River Seining — Ranger Gresham with visitors

York River State Park August Events 2022

The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk. A shoreline restoration project will be taking place until May 17. During this time Fossil Beach will be closed. Monday through Friday portions of Backbone Trail and Mattaponi Trail will be closed and rerouted onto Meh Te Kos Bridle Trail.

The park visitor center, office, and gift shop are open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. This park has great events below, dock for canoes and kayaks, fishing, horse trails, hiking trails and some challenging mountain bike trails too! Canoe and Kayak rentals are closed for the season. York River State Park is located at 9801 York River Park Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23188.

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 12 – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us. You may even encounter a variety of wild creatures. Learn something new and exciting as you paddle up the creek or down the river. And don’t worry, we provide you with a paddle of your choice (canoe or kayak). Taskinas Creek and the York River are so rich in their resources and we’ll teach you ways to protect them. Call the park office for rental fees and reservations, 757-566-3036.

Dabble In Discovery

August 12 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 13 – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us. You may even encounter a variety of wild creatures. Learn something new and exciting as you paddle up the creek or down the river. And don’t worry, we provide you with a paddle of your choice (canoe or kayak). Taskinas Creek and the York River are so rich in their resources and we’ll teach you ways to protect them. Call the park office for rental fees and reservations, 757-566-3036.

Dabble In Discovery

August 13 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Fossil Frenzy Hike

August 13 – 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea. Reservations must be made in advance 757-566-3036.

River Seine

August 14 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The brackish waters of the York River has a unique variety of fish and shellfish. Follow the Woodstock Pond Trail to the river access point past shelter #3 to the left of the pond, Rangers will be using 2-man seine and other nets to discover what is in the water.

Roaming Ranger

August 14 – 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Sunset Pick Your Paddle

August 14 – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. End the weekend with a scenic trip on the York River (or Taskinas Creek depending on water conditions) in the evening. Discover the birds and creatures that are active in the gentle light of sunset. Canoes $9 per person or $6 per person (family of 4 or more), Solo Kayak $16 per person, Tandem Kayak $22 per boat. Call the park office for reservations 757-566-3036.

Dabble In Discovery

August 15 & 17 – 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 19 – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us.

Dabble In Discovery

August 19 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 20– 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us.

Dabble In Discovery

August 20 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Present Day Pirates

August 20 – 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. A new way to find treasure at your own pace. Geocaching makes use of the Global Positioning System to help you find caches of park information and small gifts. We will supply you with a GPS unit and the ranger will point you to the path of a unique discovery. Please call for reservations, 757-566-3036.

River Seine

August 21 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The brackish waters of the York River has a unique variety of fish and shellfish. Follow the Woodstock Pond Trail to the river access point past shelter #3 to the left of the pond, Rangers will be using 2-man seine and other nets to discover what is in the water.

Roaming Ranger

August 21 – 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Sunset Pick Your Paddle

August 21 – 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. End the weekend with a scenic trip on the York River (or Taskinas Creek depending on water conditions) in the evening. Discover the birds and creatures that are active in the gentle light of sunset. Rental prices click here

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 26- 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us.

Dabble In Discovery

August 26- 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Creek Pick Your Paddle

August 27- 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Explore the beautiful wetlands with us.

Dabble In Discovery

August 27- 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Fossil Frenzy Hike

August 27- 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Long before there was a York River State Park, or even a York River, 6,000 plus years ago, marine creatures swam here in a shallow sea. Reservations must be made in advance 757-566-3036.

River Seine

August 28- 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. The brackish waters of the York River has a unique variety of fish and shellfish. Follow the Woodstock Pond Trail to the river access point past shelter #3 to the left of the pond, Rangers will be using 2-man seine and other nets to discover what is in the water.

Roaming Ranger

August 28- 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Sunset Pick Your Paddle

August 28- 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. End the weekend with a scenic trip on the York River (or Taskinas Creek depending on water conditions) in the evening. Discover the birds and creatures that are active in the gentle light of sunset. Call the park office for reservations and price rentals, 757-566-3036.

Dabble In Discovery

August 29- 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. With over two thousand acres, the park has a wide variety of life in the wetlands and woods. Meet with our naturalist/ranger who will help you discover the aquatic, insect, mammal, and plant life in the park’s ecosystems.

Dabble In Discovery

For additional upcoming programs go HERE

COVID-19 update: take a moment to read this important park update. Last Update: April 25, 2022

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.