• Virginia State Parks span the length and breadth of the state and offer experiences as diverse as Virginia's geography and climate.a state park in virginia beach image by Gary from Fotolia.com
  
  The Virginia State Parks system that opened in 1936 had only six parks, but it's grown to include 35 state parks and nearly 60 more ( VSP) affiliate sites such as historic sites and natural areas. As a linchpin of Virginia's tourism economy, the state parks system offers many activity programs and tries--despite budget constraints--to continue opening new parks and enhancing the existing ones.
  
  

High Bridge Trail State Park

• High Bridge Trail State Park is a work- in-progress for the VSP. The park is built around a 30-mile length of abandoned railroad that Norfolk Southern Railway company donated to Virginia in 2006. Its main attraction is a roughly half-mile-long railroad bridge built in 1853 that goes across the Appomattox River. Twenty of the park's 30 miles of trails are already open to the public and, though it's not yet accessible to hikers, the bridge is slated to be opened in 2011.
  
  High Bridge Trail State Park
  6888 Green Bay Road
  Green Bay, VA 23942
  434-315-0457
  www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hig.shtml
  
  

Holliday Lake Campsite Additions

• A state park since 1972, Holliday Lake is located in the heart of Virginia near Appomattox. The park is adding more campsites that will better accommodate larger camping equipment, such as RVs. Included in this addition are more electrical and water hookups and additional bath facilities.
  
  Holliday Lake State Park
  2759 State Park Road
  Appomattox, VA 24522
  434-248-6308
  www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hol.shtml
  
  

TrailQuest

• TrailQuest is a program that rewards visits to Virginia State Parks. After signing up for TrailQuest at www.virginiaoutdoors.com/join, park visitors can begin to earn distinctive badges for their visits to different parks in the system, according to VSP. A park visitor can then sign in and submit the name of the park he visited, the date of the visit and the "secret park code" obtained from either the park office, kiosk, visitor center or contact station. In addition to the park-specific badges, the VSP also awards milestone badges for visiting 5, 10 or 20 different parks.
  
  

Fish Virginia First

• The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and Virginia State Parks have partnered with Fish Virginia First, a website designed to help fishermen decide where to cast their lines based on the time of year, location, body of water or species of fish. Twenty-one state parks participate in the Fish Virginia First program.