Public libraries in Virginia have almost 800 nature backpacks in their circulating collections. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the backpacks are a joint project of the Library of Virginia, the Science Museum of Virginia, and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The program began in 2013, with backpacks distributed to Virginia libraries near state parks. Over the years, the program has been extended to all Virginia public libraries, with only two systems opting out. Available to check out, the backpacks help families learn about nature in their backyard, in a local park, or at one of Virginia’s 44 state parks.
Backpack History and Contents
The first nature backpacks were labeled Observation backpacks and were later joined by Survival backpacks. As it became difficult to keep track of which libraries had which version, the Survival backpacks were sunset in 2020, the contents were evaluated, and all nature backpacks became Discovery backpacks. But everyone still just calls them nature backpacks.
Each backpack comes with a parking pass that allows the library patron to visit any Virginia state park at no cost (except for Natural Bridge and Southwest Virginia Museum State Parks, which charge a per-person entry fee). Backpacks also include:
- Pocket Naturalist Guides
- Bugs and Slugs
- Animal Tracks
- Virginia Birds
- Mammals
- Virginia Trees and Wildflowers
- Geology
- Port-A-Bug field observation container
- Magnifying lens
- Dip net
- Compass
- Binoculars
- 6-inch ruler
- Plastic forceps
- Big Foot–themed “Leave No Trace” ethics card
- Laminated sheets with suggested activities designed by both the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Science Museum of Virginia
History of Virginia State Parks
Virginia’s first state parks opened in the 1930s. In 1926, Virginia’s General Assembly created the Commission on Conservation and Development, with William E. Carson as the agency’s first chairman. Three years later, the Virginia Academy of Science, the Garden Club of Virginia, and the Izaak Walton League petitioned for the establishment of state parks in Virginia.
In 1933, Carson entertained President Franklin D. Roosevelt at Camp Rapidan (formerly Camp Hoover) in the mountains near Shenandoah National Park. While discussing the newly created Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the president offered to provide CCC men and materials if Virginia could demonstrate to the rest of the country the value of a state park system. Virginia purchased and was given large tracts of land for its first six parks: Douthat, Fairy Stone, Hungry Mother, Seashore, Staunton River, and Westmoreland.
On June 13, 1936, Governor George C. Peery presided over the official opening ceremony for the Virginia State Parks System, held at Hungry Mother State Park in Marion, Virginia. Two days later, the six parks opened to the public.
Virginia State Parks Today
The newest Virginia state park is Hayfields State Park (2025), located in Highland County between Bullpasture and Jack Mountains. It features both wooded mountain land and valley pastures; the Bullpasture River flows through the property for about a mile and is home to numerous threatened and endangered species. Hayfields State Park joins eight other state parks opened in the last ten years for a total of 44 state parks.
Virginia’s state parks will host History and Culture Weekend on June 13-14, 2026, to celebrate Virginia State Parks’ 90th anniversary. The park system’s dual purpose is to offer modern outdoor recreational facilities while protecting areas with significant natural resources. The parks offer more than 2,000 campsites, nearly 300 cabins, over 500 miles of trails, and convenient access to Virginia’s major waterways. In addition, parks hold thousands of nature and history events every year. A state park is located within an hour’s drive of most Virginians.
Handley Regional Library
Take time this spring (or any season) and visit a Virginia state park with a nature backpack! To locate your closest Virginia state park, visit the interactive “Find a Park” page on the Virginia Conservation and Recreation website. To locate your nearest public library, consult this Virginia Public Libraries map. Check out a nature backpack, explore nature, and have fun!
