, and a free shuttle service will usher visitors to and from the Plantation. 

The money raised from this event will go towards fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of supporting the Battlefield State Park and its continued restoration efforts at Mulberry Hill.  The Foundation is exclusively operated by a dedicated group of volunteers and its yearly dues-paying members; if you are interested in joining the Foundation or would like volunteer with this event or future events, please call 434.454.6219.  Also, please visit the Foundation’s website at  www.stauntonriverbattlefield.org.

Although Staunton River Battlefield State Park does not offer lodging, Staunton River State Park’s cabins are less than a thirty-minute drive away. For more information or to make reservations, call 800-933-PARK (7275) or go to www.virginiastateparks.gov.

Griffin here…cornsnake on the road for VA State Parks (homebase: Pocahontas Nature Center). Just hopped off the undercarriage of a RV guest at Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield, VA. To my amazement, this oasis in far Southwest Virginia is going to have cabins by 2010! And imagine….the construction is almost done!! In fact, the work is so close to complete, I can wander easily through the cabin area with no workers nor equipment trying to run over me. If you recall I had a problem at Douthat with the costruction work there running me all over the place in last blog! Here it’s much calmer.

The cabins are located in a serene area of Natural Tunnel State Park….so nice and quiet. There will be 10 cabins, including one 6 bedroom we in State Parks refer to as a Lodge. There are also a couple of 3 bedroom cabins (one handicapped accessible) and the other 7 are 2 bedroom cabins. They are gorgeous inside! I love the smell of new homes…..and these will become temporary homes for people on vacation in this park.

You won’t believe who I ran into here! Virgil….you know: Virgil S Possum, the state parks’ mascot and famous for his escapades in the current “Where is Virgil?” writings of state park staff. Well, anyway, Virgil was just looking at Cabin 3 when I arrived and he gave me a park map so I could take a self-guided tour of the new facilities. We hope to open these cabins in 2010…..we’ll need to get the rest of the stuff we need to complete the cabins, as well as some good ole public greeters….”grinners” as I call’em to welcome our guests next year.

Craig Seaver, Natural Tunnel’s park manager, sent in some spectacular pictures of the construction going on here. Take a peek: these cabins are located on a ridge that will give guests excellent mountain views of areas known as Rye Cove, Powell Mountain, as well as a view of the High Knob Recreational Area in the Jefferson National Forest.

Then there’s the new campground!...18 campsites with 50 amp electric/water hookups plus a new bathhouse! I love a good hot shower myself! ‘Course I don’t shower when guests are around as I’d probably frighten too many people, being a cornsnake and all.

Anyhow, keep an eye out at www.virginiastateparks.gov for our announcement when the campground and cabins are available to reserve. Reservations are taken at 1-800-933-7275 (PARK) 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday or you can go online to www.reserveamerica.com to reserve online--just remember though that ReserveAmerica only provides our software. Once your web reservation is made all changes or questions are called into the Reservation Center's 800 number. Also, in prime season, cabins and lodges require a 7-night stay from Friday prior to Memorial weekend through Labor Day when done more than 1 month in advance (reservations are available up to 11 months in advance). Prime season weekly cabins are assigned start days like Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun too….of course you can reserve less than a week during prime season with 2-night minimum required, by calling the 800 number 30 days (or less) prior to your arrival date to see if we happen to have any vacancies for the date you’d like. And the 2-night minimum is available up to 11 months in advance at 800 number or online AFTER Labor Day and up to Friday prior to Memorial weekend.

Griffin saying “So Long!”

I know many of us enjoy the leaf colors we get in Virginia every fall, but have you ever wondered why the leaves change color?  In a recent trip to the mountains I saw a large cascade of different colors which made me wonder why some leaves turn one color and others turn another.  It turns out there is a scientific reason (go figure).

The primary function of leaves is to convert sunlight into food.  This is done with a green pigment called chlorophyll.  When fall approaches, and the days get shorter, some plants can no longer get the amount of light (food) required for active growth.  When this happens, the plants will begin to enter a dormant state.  During this state, the plant is no longer producing chlorophyll.  As the green pigment begins to fade, it leaves behind other pigments, which were always in the leaf, but deteriorate slower.

Leaves that are yellow or orange contain the pigment carotene.  This is the same pigment that gives carrots their orange color.  Reds and purples are caused by pigments called anthrocyanins.  These are the same pigments that give radishes and roses their color.

As these pigments fade, tannin becomes the predominate pigment left which gives leaves their brown color.  It is right before this occurs that the plant will detach the cell walls around the stem of the leaf.  At this point the leaf is connected by its veins which are easily broken.  As the wind blows, it breaks these veins and the leaves fall to the ground.

Leaves are still changing across much of Virginia, so it is not too late to plan a visit to one of our state parks to witness this for yourself.  Virginia State Parks will offer some form of camping until December 6, 2009 (a couple parks have year-round camping).  A lot of our parks have cabins and lodges that are open the whole year.  You can make a reservation by calling us at 1 800 933-PARK(7275) or booking online through Reserve America. 

If you have a fall foliage picture of a Virginia State Park you would like to send us, email me at resvs@dcr.virginia.gov and I may include it in our Facebook album.  Please include your name and the park it was taken at so I can give you the proper credit.