• We visited in the early afternoon on a Friday in late December 2023 (after Christmas).
• There was no one at the front booth so payment is the honor system here. We have a VA State Park annual pass so we were not concerned.
• We drove straight to the visitor center. There were 5 or 6 cars in the parking lot at the time. Although no one was in the visitor center so they must have been outside somewhere. You enter the visitor center into his atrium area where the bathrooms are to your right and the store/visitor center is to the left. I wonder if they do this so people have access to bathrooms but there may not be staff inside the store or visitor center.
• The visitor center was quite large and had a nice big bank of windows in the back. There were 2 snakes and a turtle in a large indoor pond enclosure. There was merch and food available for purchase. I wonder if this double also as the park’s camp store.
• The kids got to talk and interact with a range inside the visitor center and there was another staffer who helped us check out. We grabbed a couple hiking medallions and pins.
• We then headed over to the Discovery Center which had 2 people staffing it. They were super good with interacting with the kids. Asking them questions and answering questions as well. They were super knowledge about the park and the animals that inhabit the park. It was cool to also learn about all the cool fossils that could be found at the fossil beach before actually heading down there. Definitely worth a visit. There were hands on materials and informational posters all over the walls and tables. The two young ladies did a great job.
• We then went down Big Meadows Trail just off the parking lot to fossil beach. It’s a well-maintained trail but it’s a little longer than you’d probably think and also elevation changes along with a lot of bumpy roots so watch your step. I’d still classify it as a easy trail but it’s not flat.
• We got to the end and there is quite a bit of erosions and wash out. So be careful. Also we did not have the right shoes or anything for fossil hunting. There were people out there in waders and wagon carts. Apparently, there are serious fossil hunters here. Kids were kind of disappointed that they couldn’t get over to the nice area to fossil hunting, but we weren’t prepared either. I think it was high tide. If we came again maybe we would bring shovels, sifters and water shoes. It was also cold because it was Dec. We’ve been to one other fossil beach where it was just littered with fossils everywhere you stepped. It looked pretty cleaned and picked over here. Just need to management the kids expectations better next time to avoid major disappointment.
• We would definitely visit this park again if we were in the area. Many other cool trails to explore.
• This was VA park number 18 for us on our VA State Park Trail Quest.