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Virginia - National Park Open Carry Celebration.

Thundar

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Feb 27 is the first Saturdaywith the law change.Recommend other days if appropriate.

More than one location in Virginia:

Link: http://www.nps.gov/state/va/index.htm






Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Maine to Georgia, CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV






The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is more than 2,175-mile long footpath stretching through 14 eastern states from Maine to Georgia. Conceived in 1921 and first completed in 1937, it traverses the wild, scenic, wooded, pastoral, and culturally significant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. The A.T.isproudlyAmerica's first national scenic trail!

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Appomattox Court House National Historical Park - Appomattox, VA






On Palm Sunday, 1865Lee's surrenderat Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaledthe end of the Southern States' attempt to create a separate nation.It set the stage for the emergence of an expanded and more powerful Federal government. In a sense the struggle in Philadelphia, over how much power the central government would hold, had finally been settled.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial - Arlington, VA






Arlington House was the home of Robert E. Lee and his family for30 years and is uniquely associated with the Washington and Custis families. George Washington Parke Custis built the house to be his home and a memorial to George Washington, his step-grandfather. It is now preserved as a memorial to General Lee, who gained the respect of Americans in both the North and the South.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Assateague Island National Seashore - MD,VA






Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Rest, relax, recreate and enjoy some time on the edge of the continent.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Blue Ridge Parkway - Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, NC,VA






A drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway is slow paced and relaxing.Almost any overlook or trail will reveal much of the natural and cultural history here.Explore the many communities along theroute that make our region so special. Enjoy the view, but watch the road! The CLOSURES link to the lefthas details on a few areas of construction.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Booker T Washington National Monument - Hardy, VA






On April 5, 1856, Booker T. Washington was born a slave on the 207-arce farm of James Burroughs. After the Civil War, Washington became founder and first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later as an adviser, author and orator, his past would influence his philosophies as the most influential African American of his era. Come explore his birthplace.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Cape Henry Memorial - Fort Story, VA






HERE AT CAPE HENRY FIRST LANDED IN AMERICA, UPON 26 APRIL 1607, THOSE ENGLISH COLONISTS WHO, UPON 13 MAY 1607, ESTABLISHED AT JAMESTOWN VIRGINIA, THE FIRST PERMANENT ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. Upon this inscription resta granite cross erected in 1935 by the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, in memory ofthe wooden cross erected by the English colonists in 1607.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail - Various States, VA,MD,DE,DC






Imagine a world of lush forests,proud people and water teeming with life. Such was the Chesapeake that Captain John Smith and his fellow Englishmen encountered as they explored this "very goodly bay" and its rivers more than 400 years ago. Follow in the wake of Smith's journeys on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, America's first national water trail.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park - Middletown and Strasburg, VA






Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park preserves and interprets key historical sites and events related to the American Civil War and the rich cultural heritage of the Shenandoah Valley. This includes the Battle of Cedar Creek, a decisive October 19, 1864 Union victory and Belle Grove, the antebellum plantation manor house of Isaac Hite (brother-in-law of President James Madison).

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network - Chesapeake Bay Watershed, DC,MD,NY,PA,VA,WV






Experience the diversity of the Chesapeake Bay through the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network - a system of over 160 parks, refuges, museums, historic communities and water trails in the Bay watershed. Each of these sites tells a piece of the vast Chesapeake story. For a comprehensive guide to the Gateways Network, visit the Gateways website.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Claude Moore Colonial Farm - McLean, VA






Step back in time and experience life on a small farm in northern Virginia. Living history programsand demonstrations offer a glimpseof what life was like fora poor farm family, just before the Revolutionary War.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Colonial National Historical Park - Jamestown and Yorktown, VA






It began on the swampy marshes of Jamestown in 1607. It ended on the battle scarred landscape of Yorktown in 1781. It was174 years of hope, frustration, adventure and growth that saw a lonely settlement of 104 men and boys grow into a nation of 13 coloniesof 3 million people, of many races and many beliefs. Jamestown and Yorktown mark the beginning and end of English Colonial America.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park - Fredericksburg, VA






Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania - more than 85,000 men wounded; 15,000 killed. No place more vividly reflects the Civil War's tragic cost, in all its forms. These places reveal the trials of a community and nation at war.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









George Washington Memorial Parkway - DC, MD, VA






This is the "Road to Adventure" - originally designed as a grand gateway and greenway to the Nation's Capital. Here, you can learn about the First President andthe development of America. As an oasisamid urban development, the Parkway has a variety of park sites that provide opportunities for everything from quiet contemplation tonature explorationto active recreation.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









