River Seining — Ranger Gresham with visitors

York River State Park – September Events 2023

The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk. 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! York River State Park is located at 9801 York River Park Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23188.

Canoeing with the Stars

September 16 from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Get away from the city lights and gaze at the celestial bodies in the night sky. Discover how to identify constellations and hear a legend or two of how they came to be. This program is dependent on the clarity of the viewing sky on the night it occurs. Reservations with pre-payment only

Stargazing

September 16 from 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Join the Virginia Peninsula Stargazers as they point out the different items of our solar system in the night sky. They will have the equipment. Just bring your curiosity. This is a sky forecast dependent event. If the sky is predicted to be overcast, the event will be cancelled by 3pm on day of.

Present Day Pirates

September 17 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 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.

Sunset Paddle

September 17 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 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. Cost.

National Public Lands Day (Estuaries Day)

September 23 from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate our public lands by exploring life where the rivers meet the sea. We will have exhibits from various agencies and organizations highlighting this unique ecosystem. Staff and volunteers will lead hiking and paddling excursions. Self guided adventurers are also welcome to discover the beauty in the brackish water world.

Mysterious Moonlight Canoe Tour

September 29 from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Explore the marsh at night as you paddle up its placid waters. Various creatures may be seen in the creek or along the shoreline, while bats fly above in the night sky. You may even experience owls calling at a distance. Take it all in as the light of the moon blankets the surroundings with mystery. Reservations with pre-payment only.

Stream to Sea Stroll

September 30 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Take a walk and discover life in four different aquatic ecosystems. We will hike to a small woodland and marsh stream, freshwater pond, and brackish/saltwater river. With nets, we will capture and identify different crustaceans, fish, and take note of plant life.

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.