Keep Virginia Beautiful has The Prettiest State

A California travel writer made a list of what he considered the top 5 prettiest states in America.   Guess what?  We made the list!

“What stunning scenery, backwoods horse country, dense woods and green, green green pasture land as far as the eye can see.”

It may be our State Parks.  As you may know, Keep Virginia Beautiful  just launched a project with Dominion Virginia Power and Virginia Green to place recycling bins in all 35 of our Parks.  Our parks are, after all, how many visitors see our State for the first time.  Today we thought that we’d take a look at some.

Perhaps we should start at the ocean and work our way west.

False Cape State Park near Virginia Beach is one of the Atlantic coast’s last undeveloped shores.  You can’t drive there but you can ride the Terra-Gator.  False Cape got an early reputation as a ship graveyard because early sailors thought it was Cape Henry and tried to come into port.  It’s a great place to camp and is filled with wildlife.

About 2 hours west of Richmond is Holliday Lake. Its just minutes from the famous Appomattox Court House where Lee surrendered to Grant.  Back in those days it was cleared for farmland.  Fish Pond Creek was dammed up in the 30’s to create the lake.  Today it boasts trails, camping, an awesome swimming area, and some great trout fishing.

In the mood for a National Historic Landmark?  Head to Staunton River. Bordered by the Dan and Staunton rivers it has the largest lake in Virginia.  A great spot for camping and hiking it also boasts some modern amenities like an Olympic sized pool but stays true to its roots as a 30’s era CCC project.  Staunton River State Park is still recovering from some nasty damage due to April’s tornadoes but is worthy of a visit.

If you need a break from the water go west to Grayson Highlands.  Established as a State Park in 1965 it is a great way to beat the heat, as it stays pretty cool at elevations as high as 5,089 feet.  Many of the areas in and around the park were named for early settlers of the area who lived in small homesteads and made, grew or gathered what they needed from the lands around them.  You can still see remnants of some of these old homesteads.  While not a boater’s paradise you can still put your feet in the water at spots like Wilburn Branch or the beautiful Cabin Creek.

 

 

Swim, canoe, hike, bike or fish.  Virginia State Parks have been offering us great things to do and views of the prettiest of Virginia.  Pay them a visit soon!  And while you’re there, use one of our recycling bins and help to Keep Virginia Beautiful!