George Washington Birthplace National Monument - Westmoreland County, VA






George Washington, America's first and greatest hero, was crucial to the establishment of the United States as a nation founded on the principles ofliberty.George Washington Birthplace preserves theheart of the Washington landsand a memorial plantation. Here, in the peace and beauty of this place untouched by time, the staunch character of our hero comes to the imagination.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Great Falls Park - McLean, VA






At Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. The Patowmack Canal offers a glimpse into the early history of this country. Great Falls Park has many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park only15 miles from the Nation's Capital.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Green Springs - Louisa County, VA






Green Springs National Historic Landmark District encompasses over 14,000 acres in the piedmont of central Virginia. The homes and farms are a continuum of Virginia rural vernacular architecture, reflective and respectful of their location, preserved in their original context with little alteration. Here the landscape has been enhanced, rather than despoiled, by the presence of civilization.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Jamestown National Historic Site - James City County, VA






Come, walk in the steps of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas as we explore America's beginnings. Here is where the successful English colonization of North America began. Here is where the first English representative government met and where the first arrival of Africans to English North American was recorded in 1619. Jamestown, the Beginning of America.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac - Arlington, VA






Formerly known as Columbia Island, this park was renamed in honor of Lady Bird Johnson and her campaign to beautify Washington D.C. The Grove, a site chosen by Lady Bird herself, is the site that the Johnsons often stopped to admire the city. Today, the Grove is relaxing spot for people to watch the river, view Washington D.C., and to recreate.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Maggie L Walker National Historic Site - Richmond, VA






Richmond, VA. is home to many famous Americans including one of the nation's great entrepreneurial spirits, Maggie Lena Walker. Come visit her home in the Jackson Ward community. Through exhibits and guided tours you will experience the life of this great African American woman, who was born during slavery and achieved success despite segregation and the limited opportunities offered to her race.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Manassas National Battlefield Park - Manassas, VA






In the summer of 1861, enthusiastic volunteers in colorful uniforms gathered to fight the first major land battle of the war. Confident that their foes would turn and run, neither side anticipated the smoke, din and death of battle. Nearly one year later, both sides met again on the same battlefield with the Confederates winning a solid victory bringing them to the height of their power.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail - NC,SC,TN,VA






The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trailtravels through VA, TN, NC & SC, retracing the route of patriot militia as they tracked down the British. Eventually the two forces clashed, ending inpatriot victory at the battle of Kings Mountain. The trail is still under development through partnerships, but the public has many places to visit and walk today.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Petersburg National Battlefield - Petersburg, VA






"Dear Mother, we remainedin the broiling sun in little pitsthe size of a common grave though not half so well furnished. There we lay and everytime a man Show his head Zip would come a minnie." Thispressure was central toa soldier's experience in a 292 day siege. Here, Union forces slowly cut off Petersburg from the world andbrought the fall of the Confederacy.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - the corridor between the Chesapeake Bay and the Allegheny Highlands, DC,MD,PA,VA






The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a network of locally-managed trails between the mouth of the Potomac River and the Allegheny Highlands. Through five geographic regions, the varied Trail segments are a means to explore the origins and continuing evolution of the Nation. As of mid-2009, 830 miles of existing and planned trails have been recognized as segments of the Trail.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Prince William Forest Park - Triangle, VA






Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC. 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails traverse this 15,000 acre piedmont forest. Beneath its canopy lies evidence of human history reaching back to 8,000 B.C.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Richmond National Battlefield Park - Richmond, VA






Richmond's story is not just the tale of one large Civil War battle, nor even one important campaign. Instead, the park's resources include a naval battle, a key industrial complex, the Confederacy's largest hospital, dozens of miles of elaborate original fortifications, and the evocative spots where determined soldiers stood paces apart and fought with rifles, reaping a staggering human cost.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Shenandoah National Park - the Blue Ridge Mountains near Luray, VA






Gazing across the horizon from the peaks of Shenandoah National Park it's hard to believe you are just 75 miles from the bustle of our nation's capital. Take Skyline Drive along the crest of the mountains through the woods and past spectacular vistas. Hike in the shade of oak trees along the Appalachian Trail, discover the stories from Shenandoah's past, or just relax in the wonder of wilderness.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail - DC, MD, VA






Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the dramatic chain of events, people and places that led to the birth of our National Anthem. The story of the Star-Spangled Banner was shaped by the events of the Chesapeake Campaign during the War of 1812. From February 1813 until February 1815, the Chesapeake Bay was the center of a fierce struggle between the British and Americans.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Theodore Roosevelt Island Park - Arlington, VA






One of Theodore Roosevelt's greatest legacies was his dedication to conservation. Today, this island stands as a fitting memorial to the outdoorsman, naturalist, and visionary who was our 26th President.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts - Vienna, VA






No matter what your age or taste in shows, you'll find something you like onstage at Wolf Trap. Multiple amphitheaters in the park present performances from May - Septembersuch as musicals, dance, opera, jazz, popular music, and country. A good time to explore the beauty and history of the park without the crowds isOctober - April.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations









Yorktown National Cemetery - Yorktown, VA






On October 19, 1781, aBritish army under General Charles Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender to General Washington's combined American and French army. Upon hearing of their defeat, British Prime Minister Frederick Lord North is reputed to have said, "Oh God, it's all over." And it was. The victory secured independence for the United States and significantly changed the course of world history


 

Hawkflyer

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People should be somewhat careful about this. For instance Theodore Roosevelt Island is technically inside the District of Columbia as it is located on an island in the Potomac river and the river is in DC/MD not Virginia. So while park carry may technically be legal, carry inside of DC is not. Other parks may suffer from the same affliction in other localities.
 

wylde007

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And Cape Henry Memorial is fully upon Fort Story U.S. Army property.

Petersburg and Yorktown are excellent suggestions, as long as neither encroach on Fort Lee (I don't think) or Weapons Station (also doubtful) propers.
 

wylde007

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Pagan wrote:
Yorktown would seem to be more fitting considering the issue at hand, freedom, liberty, constitutional rights and all of that...
From my perspective Petersburg is equally qualified, if not more so... seeing as how the fate of our sovereign rights was essentially sealed there.

They were won at Yorktown and trounced in a war of conquest that culminated in Richmond/Petersburg. Our liberty has been under constant assault ever since.
 

Mt Vernon .40

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Hawkflyer wrote:
... People should be somewhat careful about this ...
+1
---------------------------

Some other potential "gotchas" on the OP's listing:

Lee's Arlington House is within Arlington National Cemetery (U.S. Army's Ft Myer and/or U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)

LBJ Memorial Grove (on Columbia Island) is not Arlington VA but actually part of DC.
--------------------------

For me, I think a stroll along the GW Parkway's hike/bike path is in-order; one can look across the river at DC/MD and be thankful that he's in VA.
 

Marco

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Probably won't make it to an organized get togther but I will OC every chanceI get,live 5 mins from MBFP.
 

Thundar

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Agent19 wrote:
Probably won't make it to an organized get togther but I will OC every chanceI get,live 5 mins from MBFP.
Agent 19, that is fantastic. maybe we can open carry on that weekend in the parks that we are able and post them here as a sort of Virginia NPS Open Carry collage.
 

streetdoc

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Not to rain on anybodies parade but I thought the new federal law was worded such that you carry in federal parks the same way you could in state parks, if that's the case we are still limited to conceal carry while in Virginia. Or, did I miss something? I would really like to be wrong on this. I am looking forward to doing a group motorcycle ride through as many NPs as I can fit in a day all while OC'ing.
 

virginiatuck

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streetdoc wrote:
Not to rain on anybodies parade but I thought the new federal law was worded such that you carry in federal parks the same way you could in state parks, if that's the case we are still limited to conceal carry while in Virginia. Or, did I miss something? I would really like to be wrong on this. I am looking forward to doing a group motorcycle ride through as many NPs as I can fit in a day all while OC'ing.

As written, an individual who may lawfully possess a firearm may do so in compliance with the law of the State in which the unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System is located.

I'd like to see someone clearly state how the Virginia Administrative Code, 4 VAC 5-30-200, pertains at all to the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The Virginia Administrative Code, Title 4 (Conservation and Natural Resources), Agency 5 (Department of Conservation and Recreation), Chapter 30 is titled "Virginia State Parks Regulations." The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has no jurisdiction over Federal Parks; any rules and regulations that they enact will only apply to State Parks. 4VAC5-30-200. Firearms.

There are currently no Virginia laws that prohibit the open carrying of firearms in any Federal parks. I'm sure that people will try to pass some, though.


