I know I’ve mentioned the National Parks quite a bit in this blog, but in my area there are also a lot of local, regional, and state parks that are wonderful to spend time at. Earlier today, I met up with a college friend and her family to hike around Leesylvania State Park.
It was a lot of fun seeing my friend and meet her daughter and husband. I hadn’t seen this friend in about ten years, but we’d been keeping in touch through letter writing and social media. We met up at Leesylvania because my friend’s family is trying to go to all 41 Virginia state parks before their daughter turns five. With Leesylvania, they passed the 25% mark.
Leesylvania holds a special place in my heart. It’s the state park I spent the most time at growing up. I had Junior Ranger camp there (a day camp associated with the National Wildlife Federation), many Girl Scout and church event, friend’s birthday parties, and general days spent outside in that park. Going back today was a lovely nostalgic trip and I was glad to share the park with my friends.
Leesylvania State Park was packed today, with it reaching capacity well before noon. We’re pretty sure there was a big church event in one area of the park and we could occasionally hear music while on the trails. However, the train we were on was deserted and, with how lush the growth was, felt like we were in a world of our own. We sadly didn’t see many animals (though we did spot a snake skin that had been recently shed). I think I spotted a heron and there were a few butterflies. By the pond we heard some very noisy frogs that as I child I would have tried to catch.
There’s also old ruins along one of the trails with the foundations of a few houses still standing and an overgrown graveyard that’s mostly covered in poison ivy. A ruined Confederate fort is also on one of the outlooks. The trail we took includes plaques with information on each historic site, which is good because the map is incredibly unhelpful.
Leesylvania is now about an hour away from where I currently live. There aren’t too many State Parks close to my current home, but there are a lot of regional parks and one National Park. Some of these parks do cost money to go into (Leesylvania just raised their rates to $10 per car), some have seasonal costs and are free in the off season, and a few are free year round. The best resource for the northern Virginia area is the NoVa Parks website.
State parks, like National Parks, typically have an annual pass you can invest in. At least they do in Virginia Though there is one Virginia state park on the Virginia/Kentucky boarder that isn’t park of the pass system. That one is Breaks Interstate Park and it’s way off in the foot of Virginia (the southwestern most point near Tennessee).
And new State Parks continue to be added all the time in Virginia. Leesylvania was established in 1989, which isn’t that long ago. And our newest State Park, Seven Bends, opened over the last couple of years.
Regional parks depend on the counties that encompass the area. NoVa Parks is run with help from Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria, and Loudon Counties. Their parks are typically marked with a brown fence board with yellow gold letters. They also maintain a few water parks, golf courses, tennis courts, and botanical gardens.
My specific city also has local parks and wildlife trials that are clearly marked and provide safe places for people to spend time outside. These parks and trails are maintained by the city. They also connect different parts of the city without worrying about major roads and highways for pedestrians and cyclists.
Parks are an important part of our society. They provide a safe area with access to nature and help preserve the environment. While at Leesylvania, my friend’s husband pointed out and identified many of the native plant species that keep the ecosystem there healthy. While walking around my city’s trains, I often see foxes, deer, and other wild animals.
We need parks for recreation and as communal spaces to meet up and spend time with each other. Keeping them clean is also a priority to maintain them for future generations. National Parks are some of America’s most amazing examples of wilderness, but state, regional, and local parks are just as important. Some might have historical sites, others are habitats for animals, while all have areas for people to spend time.
Parks are important. If you don’t have any in your area or you don’t feel yours is safe, contact your local governments. If there’s a green space you’d like to protect, see if you can make it a priory for your community. Protecting these spaces is good for the environment and our mental health and creates jobs.
I hope you can spend some time at your local parks this summer. I know I will.
Until next week.
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