Mayo River State Park (Virginia)

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Mayo River State Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
At the confluence - Mayo River State Park.jpg
Mayo River
Map showing the location of Mayo River State Park
Map showing the location of Mayo River State Park
Location of Mayo River State Park
LocationHenry County, Virginia, USA
Nearest citySpencer
Coordinates36°33′18″N 79°59′59″W / 36.5549°N 79.9998°W / 36.5549; -79.9998Coordinates: 36°33′18″N 79°59′59″W / 36.5549°N 79.9998°W / 36.5549; -79.9998
Area617 acres (250 ha)
EstablishedAugust 2009 (2009-08)[1]
Governing bodyVirginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Mayo River State Park is a state park of Virginia located in Henry County, along the North and South Forks of the Mayo River. The entrance to the park is located in Spencer. The park is located along the Virginia-North Carolina state line, and it is adjacent to a similarly named park in North Carolina.

History[]

In May 2003, the North Carolina General Assembly authorized a state park along the Mayo River, from the Virginia-North Carolina state line, to the river's confluence with the Dan River.[2]

In 2007 the Virginia General Assembly commissioned a feasibility study for creation of a state park from its Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The study concluded that a park was feasible and proposed the North and South Mayo Rivers as candidates for inclusion in the state's scenic river system.[2]

The North Mayo River, from Route 695 to the North Carolina line, and the South Mayo River, from the Patrick County line to the North Carolina line, were added to the Virginia Scenic Rivers Program in 2008.[3]

In August 2009, DCR acquired a 332-acre (134 ha) tract, as its first land purchase for the park.[1]

In 2013, North Carolina sold to Virginia portions of property it had acquired for its state park, which crossed the state line.

In 2019, Virginia acquired 214 acres with the assistance of the Piedmont Land Conservancy.[4]

Ground was broken for park facilities in October, 2021, with a planned opening in 2022.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Land Conservation Five-Year Funding Considerations" (PDF). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2019. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  2. ^ a b "Feasibility Study for a State Park On the Mayo Rivers in Henry County and Mayo Scenic Rivers Study" (PDF). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-27. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  3. ^ "Virginia Scenic Rivers Program" (PDF). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. July 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
  4. ^ "DCR Protects More Than 1,000 Acres in Six Months". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. July 18, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  5. ^ Wyatt, Bill (2021-10-27). "WATCH NOW: Ground has broken on a new state park in Henry County". Martinsville Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-01-18.


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