Green Pastures Recreation Area
| Green Pasture Recreation Area | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of Green Pastures  Green Pastures Recreation Area (the United States) | |
| Location | Clifton Forge, Virginia |
| Nearest city | McDowell, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°47′25″N 79°42′14″W / 37.79027778°N 79.70388889°W |
| Area | 133 acres (54 ha) |
| Established | 1940 |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Green Pastures Recreation Area is a state park in Clifton Forge, Virginia, in the George Washington National Forest. The 133-acre (0.54 km2) park was constructed in 1936 after lobbying from the Clifton Forge Chapter of the NAACP to create a park for black Virginians, and opened to the public in 1940. The park was officially desegregated in 1950, and renamed to Longdale Recreation Area after the surrounding town.[1] The park was closed in 2017 due to budget issues. After community activism, amendments added to Governor Ralph Northam's 2020 budget bill reopened the park under its historic name, Green Pastures Recreation Area.[2]
Features
[edit]The park contains over 8 miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as fishing in Blue Suck Run. The park is also home to an historic picnic shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. [3]
The park is only open during day.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Green Pastures Recreation Area". dwr.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ Yancey, Dwayne (2021-09-25). "'A miracle in the mountains'". Cardinal News. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ "Green Pastures Recreation Area". www.dcr.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-18.