SEC. 512. PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM VIOLENT CRIME.
(a) Congressional Findings- Congress finds the following:
(1) The Second Amendment to the Constitution provides that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed’.
(2) Section 2.4(a)(1) of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, provides that ‘except as otherwise provided in this section and parts 7 (special regulations) and 13 (Alaska regulations), the following are prohibited: (i) Possessing a weapon, trap or net (ii) Carrying a weapon, trap or net (iii) Using a weapon, trap or net’.
(3) Section 27.42 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, provides that, except in special circumstances, citizens of the United States may not ‘possess, use, or transport firearms on national wildlife refuges’ of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(4) The regulations described in paragraphs (2) and (3) prevent individuals complying with Federal and State laws from exercising the second amendment rights of the individuals while at units of--
(A) the National Park System; and
(B) the National Wildlife Refuge System.
(5) The existence of different laws relating to the transportation and possession of firearms at different units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System entrapped law-abiding gun owners while at units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
(6) Although the Bush administration issued new regulations relating to the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens in units of the National Park System and National Wildlife Refuge System that went into effect on January 9, 2009--
(A) on March 19, 2009, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction with respect to the implementation and enforcement of the new regulations; and
(B) the new regulations--
(i) are under review by the administration; and
(ii) may be altered.
(7) Congress needs to weigh in on the new regulations to ensure that unelected bureaucrats and judges cannot again override the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens on 83,600,000 acres of National Park System land and 90,790,000 acres of land under the jurisdiction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(8) The Federal laws should make it clear that the second amendment rights of an individual at a unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System should not be infringed.

(b) Protecting the Right of Individuals To Bear arms in Units of the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System- The Secretary of the Interior shall not promulgate or enforce any regulation that prohibits an individual from possessing a firearm including an assembled or functional firearm in any unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System if--
(1) the individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and
(2) the possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State in which the unit of the National Park System or the National Wildlife Refuge System is located.
 

Mike

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streetdoc wrote:
Not to rain on anybodies parade but I thought the new federal law was worded such that you carry in federal parks the same way you could in state parks, if that's the case we are still limited to conceal carry while in Virginia. Or, did I miss something?
yes, you missed the Coburn amendment, see http://www.examiner.com/x-2782-DC-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m11d13-National-Park-Service-to-educate-public-on-gun-rights

I think the best place to have a celebration would be on open carry walk on the GW parkway trail south of Old Town Alexandria
 

DrMark

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So, if you have to pee, you first have to lock your gun in your car before entering the bathroom to avoid violating USC18s930 on federal facilities?
 

MSC 45ACP

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Wolf_shadow wrote:
As I live on the Eastern Shore, Assateague Island is good for me.:celebrate
A good place to visit. Just make sure you don't go too far north and end up in Communist controlled lands. They're allergic to the Second Amendment and lawfully carried guns and don't have much of a sense of humor if you mistakenly wander onto their "turf". :banghead:
 

virginiatuck

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DrMark wrote:
So, if you have to pee, you first have to lock your gun in your car before entering the bathroom to avoid violating USC18s930 on federal facilities?
Outhouses do not apply because federal employees are not regularly present there to perform official duties.
 

DrMark

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virginiatuck wrote:
DrMark wrote:
So, if you have to pee, you first have to lock your gun in your car before entering the bathroom to avoid violating USC18s930 on federal facilities?
Outhouses do not apply because federal employees are not regularly present there to perform official duties.
What a relief! (pun intended)

 

ianto94

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Suggest we organize picnics at a variety of locaitons around the state on that day. Great Falls park sounds pretty good to me for a Northern Virginia location.
 

virginiatuck

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DrMark wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
DrMark wrote:
So, if you have to pee, you first have to lock your gun in your car before entering the bathroom to avoid violating USC18s930 on federal facilities?
Outhouses do not apply because federal employees are not regularly present there to perform official duties.
What a relief! (pun intended)

Did you set that up? ;)
 

Thundar

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I agree ianto 94.

Open carry pictures at multiple sites would be awesome. Pictures of recognizeable features (signs, plaques, etc) and people open carrying would be great.
 

DrMark

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virginiatuck wrote:
DrMark wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
DrMark wrote:
So, if you have to pee, you first have to lock your gun in your car before entering the bathroom to avoid violating USC18s930 on federal facilities?
Outhouses do not apply because federal employees are not regularly present there to perform official duties.
What a relief! (pun intended)
Did you set that up? ;)
No, it was a genuine question. Of course, I've never met a bad pun I didn't like!
 
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