VA SP Trail Quest



Towards the end of 2022 I decided that I wanted to do more exploring farther away from home. So, after New Years 2023 I signed up for the

VA State Parks Trail Quest Program

The way that it works is very simple. You sign up on the VA DCR website, then input the name of the park and the date that you visited it. Once you have
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visited and entered 1, 5, 10, 20 or all (currently 41) Virginia State Parks, you will receive a pin via snail mail. It usually takes about a week to get your pin after you make an entry that reaches a certain plateau. You don't have to take an image, get a card stamped or even hike any trails. You just have to visit the parks. And you are on the honor system. Even if you have visited a VA state park many years ago, it counts.

So I inputted the twelve VA state parks that I had visited already and received three pins. I will give short descriptions of the parks that I have already visited and show an image of the pins that I have received. For any parks that I visit in the future, I will have a link that goes to a longer trip log. So here we go...


1) Westmoreland State Park, Montross, VA

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Not sure but I believe that I took my kids car camping here sometime around April 5, 1990. We tent camped and had a nice time. Early the next morning, while my two sons were sleeping, I hiked the perimeter trail around the park. Sorry but no trip log for this one. Afterwards I took my kids to George Washington's birthplace at

Popes Creek or Wakefield Plantation.



2) Grayson Highlands State Park, Mouth of Wilson, VA

On April 30, 1999 I traversed Grayson Highlands State Park while section hiking the AT from Springer Mountain, GA to Bland, VA. It had been raining for the last three days and was sleating while I hiked through this park. I had to take off my glasses to see. The wild ponies in this park could have been right next to me and and I wouldn't have seen them.

You can see images from this hike here.



3) Bear Creek Lake State Park, Cumberland, VA

During the weekend of May 27-28, 2001 Frank Maida and I did a 'Camp & Hike' along the Willis River Trail within Bear Creek Lake State Park. We did 5 miles on Saturday, car camped that night, hiked 9 miles the next day and then drove back home.

You can read the trip log of this Camp & Hike here.



4) Lake Anna State Park, Spotsylvania, VA

I day hiked here sometime in the 1990's but didn't log it. On April 25, 2014 Julie R and I RV camped at Lake Anna with a group called the Virginia Campers. We socialized with the group, caught some fish and had an overall nice time.

You can read the RV Trip log here.



5) Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield, VA

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On April 29, 2018 I RV camped at Pocahontas State Park while my son John was running a Ragnar Relay Race at this park. I volunteered during the race by picking up trash on Friday night within the runners village and directed traffic early Saturday morning so that runners could cross a road.

You can read the RV trip log here.



6) Mason Neck State Park, Lorton, VA

I day hiked here in the late 1980's and 1990's. I was supposed to day hike here in 2019 but had a conflicting event. Sorry but no trip log for this one.



7) Sky Meadows State Park, Delaplane, VA

I day hiked here in the early 1990's, hiked the AT through this park in 2000, tent camped here in 2010, led a hike here in 2018 and 12/07/2019.

You can read the trip log for this hike here.



8) Shenandoah River/Guest State Park, Bentonville, VA

I day hiked and tent camped here in the early 2000's, Julie R and I RV camped here in 2013 and I RV camped here solo on 12/15/2021.

You can read the RV trip log here.



9) Machicomoco State Park, Hayes, VA

On 04/01/2022 Julie R and I went RV camping with the Good Sam Club Potomac Dogwoods Chapter at Camp Cardinal RV Resort near Gloucester, VA. While there we took a side trip to the new Machicomoco State Park.

You can read the RV trip log here.



10) Natural Bridge State Park, Natural Bridge, VA

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This was part of a week long vacation starting on 05/16/2022. We took the RV to Glen Maury Park, Buena Vista, VA and spent three days there. While at this park we visited Natural Bridge State Park. It was great. Just be sure to take your State Parks pass with you (Don't leave it in your vehicle) in order to get in for free.

You can read the RV trip log here.



11) Widewater State Park, Stafford, VA

I reconned the trails in this park in 2021. Then I led a hike here on 09/03/2022.

You can read the trip log of this hike here.



12) Leesylvania State Park, Woodbridge, VA

I went here a few times as a young boy with my parents when this was Freestone Beach and before this was a state park. I day hiked here many, many times in the 2000's and led a hike here on 09/01/2018.

You can read the trip log of this hike here.



From here on I will just show links to the trip logs from future Virginia State Parks. They may be a recon in my blog, a hike in my day hike area, a backpacking trip in my backpacking area, a fishing trip in my fishing area or an RV trip in my RV Camping Area.

13) Caledon State Park, King George, VA

14) Seven Bends State Park, Woodstock, VA

15) Sweet Run State Park, Hillsboro, VA

16) Powhatan State Park, Powhatan, VA

17) York River State Park, Williamsburg, VA

More to follow...

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