The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – Fall foliage, mountain trails and waterfront views give visitors several ways to explore Virginia State Parks this season, including a getaway close to home at Douthat State Park.
For Alleghany Highlands residents, Douthat offers a nearby option for hiking beneath changing leaves, taking in mountain overlooks or spending a quiet afternoon beside the lake.
Across Virginia, parks offer similar opportunities, with overnight accommodations ranging from historic cabins to yurts and campsites.
In Southwest Virginia, Hungry Mother State Park features more than 17 miles of hiking and biking trails and a 108-acre lake for fishing and paddling. Visitors can stay in cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, along with other cabins, a lodge, yurts and campgrounds.
Near the Blue Ridge Parkway, Fairy Stone State Park offers views around its 168-acre lake and hiking, cycling and horseback riding on the Little Mountain Falls Trail System. Visitors can also learn about the park’s namesake stones and search for one. Overnight options include historic cabins, a lodge, a bunkhouse, yurts and campsites.
Shenandoah River State Park has 5.2 miles of frontage along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, with views toward Massanutten Mountain and Shenandoah National Park. Culler’s Overlook provides a broad view of the river and surrounding fall foliage. Cabins, a lodge, camping cabins, yurts and campgrounds accommodate overnight visitors.
Nearby Sky Meadows State Park combines wooded trails, open pastures and a historic farm landscape. Visitors can hike, bike or ride horses, access the Appalachian Trail or stay at primitive hike-in tent sites.
In central Virginia, Bear Creek Lake State Park sits within Cumberland State Forest. Its 40-acre lake offers fishing and paddling, while hiking trails, access to the 15.7-mile Cumberland Multi-use Trail and a 10-lane archery range provide additional recreation. Lodging includes cabins, a lodge, a bunkhouse and a campground.
High Bridge Trail State Park offers another option in the area, with 32 miles of converted railroad corridor. The bridge provides elevated views of the Appomattox River and surrounding trees.
Along the Potomac River, Westmoreland State Park pairs wooded scenery and shoreline cliffs with opportunities to search for fossilized shark teeth. Historic CCC cabins, camping cabins and a campground provide overnight accommodations.
Caledon State Park offers another Potomac-area destination, with trails through mature forests and opportunities for bird watching.
In Tidewater, Chippokes State Park combines fall scenery with agricultural history across the James River from Jamestown. Visitors can explore the mansion and outbuildings, view equipment at the Farm and Forestry Museum and stay in converted farmhouses, yurts or the campground.
York River State Park offers hiking and mountain biking trails, along with paddling on Taskinas Creek for views of the changing leaves from the water.
