Grayson Highlands State Park

Grayson Highlands State Park Known for spectacular views and wild ponies, this park is a gateway to the Appalachian Trail and Mount Rogers. Vulgar language. B. Sexual content. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J.
(5079)

Fish from wild trout streams, explore multi-use trails, climb the best bouldering site in Virginia, and camp in one of the campgrounds. DCR's social media activities are intended to present agency matters of public interest to clients, businesses and visitors. DCR encourages users to submit questions and comments but asks users to remain civil and on topic.

1. DCR strongly discourages, and may re

move to the extent legally permissible, submissions with:
A. Hate speech or symbols. Personal attacks. Comments on content that promote, foster or perpetuate discrimination based on race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status and genetics with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or intellectual disability, or sexual orientation. Spam and links to other sites. Off-topic content. Content that advocates illegal activity. Content that promotes particular services, products or political organizations. Content that infringes on copyrights or trademarks. K. Protected medical information or personal information that may potentially compromise the privacy or security of an individual’s identity. L. Information that may compromise the safety, security or proceedings of public systems or any criminal or civil investigation.
2. User comments and content reflect the opinions and views of the author, not of DCR.
3. No user may have any expectation of privacy in any message, file or image, or of data created, sent, retrieved or posted via Commonwealth of Virginia equipment or access.

🌳 Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day with us! We're hosting a variety of ranger-led programs to help our younger visit...
05/12/2026

🌳 Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day with us! We're hosting a variety of ranger-led programs to help our younger visitors connect with nature and discover the joys of being outside.

🗓️ Saturday, May 16
🕛 9:15 a.m. Rhododendron Trail Scavenger Hunt
🕛 11:30 a.m. Reading Ranger Story Time
🕛 2 p.m. Twin Pinnacles Scavenger Hunt

Come enjoy a day filled with fun, learning and fresh air!

Learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/kids-to-parks-day

📸 Trail to Little Pinnacle

Join our park rangers for upcoming events this May! 🌼 🌄 Explore the outdoors with guided hikes, hands‑on activities and ...
05/05/2026

Join our park rangers for upcoming events this May! 🌼

🌄 Explore the outdoors with guided hikes, hands‑on activities and engaging programs that highlight the park's history, wildlife and natural wonders. With something for every age and interest, it's the perfect time to get outside and discover what's waiting for you this spring.

Learn more: www.virginiastateparks.gov/graysonhighlands-events

Looking for a meaningful part-time job where you can support a friendly team and help keep one of Virginia’s most popula...
04/23/2026

Looking for a meaningful part-time job where you can support a friendly team and help keep one of Virginia’s most popular parks running smoothly?

We have three part-time positions open, and we’d love to hear from you.

🧹 Housekeeping Ranger
Performs cleaning tasks and light maintenance necessary for the operation of state park facilities.

🛠️ Maintenance Ranger
Focuses on landscaping, trash removal and performing basic upkeep and maintenance of equipment and vehicles.

📋 Office Assistant
Provides administrative support, assists with events and volunteers, supports retail operations, reconciles daily revenue, helps train and direct seasonal staff, and provides coverage at key park facilities as needed.

Apply today and help us keep Grayson Highlands an incredible place to visit!

Our seasonal jobs are a great place to start if you're interested in a career in the parks. Maintenance jobs, customer service positions, and lifeguard positions are just a few examples of these jobs. In each case, you will get a taste of what a state park is like to work in.

Congratulations to Vivian & Brad Jefferson who completed their Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State ParkHere is ...
04/21/2026

Congratulations to Vivian & Brad Jefferson who completed their Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State Park

Here is what they said about their journey:

“We received our first Trail Quest pin at the First Day Hike at Mason Neck State Park in 2018. After a slow start, we took our first “State Park Vacation” in March 2021, visiting 4 parks around Farmville. We gradually logged more state parks each year and then set a New Years Resolution to finish the Trail Quest challenge in 2025. We met our goal of 13 parks for the year in September.

Since we are both data people, we analyzed patterns in our Trail Quest journey:

• 77% of our park visits occurred in the past three years.

• We prefer hiking in colder weather, with a total of 9 park visits in December, 8 park visits in March, and 6 park visits in January (all First Day hikes). No bugs, no humidity, and no crowds!

The Trail Quest challenge was the perfect activity for us to share together. Brad enjoys photographing birds and Vivian appreciates the peace of exploring nature. We both like to travel so the road trips to all of the different parts of Virginia were especially fun. Some of our favorite experiences were:

• Viewing the habitats of migrating birds at False Cape State Park during the tram tour.

• Listening to the songs of 34 bird species at Staunton River Battlefield State Park and at many other parks, we saw peregrine falcons, herons, ducks, geese, and even a lone slithering snake.

• Hiking to expansive views of mountains and rivers at Grayson Highlands State Park, New River Trail State Park, Shenandoah River State Park and James River State Park. The trails at First Landing State Park lead through diverse ecosystems, from dunes and marshes to forest.

• Learning the history of Virginia at parks that feature civil war battlefields, pioneer experience, the ties of indigenous people to the land, and the remnants of Civilian Conservation Corps projects.

We feel fortunate to have such well-maintained Virginia State Parks. All of the parks are accessible to people of different hiking levels and the park rangers are knowledgeable and eager to share helpful advice.”

