Virginia’s Outdoor Spaces
Blog post by GWHVA intern Hailey Lindsey, 2023
We are starting a new series of posts that provide information on the different types of outdoor spaces in Virginia. Each of these outdoor spaces are accessible to the public for hiking and other recreational activities.
State Parks
A state park is operated by the resident state’s government. Although state residents have less control over how their parks are managed compared to national parks, state parks are generally closer to urban centers and have more amenities to offer. In the state of Virginia, there are 41 state parks!
Click on this link for more information about Virginia’s state parks: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/.
Also check out this link for information on the different events happening at each Virginia state park: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/events.
Interstate Parks
An interstate park is essentially a state park that lies within two states and gets treated as one park instead of two separate parks. In the U.S. there are only two of these, and in the Southwest Region of Virginia lies Breaks Interstate Park which is owned and operated by Kentucky and Virginia.
Click on this link for more information about Breaks Interstate Park: https://www.breakspark.com/.
State Forests
The fifth of eleven outdoor spaces is a state forest. State forests are public lands owned by the state and are used to manage natural resources. They are often rugged and underdeveloped with few to no facilities. State forests have many uses other than recreation like watershed management/research, timber production, and wildlife management/research.
Click on this link for more information on the Virginia Department of Forestry and state forests: https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/state-forests/.
National Parks
A national park is a federally protected area of great natural importance. According to the National Park Service, all parks share four characteristics. Each is an “outstanding example of a particular resource” and offers a “true, accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of that resource.” A national park must also showcase “the natural or cultural themes of our nation’s heritage” and provide “superlative opportunities for recreation for public use.”
Pictured above is the North Entrance to Shenandoah National Park. This park was established in 1926 and contains 236 trails or roughly 500 miles open for hiking!
Click on this link for more information about the history of the National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/hisnps/index.htm.
National Forests
Although national forests tend to surround or neighbor national parks, they are federally operated by the U.S. Forest Service, which generally has different priorities from those of the National Park Service. National forests take a conservationist approach which allows commercial activities like logging and mining in ecological moderation, and they have fewer recreation restrictions than a national park. For visitors this means national forests may permit hunting and dogs on trails.
Pictured above is the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest which was established in May 1918.
Click on this link for more information about national forests and the U.S. Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.
State Wildlife Management Areas
These areas are run by the state government and are open for a variety of recreational activities. Many of these areas are open for hunting, and they operate on fees from hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and Wildlife Restoration Funds. Some of the recreational opportunities other than hunting include primitive camping, birding, hiking, and boating.
Pictured above is the Big Woods Wildlife Management Area.
Click on this link for more information about Virginia’s Wildlife Management Areas https://dwr.virginia.gov/wma/.
National Scenic Trails
These types of trails are routes of outstanding recreation opportunity and showcase our country’s spectacular natural resources and beauty. These trails are continuous and extend for 100 miles or more, and they are primarily non-motorized. In Virginia the Appalachian Trail is a national scenic trail that extends over 2,190 miles.
Click on this link for more information on national scenic trails: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-scenic-trails.htm.
Also click on this link for more information about the Appalachian Trail: https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.
National Scenic Areas
These areas are federally managed and unique in their purpose and designation. Instead of reflecting an overarching vision like national parks they reflect a special situation. The creation of these areas is a result of purpose-built legislation used to apply special management status to specific areas of public land or to create management solutions for important public and private lands.
Click on this link for more information on national scenic areas: https://www.outdoorproject.com/articles/national-scenic-areas.
State Natural Area Preserves
These spaces are managed by the state government and focus on protecting threatened or rare plants, animals, and natural communities. Low impact recreation like hiking and birding are allowed, but generally not camping, hunting, fishing, etc. Natural area preserves are typically not staffed daily and don’t have restroom facilities.
Pictured above is a map of the State Natural Area Preserves in Virginia that are accessible to the public.
Click on this link for more information on natural area preserves in Virginia: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-area-preserves/.
Recreation Areas
There are only four of these spaces in the U.S., and one happens to be located in Virginia. Green Pastures Recreation Area was built in the 1930s at the request of the Clifton Forge Chapter of the NAACP to be used by African Americans during the segregation area because nearby state parks like Douthat excluded African Americans at that time. After World War II, the recreation site was renovated and reopened as an integrated public site. Then in 1963 it was named Longdale after the surrounding community. In 2017 Longdale Recreation Area closed, and in 2018 it was listed as one of Virginia’s most endangered historic places. The local community had been working hard since its closure to reopen and restore it to its former culturally significant condition. On September 24, 2021, a reopening ceremony was held, and the name was changed back to Green Pastures Recreation Area. The site became open to walking visitors but not vehicles. This site is full of cultural importance to the local community, the Alleghany Historical Society, the Forest Service, and African Americans during the segregation era and thereafter.
To watch the reopening ceremony of Green Pastures Recreation Area: Reopening and Dedication of the Green Pastures Recreation Area click here.
National Wildlife Refuge
There are over 560 refuges in the U.S., and they are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The purpose of these refuges is to protect iconic species and provide outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities. Recreation in these spaces are typically limited to low impact activities like hiking on designated trails and birding.
Pictured above is the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It was first established in 1938 to protect and provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl.
Click on this link for more information about the National Wildlife Refuge System: https://www.fws.gov/program/national-wildlife-refuge-system.
