Virginia’s Natural Beauty: A Summer of State Parks and National Forests
Spring is transitioning into a beautiful Virginia summer, which means it is the perfect time to pack up the hiking boots and hit the trails. Our family has been making the most of the warming weather by exploring some of the stunning state parks and national forests across the state.
Our first stop was Lake Anna State Park. We started the morning with a quiet, plant-based breakfast spread right by the water’s edge, watching the late spring wildlife just waking up, and few boats gliding across the glassy surface. It is an incredibly peaceful spot located in the Piedmont region, characterized by its striking red clay soils. As we hiked the trails around the lake and stopped by the nature center, we were shaded by a dense, fragrant canopy of loblolly pines, white oaks, and red maples. The nature center display of animal skins, stuffed birds, and turtle shells was interesting, especially to our 8 and 9 year olds.
Another weekend, we traveled east to the coastal plain to visit Westmoreland State Park. The landscape shifts dramatically here, with sandy loam trails winding through beautiful groves of smooth-barked American beech and towering tulip poplars. The absolute highlight for the kids was walking down to the small beach beneath the impressive cliffs, which are formed from ancient marine clay and sand. Like many other visitors on the shore, we spent our time with our heads bowed, scouring the water’s edge for prehistoric shark teeth and fossils that regularly wash out from the waters.
Finally, we headed west into the George Washington National Forest to tackle the Crabtree Falls trail. The steep, rocky loam and well-drained soils of the Blue Ridge Mountains support a completely different, lush ecosystem. We hiked up alongside the magnificent cascade of waterfalls, completely surrounded by blooming mountain laurel, vibrant green ferns, and wild rosebay rhododendrons. The forest was absolutely alive with activity, with songbirds in the upper branches, flitting butterflies, and squirrels.
These first few trips have been a wonderful way to reconnect with nature, and we are already planning to explore even more of Virginia’s beautiful outdoor spaces as the summer continues!
