At Long Last!

On Tuesday, June 14, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, State Senator Mark Obenshain, and Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert gathered alongside local community leaders for the official dedication of Seven Bends State Park.

Since before Seven Bends State Park was opened to the public in 2020, Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River has been supporting Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation in the planning and development of this amazing community resource. Our group of dedicated volunteers grew to become the park’s official public support organization as Friends of Seven Bends State Park. Over the past two years, as the park’s official opening has been delayed time and again, our volunteers have been steadily at work cutting trails, removing invasive species, building infrastructure, monitoring wildlife, hosting programs, and promoting the park, both within our community and beyond.

“The long awaited dedication ceremony was an awesome way to kick off the summer season and celebrate the anniversary of Virginia State Parks. The rangers at Seven Bends, and all of Virginia’s 41 State Parks, work extremely hard to provide a safe and enjoyable space for people to recreate–and to be recognized for that level of dedication is refreshing. While the weather forecast was calling for severe thunderstorms, the event progressed beautifully, culminating in a picturesque ribbon cutting, and brought together about 100 local partners and community members that have all had an impact on Seven Bends State Park in some fashion.” 

Ranger Tom Stevens

We wish that all of our volunteers and supporters could have been there to celebrate this momentous occasion, and all the great work that has gone into making Seven Bends State Park what it is today. You can still take part, and hear all the wonderful things our state and local officials had to say, by watching the video below.

With the involvement and support of community members like you, Seven Bends State Park continues to grow into an even greater community resource for us all. Take a role in this development by supporting Friends of Seven Bends State Park. Become an FNFSR member or make a special gift, or sign up to volunteer your time and talents with Friends of Seven Bends.