Of Virginia's 34 state parks, Douthat State Park in Bath and Alleghany counties north of Clifton Forge is Governor Tim Kaine's favorite.

In an article in "Virginia State Parks," a publication highlighting the parks in Virginia published by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Gov. Kaine writes "On children, families and Virginia State Parks" about his family's visits to state parks since his children were babies.

Virginia's First Lady, Gov. Kaine's wife, is the former Anne Holton, daughter of former Virginia Governor Linwood Holton.

Virginia's state parks began during the Great Depression when members of the Civilian Conservation Corps built the first parks in the system. Douthat State Park was one of the parks constructed under the federal CCC program and is a Virginia State Landmark and is listed on the Federal Register of Historic Places. In the parks publication, Gov. Kaine also extols the attractions of the 34 state parks in his "Governor's Message". Several of the state parks have gotten face lifts following the passage of the 2002 Commonwealth of Virginia Parks and Natural Areas General Obligation Bond.

Virginia state parks offer camping, boating, fishing, hunting and over 500 miles of trails in addition to other activities. During the summer, Douthat State Park offers weekend concerts and educational programs during the week. Also, special events are scheduled on holiday weekends.

Following is Gov. Kaine's "On children, families and Virginia State Parks".

"I remember the first time I went camping with my parents. As a Boy Scout, I had gone camping with the scouts and I really like it, so I came home and suggested a family camping trip. My parents had never camped before, and the first trip was one of these kinds of disasters where they didn't know how to get the tent up, the weather was bad, and we knocked over the food we were cooking and spillled it into the dirt. You know, everything went wrong, but we still had a good time. Very quickly, everybody in my family really got into it and we started camping together after that."

"My wife Anne and I moved to Richmond in 1984 and since then we have been active campers, mountain bikers, hikers and canoeists, in the state parks. My kids were all in tents by the time they were six months old, and we have camped as a family their entire lives."

"I think Douthat State Park is probably our favorite. We love fishing there and there is a great trail network at Douthat and, in many ways, it's a very special place. For more than a decade, we have had an annual Memorial Day vacation to Douthat, where we camp with a group of families from our neighborhood."

"I think the year in, year out tradition we have at Douthat is really priceless. Our kids were in diapers the first year we went and now they are teenagers and college age, but this has been a regular part of their growing up. And whether it is fishing or hiking, just making a meal or just sitting by the lake, we have a lot of really wonderful memories of Douthat."

"We have been in most of the state parks and camped in a number of them. First Landing State Park, in Virginia Beach, is really beautiful and we have camped down there. False Cape State Park is another real favorite. Grayson Highlands State Park, because it is so close to Mount Rogers, is really special. We camped at Hungry Mother State Park and enjoyed really good interpretive programs there. We especially enjoyed a campfire storytelling program."

"We tried to get our children camping and active early because we wanted them to not only exercise but to appreciate the God-given beauty of the Commonwealth. When children develop that love of the outdoors, it will be something they can enjoy for the rest of their lives, and they also learn to protect it for the next generation.

There's just so much to do in a state park and so many good activities for all ages; mountain biking, hiking, fishing and bird watching - Virginia is great bird watching territory - you can spend a week in a state park and not do everything there is to do. If you go out and take a hiking trip or go camping and do it once or twice, I think you will be hooked. And in just a few years, you will be sharing stories of your own."

In his "Governor's Message" in the publication, Gov. Kaine writes "Virginia's award-winning state park system is second to none. The historical cultural and outdoor opportunites are endless. They capture the many different landscapes and God-given beauty that makes the commonwealth so special. With access to the Chespaeake Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, lakes, rivers, mountains and meadows, Virginia offers something for everyone, and you can find it all in our Virginia State Parks.

My family and I have enjoyed Virginia State Parks for many years, and with each visit, we take with us cherished memories that last a lifetime. I encourage you to visit Virginia's award-winning state parks and begin making memories of your own."

Source: Virginian Review, Saturday, October 18, 2008