Green Pastures Recreation Area

Green Pasture Recreation Area
Location of Green Pastures Show map of Virginia Green Pastures Recreation Area (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Clifton Forge, Virginia
Coordinates	37°47′25″N79°42′14″W / 37.79027778°N 79.70388889°W / 37.79027778; -79.70388889
Area	133 acres (54 ha)
Established	1940
Governing body	Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Green Pastures Recreation Area (formerly Longdale Recreation Area) is a state park in Clifton Forge, Virginia, in the George Washington National Forest. 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. ^[1]

History

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. ^[2] 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. ^[3]

See also

• List of Virginia state parks

References

1. "Green Pastures Recreation Area". www.dcr.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
2. "Green Pastures Recreation Area". dwr.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
3. Yancey, Dwayne (2021-09-25). "'A miracle in the mountains'". Cardinal News. Retrieved 2025-11-18.