Update – COVID-19 and Virginia State Parks:  Virginia State Parks remain open for day-use activities. The safety and well-being of park visitors and staff is of utmost importance. We have established a webpage that provides the latest information on the status of these parks. This includes information related to park facilities, overnight accommodations and the usage of the outdoor spaces.

DCR has many natural area preserves as well. Several of these are places are open to the public. These preserves protect very sensitive areas of the commonwealth and are not as equipped for outdoor recreation and large number of visitors.

This past week, many of the parks and natural area preserves saw visitation that would be more common during the middle of the summer. Trying to keep up with this demand has been a challenge and the staff is doing an amazing job under the circumstances.

When you do visit an outdoor space, please adhere to the social distancing guidelines and to understand that outdoor surfaces are not sanitized and necessary precautions must be taken. It is recommended that people avoid the more popular areas where many people congregate and to keep group sizes to less than 10. Shortening visits can also help so others can enjoy the outdoors while limiting their interaction with others. We know these are temporary measures and will help slow the spread of COVID-19 while keeping our outdoor spaces as safe as possible.

Looking for some family fun? The James, Rockfish and Tye Rivers each host a variety of activities: the Batteau Festival, tubing, kayaking, canoeing and floating – from ripples to rapids, we have it all. For a more educational hands-on experience, stop by the Montebello Fish Hatchery where you’ll learn the life cycle of a trout. Crabtree Falls is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Featuring a series of five major cascades and assorted smaller ones, falling a total distance of 1,200 feet, this is one of Nelson’s most popular attractions.

Wintergreen Resort provides winter sports fans a thrill on the slopes with skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. Devils Knob and Stoney Creek golf courses, with their Blue Ridge Mountain setting, provide golfers with the coolest playing conditions throughout the summer and the most dramatic mountain foliage throughout the fall. Other year round amenities at Wintergreen Resort include tennis, hiking, mountain biking, a splash at Lake Monocan and many family-oriented recreational opportunities