York River State Park – Events in September 2025

🌿 York River State Park – Events in September 2025

York River State Park is an amazing park located near Williamsburg, Virginia. It offers year round programming that really picks up from the spring through the late fall. They also have affordable and really wonderful camps in the area. Programs below are free to attend unless otherwise noted. There is a parking fee of $5 or you can purchase an Annual Park Pass. This park has more than 40 miles of hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails allow visitors to explore the marsh, river shoreline and forests. A boat ramp, fresh and salt water fishing spots, a fishing pier, playgrounds, and picnic shelters. Enjoy the following programs! More Information…

🌊 Outdoor & Nature Exploration

🌿 York River State Park – August & September 2025 Events

🚣 Lost Lighthouse Kayak Tour –
Sept. 1, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · York River State Park Amphitheater
 Sept. 19, 2025. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.. · York River State Park Amphitheater
Explore the history of the York River’s four manned lighthouses: Bells Rock, Pages Rock, Tue Marshes, and York Spit.

🐟 River Life
River Life – Sept. 1, 2025 · 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
River Life – Sept. 6, 2025. 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
River Life – Sept. 19, 2025. 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
River Life – Sept. 22, 2025. 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
See live displays of fish & shellfish freshly captured from York River and Woodstock Pond while learning about their role in the ecosystem. Visitor Center

🦴 Fossil Frenzy
Sept. 5, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Sept. 22, 2025. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.· Visitor Center
Travel back over 6,000 years to when the York River area was covered by a shallow sea full of marine life.

🚶 Roaming Ranger
Sept. 5, 2025 · 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Sept. 15, 2025. 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Discover the wetlands and woods with a ranger who will highlight aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life.

🦉 Owl Observations
Sept. 5, 2025 · 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. · Visitor Center
See and hear owls in their natural nighttime habitat.

🛶 Pick Your Paddle
Sept. 6, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Choose your adventure exploring wetlands or the river by kayak or canoe.

🌅 Sunset Paddle
Sept. 7, 2025 · 6:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. · Visitor Center
Sept. 21, 2025. 6:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. · Visitor Center
Enjoy a scenic paddle at sunset and spot wildlife active in the evening light.

🌊 Stream to Sea Stroll
Sept. 11, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Walk through four aquatic ecosystems—stream, pond, marsh, and river—while identifying fish, crustaceans, and plants.

👶 Tyke Hike
Sept. 11, 2025 · 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Sept. 25, 2025. 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.. · Visitor Center
A short, stroller-friendly hike for little explorers beyond crawling but not yet ready for big sibling adventures.

🐚 Super Shoreline Exploration (Girl Scouts Love State Parks)
Sept. 13, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. · Amphitheater
Search for fossils, shells, shark teeth, and explore living shoreline creatures with the tide.

🌎 Estuaries Day (National Public Lands Day)
Sept. 27, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. · Visitor Center
Celebrate estuaries with York River State Park & VIMS through exhibits, activities, and learning stations.

📚 Field Education Programs
Feb. 10, 2025 – Dec. 31, 2025 · 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. · Amphitheater
Customizable programs for schools & groups featuring hikes, netting, and seasonal canoe/kayak trips.

MORE INFORMATION….

York River State Park is celebrated for its rare estuarine ecosystem, where freshwater and saltwater blend to create a vibrant habitat for marine life and native plants. Located along the York River, the park is part of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. This unspoiled landscape holds clues to a rich natural and cultural past, featuring fossil beds and artifacts from both Colonial and Native American history. Through ranger programs, hands-on activities, and engaging visitor center exhibits, guests can learn about the river’s ecology, wildlife, and historical significance. With more than 40 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, visitors can explore scenic marshes, wooded areas, and riverfront views. The park also offers a boat ramp, fishing pier, freshwater and saltwater fishing spots, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and seasonal boat rentals.

The park is known for its rare and delicate estuarine environment, where freshwater and saltwater meet to create a rich habitat for marine and plant life. It is on the York River and is designated as a Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Programs, activities and visitor center displays focus on the history, use, wildlife and preservation of the York River and its marshes. More than 30 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails allow visitors to explore the marsh, river shoreline and forests.

Check program schedules online. Reservations are required, events will have a limited number of participants.

York River State Park
9801 York River Park Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23188
Phone: 757-566-3036   Email Address: YorkRiver@dcr.virginia.gov
Web Site: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/york-river