If you’re looking for a listing of all the state parks in Virginia, then look no further. Below is a list of all the Virginia State Parks and links to their individual pages within the Virginia State Parks website.

Bear Creek Lake (BC)
Belle Isle (BI)
Breaks Interstate (BR)
Caledon Natural Area (CA)
Chippokes Plantation (CP)
Claytor Lake (CL)
Douthat (DO)
False Cape (FC)
Fairy Stone (FS)
First Landing (FL)
Grayson Highlands (GH)
High Bridge Trail (HB)
Holliday Lake (HL)
Hungry Mother (HM)
James River (JR)
Kiptopeke (KP)
Lake Anna (LA)
Leesylvania (LE)
Mason Neck (MN)
Natural Tunnel (NT)
New River Trail (NR)
Occoneechee (OC)
Pocahontas (PO)
Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historic (SC)
Shenandoah River Raymond R. “Andy” Guest Jr. (SH)
Shot Tower (ST)
Sky Meadows (SK)
Smith Mountain Lake (SM)
Southwest Virginia Museum Historical (SW)
Staunton River (SR)
Staunton River Battlefield (SB)
Tabb Monument
Twin Lakes (TL)
Westmoreland (WE)
Wilderness Road (WR)
York River (YR)

Enjoy all the beautiful areas that Virginia has to offer!

Trail notes: From the parking area follow the blue blazed Little Devil’s Staircase Trail North. At first the gorge is wide and the tread is rocky. As you proceed along the gorge will get much narrower and steeper … and, of course, rockier. You’ll cross Keyser’s Run several times as it percolates between all of the rocks and boulders. Be sure to look behind you as you climb for partial views. Near the end the trail gets very steep and then makes a hard left and reaches the ridge on a much more gradual pitch.

At 1.88 miles from the start reach a 4-way intersection. To the left and right is yellow blazed Keyser Run Fire Road. Straight ahead is blue blazed Pole Bridge Trail. If you opt for the shorter route turn left onto Keyser Run Fire Trail. In about 2.2 miles pass Bolen Cemetery and arrive at the intersection of Hull School Fire Road. Turn left, remaining on Keyser Run Fire Road and follow it back (1 mile) to your cars.

For the longer loop, continue straight through the 4-way intersection onto blue blazed Pole Bridge Tr. In about 0.93 miles turn left onto blue blazed Piney Branch Trail. Descend 2.8 miles to the intersection of Yellow blazed Hull School Fire Road. Turn left here.

At 0.78 miles from the last trail junction arrive at the junction of yellow blazed Keyser Run Fire Road (left and straight). Proceed straight on Keyser Run Fire Road for about another mile to get back to your car.
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Originally Published at MidAtlanticHikers.com/VA http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id156.html
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If doing the shorter loop follow Skyline Drive to about Mile Marker 10.2 and park at the Compton Gap Parking Lot on the left. If doing the entire trek continue past mile marker 12 and park at the Jenkins Gap parking lot on the west side of the drive.

Trail Notes: For the long version start at the Jenkins Gap Parking Area. Follow a spur trail a short distance to the junction with the white blazed AT. Turn right on the AT and follow it for 1.2 miles to a concrete post marking a 4X intersection.

Take in the views and then continue to follow the AT as it switchbacks down to Skyline Drive in 0.76 miles. Cross the drive into the Compton gap Parking area. This is the start of the shorter hike.

The continuation of the AT is a fire road blocked by a park gate at the back of the lot. Follow it north. In about 0.24 miles, cross the junction of blue blazed Dickey Ridge trail. (This is part of the return leg.)

In another 0.28 miles pass yellow blazed Springhouse Road on the left. For the next 1.14 miles the AT will carry dual blazes, yellow and white. (Yellow is the designation for hiking and equestrian trails in SNP. I think this is the only section of the AT in the park where horses are allowed.) At the end of this section the AT will turn left onto a footpath and leave the park. Shortly after passing a through hiker registration kiosk arrive at Possum Rest Overlook. The road in the distance is Rt522.

Descend steeply down from the overlook and soon cross an old woods road. In 0.4 miles after crossing the woods road arrive at the Tom Floyd’s Wayside.

