Virginia is deeply committed to preserving its diverse ecological landscapes.
* **National Parks:** **Shenandoah National Park** is the crown jewel, offering cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, and dense forests teeming with deer and black bears. * **State Parks:** The state park system includes **First Landing State Park** (where English colonists first arrived), **Grayson Highlands State Park** (famous for its wild, free-roaming ponies), and **Pocahontas State Park**. * **Wildlife Refuges:** The **Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge** on the Eastern Shore is famous for its migratory birds and the legendary Chincoteague wild ponies. * **Natural Wonders:** **Great Falls Park** showcases the Potomac River crashing over steep, jagged rocks just outside Washington, D.C., while **Natural Bridge** in Rockbridge County is a stunning geological formation.