Fall Fun at Shenandoah River State Park: Free Entry, Bike Bash, River Cleanup & October Events

Shenandoah River State Park is rolling into fall with a full slate of activities—and it starts with a free entry day and two big events this Saturday, September 27. Chief Ranger Megan Goin says the park is tying into two national days: Bike Your Park Day and National Public Lands Day, which means parking is free. “You just got to come through the gate,” Goin said.

First up is the Bentonville Bike Bash, a new event running 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and hosted with Downriver Canoe Company, which is now renting both mountain bikes and e-bikes right next door to the park. “When you rent a bike from them, you can bike our 25 miles of trail,” Goin said. She noted that every park trail is open to bikes, which “isn’t always the case at parks.”

The Bike Bash is a drop-in event—you can show up—but riders who want to demo a specific bike can sign up ahead of time through Downriver Canoe Company to make sure it’s available. Expect group rides for all levels, a bike repair workshop, a self-guided habitat tour, and even a ranger-led nature ride on two wheels. Goin added that there will be discounts for Downriver’s fall foliage bike rides and boat rentals. “We’re going to have different group rides,” she said. “We’re going to have an advanced group ride… and then we’ll also have an easier group ride that goes along the river.”

A second free-to-join event on Saturday focuses on stewardship. From noon to 3 p.m., the Friends of Shenandoah River State Park are partnering with Downriver Canoe Company for a river cleanup, with canoes provided for volunteers. “It’ll be about a two-mile float… just helping us pick up trash in the river,” Goin said. Registration is required, and spots are nearly full. “Sign-ups are getting close to capacity,” she said. “So don’t wait.”

October is one of the park’s busiest months, and several programs are already filling fast. “Every Friday we’re going to be doing Junior Ranger homeschool camps,” Goin said, noting the current session is full, but a waitlist is open by email through the park website. Weekend fall foliage wagon rides are also popular.

For nature lovers, the park’s mushroom ID hikes return on the first and second Sundays in October. One of the park’s interpreters has compiled an in-park mushroom guide that’s “up to 70 pages,” Goin said, with “three or four mushrooms on each page.” While Virginia State Parks do allow foraging, Goin keeps safety first: “Unless we’re absolutely certain that something’s edible, we usually try to stay away from that.”

Families can also drop into Discovery Hours on fall weekends. The Discovery Center will be open with hands-on stations that change throughout the season. “Right now we have a geology display where you can look at rocks and minerals that are found in Virginia,” Goin said. Another feature is a falcon and raptor touch table with feathers, claws, and skulls—visitors try to decide, “Is it a raptor or is it just a songbird?” The most popular station might be the watershed table. “Kids love the watershed table,” Goin said. She uses chocolate sprinkles to stand in for cow waste and soap to stand in for oil, then shows how pollution “migrates downstream.”

If you need a quiet moment between programs, Goin suggests a stop at Colors Overlook. “It’s my favorite view no matter what season it is,” she said. “I still think it’s probably the most beautiful place.”

How to take part: free entry applies on Saturday for the national events; the Bentonville Bike Bash runs 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and does not require registration to attend (bike demo reservations available through Downriver Canoe Company). The river cleanup runs noon–3 p.m. with sign-up required through the Friends of the Park. For October programs, check the Shenandoah River State Park website for dates, waitlists, and updates.

As Chief Ranger Megan Goin put it, this fall is about getting outside together—riding, learning, and caring for the river and trails that make this park special.