After lunch at the wayside continue to descend on the AT through a series of switchbacks. There will be two blue blazed spur trails to the left that lead to campsites and a spring and eventually back to the wayside. Turn left onto a third blue blazed spur trail. There is currently a sign propped up on the base of a tree noting the way to Rt601. Follow the spur trail out to the road. It breaks out through an old stone wall behind a house. (According to the PATC map the trail is supposed to go back into the woods around a pond to the right. We found the pond but not the trail. If anyone finds it please send us a description and/or photos. They will be included here with proper attribution.) If you cannot find where the trail reenters the woods simply follow Rt601 down past the 2 vehicle parking area and final terminus of the spur trail to Rt604.

Turn left onto Rt604 and then make another left onto Hickerson Hollow Rd. This will become yellow blazed Hickerson Hollow Tr as it enters the park. Say ” Hi!” to a rather friendly horse at the Promised Land as you walk up the road.

The trail initially follows the run. Shortly after it fragments into many smaller streamlets the trail veers away from the hollow and climbs up to Skyline Drive reaching it at 1.17 miles after reentering the park from below.

Turn left onto the shoulder of the drive. Take about 3 steps and immediately turn left onto yellow blazed Dickey Ridge trail. Climb steadily for about 0.6 miles to the junction of Springhouse Rd on the left. The yellow blazes will follow it while you and blue blazes will continue to the right on the remainder of Dicky Ridge Tr. Gradually descend another 0.6 miles to the AT on what now seems to be a woods road, passing Fort Windham Rocks (Geologically interesting) on the way.

Turn right on the AT and retrace your earlier steps back to your cars regardless of your starting point.
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Originally Published at MidAtlanticHikers.com/VA http://midatlantichikes.com/jenkinsgap.htm
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Total Distance: 9.5 miles

Location/Directions: The trail can be accessed in three ways. One access is to exit I-64 at the Goshen exit and proceed south on FDR 447 to the trailhead. Another access is available from Longdale Furnace by taking the Longdale Furnace exit off I-64 and turning onto west U.S. 60. Then turn left onto the State Route 770. Continue up 770 to the trailhead at the intersection of FDR 447 and Route 770. The third access to North Mountain Trail is from the Longdale Recreation Area.

Parking is available at the intersection of FDR 447 and State Route 770 and at the Longdale Recreation Area in the first parking lot. Parking is also available on FDR 271 if the recreation is closed.

Difficulty: More Difficult

Elevation Gain: N/A

Maps: N/A

Finding the Trailhead: The trail begins at the intersection of FDR 447 and State Route 770.

The Hike: toprol xl generics North Mountain Trail offers some of the best viewing opportunities on the district. The trail was built by the CCC’s in the 1930’s by the men from the natural Bridge Camp. From the Beginning to its end, North Mountain Trail travels nine and one half miles through terrain that varies in elevation from 1,700 to 3,200 feet. It starts on North Mountain at the intersection of FDR 447 and State Route 770 just south of the radio tower. The trail heads southwest along North Mountain and offers occasional views to the east and west. Brushy Mountain and Mill Mountain areas visible to the west while Collierstown and Lake Robinson are visible to the east.

At mile 3, narrow rock stairs descend between huge boulders. There is a wide view of the surrounding landscape from atop the boulders. This trail offers an opportunity for some great pictures of the surrounding landscape. The views from the top of North Mountain are spectacular especially on clear, cloudless days.

The trail takes a sharp right turn to head down off the mountain and into Longdale Recreation Area. It drops down off the ridge and follows a drain for a short distance until it intersects with the end of an old skid road. Then it turns south to go around the nose of a ridge and drops down into Bob Downy Branch. Soon after reaching Bob Downy Branch the trail crosses FDR 271. (Tri County Road). The trail follows Bob Downy Branch to the intersection with Yaccr’s Run Trail. Yaccr’s Run Trail and North Mountain Trail share the rest of the hike into Longdale Recreation Area. The entire hike should take four to six hours and can be hiked in either direction.

The trailhead at FDR 447 and State Route 770 is difficult to access in the winter months because of snow and ice accumulations on the road surfaces.

Total Distance: 5.5 miles round trip

Location/Directions: Luray, VA – Drive to Big Meadows, just south of Mile Post 51 on Skyline Drive. Turn in and follow signs to Amphitheater parking area. Trails begins behind the amphitheater.

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Gain: 1400 feet

Finding the Trailhead: Trail begins behind the amphitheater.

The Hike: Circuit passes Rose River Falls and the site of an old copper mine. Erosion has all but obliterated all traces of the mine. The circuit continues on past Dark Hollow Falls and offers view points from the Appalachian Trail as it circles the Big Meadows picnic and camping areas.