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

Congratulations to Hunter DeShazor who completed his Master Hiker designation at Shenandoah River State ParkHunter broke...
04/14/2026

Congratulations to Hunter DeShazor who completed his Master Hiker designation at Shenandoah River State Park

Hunter broke our record for Master Hiker Ceremony attendants, with around 40 of his closest friends and family joining him to celebrate this accomplishment. He shared the following about his Trail Quest journey:

“Completing the Virginia State Parks Trail Quest was a journey of immense self-discovery, deep passion for the outdoors, and experiencing joy within every park. Being from D.C., it took me years to visit them all, leading to many weekend trips and eventually a full week off to properly explore Southwest Virginia.

My heart belongs to a few standout locations: Wilderness Road State Park with its herd of buffalo, Kiptopeke State Park and the profound peace found along the shores of Machicomoco State Park.

My mom's anxiety hates this story, but my most defining moment was hiking Mount Rogers via Grayson Highlands State Park in January 2021. Trekking through a foot of snow for six hours to reach the state's highest point gave me an unparalleled sense of accomplishment. I was on the trail long after the sun had gone down and it was freezing cold, but I look back and think it was the most "me" thing that could have happened: underprepared, yet overachieving!

To me, Trail Quest was about more than just the views and pins; it was a deep lesson in self-reflection and connection. I learned so much about myself, and just as much about the people who came with me. My father was my # 1 "Co-Stomper"—we visited so many parks together and I'll cherish that for the rest of my life.

My advice to anyone starting their list is simple: keep a journal. I journaled at every park, filling pages with poetry, what I liked, how I was feeling, or even what I was going to eat afterward! Once I got over the embarrassment of it, I was able to share my journal with my friends and family, and it allowed me to share my experience in a way that photos wouldn't be able to. If you journal, it becomes a treasure that reminds you of why you are taking the journey, and a treasure for those who end up reading it when you're done!”

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

We would like to inform our visitors that Hickory Ridge Campground will not open on May 1 as originally planned. Ongoing...
04/09/2026

We would like to inform our visitors that Hickory Ridge Campground will not open on May 1 as originally planned. Ongoing renovation work is taking longer than expected, and the campground will remain closed until improvements are complete.

If you have a reservation between May 1 and May 14, a member of our reservation customer service team will contact you directly. You will be offered the option to:

↔️ Transfer your reservation to another date or Virginia State Parks campground
✅ Or receive a full refund

As a thank you for your patience, you will also receive a two-day camping credit that can be used at any Virginia State Parks campground.

At this time, the campground is anticipated to reopen on May 15; however, if the closure extends beyond that, our reservation customer service team will contact impacted campers.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to improve your future experience at Hickory Ridge Campground.

Join park staff, Friends of Grayson Highlands State Park and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy volunteers for The High-C...
04/09/2026

Join park staff, Friends of Grayson Highlands State Park and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy volunteers for The High-Country Clean-up!

🗓️ Wednesday, April 22
🕘 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
📍 Massie Gap

Volunteers will help with trash removal, high country campsite dismantling, and clearing trails. Tools and trash bags will be provided. Volunteers are asked to bring good boots to hike in, gloves, water, and a snack.

Plan to meet at Massie Gap for a moderate hike into the back country that will be approximately 4 miles in length.

🔗 https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2025-11-18-15-43-43-469529-6uk

We're hiring! If you want to help others enjoy one of Virginia’s most beautiful state parks, we’d love to have you on ou...
03/26/2026

We're hiring! If you want to help others enjoy one of Virginia’s most beautiful state parks, we’d love to have you on our team. Explore these positions and apply today! 💚

🙋‍♀️ Contact Ranger
🛍️ Country Store Cashier
🧹 Housekeeping Ranger
🌳 Interpretive Assistant
🛠️ Maintenance Ranger
📋 Office Assistant

For more info and how to apply, visit:

Our seasonal jobs are a great place to start if you're interested in a career in the parks. Maintenance jobs, customer service positions, and lifeguard positions are just a few examples of these jobs. In each case, you will get a taste of what a state park is like to work in.

Congratulations to B. and Janice Failes who completed their Master Hiker designation at Pocahontas State Park!Here is wh...
03/17/2026

Congratulations to B. and Janice Failes who completed their Master Hiker designation at Pocahontas State Park!

Here is what they said about their journey:

“We did it! We celebrated our 44th anniversary by hiking in our 40th Virginia State Park. We finished our Trail Quest with hikes at Pocahontas State Park and received our Master Hiker certificates, pins, and medallions from our family friend and Lake Anna State Park Manager Dustin Yates. We loved this challenge. Douthat State Park is one of our favorite parks, as my husband has wonderful childhood memories there, and now we take our grandkids.

Trail Quest also introduced us to so many places in Virginia we hadn’t explored—from the southwest corner with Natural Tunnel State Park, Grayson Highlands State Park to the northern region with Sky Meadows State Park and the coast with Westmoreland State Park and the southeast corner with False Cape State Park"

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

🦇 Did you know some bats migrate while others hibernate right here in Virginia? These incredible creatures play a vital ...
03/17/2026

🦇 Did you know some bats migrate while others hibernate right here in Virginia? These incredible creatures play a vital role in our ecosystem, and they need our help to thrive.

Learn how bats survive the winter, why they matter and simple ways you can make a difference in our blog post.

👉 https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/blog/virginias-bats-hibernation-migration-and-how-you-can-help-them

📷 Tri colored bat: Rick Reynolds, Wildlife Biologist, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Address

829 Grayson Highland Lane
Mouth Of Wilson, VA
24363

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 10pm
Tuesday 8am - 10pm
Wednesday 8am - 10pm
Thursday 8am - 10pm
Friday 8am - 10pm
Saturday 8am - 10pm
Sunday 8am - 10pm

Telephone

(276) 579-7092

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Grayson Highlands State Park posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Grayson Highlands State Park:

Share

Category