DOF Blog: Spring at Cumberland State Forest

April 30, 2026 1:13 pm

While many people are familiar with Virginia’s fabulous State Parks, fewer know about the 26 State Forests scattered across Virginia. Ranging in size from 121 to over 19,000 acres, State Forests are managed by the Virginia Department of Forestry for multiple uses. What they lack in facilities, they make up for in quiet spaces to recreate, learn, and simply enjoy nature. We’ll be featuring several state forests throughout the year, so tune in to discover your next favorite nature spot.

This month, our team of two explorers visited Cumberland State Forest in search of spring ephemeral wildflowers. We found those, and more natural history surprises. Spring ephemerals are native plants that bloom early in the year, gathering sunlight before the trees fully leaf out. They provide an important food source for early pollinators.

While walking trails, we also stumbled on several small vernal pools. These temporary, fish-free pools are critical breeding sites for salamanders, frogs, and toads. As is typical for this time of year, we found spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) egg masses. The eggs get their greenish hue from a type of algae which is present in the cells of the salamanders as well. It’s the only known case of a plant living inside the body of a vertebrate.

While scanning the vernal pools, we saw several northern cricket frogs (Acris crepitans), which are only about the size of a quarter, but produce loud clicks that sound like stones being tapped together. Many hopped away quickly, but one posed for us near the edge of an oxbow pond along the Willis River. Also abundant during our excursion was Virginia’s state insect: the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). These common butterflies are a familiar sight with their showy yellow and black stripes. But some females of the species occur in a black color morph that mimics another dark butterfly species – an example of Batesian mimicry.

Cumberland State Forest has something for every outdoor enthusiast. There are trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and just watching nature, as we did. There are also four lakes for canoeing or fishing, and lots of Willis River frontage. Hunting is allowed in season on most of the forest. In addition, Bear Creek Lake State Park is located within the Cumberland State Forest, providing a good place to stop for a bathroom, a water bottle refill, or a camping spot. Visit the Cumberland State Forest webpage to learn more.

Join us in June for a report on birdwatching at another state forest!

Category: Education, State Forests