Saw this on tonights mini-update via email.  I personally think this would be a good direction to push next legislative session with the VCDL to get it more inline with our overall OC statutes of our state. Also, hiking and non-hunting activities are one of the areas you would most always prefer OC over CCW due to greater ease of mobility.  How best to push this to fix the state code, as suggested below?

5.  A cautionary reminder:  NO OPEN CARRY IN NATIONAL FORESTS
**************************************************************************

A member's son is in hot water for open carrying in a national forest.  In Virginia, only concealed carry with a valid CHP is allowed in a national forest.  (Don't look at me, gun control never makes any sense.)  We are watching how the case evolves.  Details are scarce right now.

Looks like it may be time for VCDL to push to get this fixed to allow unlicensed open carry of a handgun as long as such handgun is not being used to hunt.  

Carry in a national forest is controlled by the state, not the feds.

The code is in the Admin Code of Virginia:  4VAC15-40-60 (G provides the exemption for CHP holder to carry CONCEALED).

I have never understood this "law"

Yeah, we need to fix this.

Don't see a reason I can't openly carry a pistol or a M1 carbine or something while hiking in the National Forest when I can do it on every other square inch of the Commenwealth

Also, having a pack on your back and a pistol concealed on your hip sucks.

I saw that and yes I agree. Also it would seem I have been breaking the law whenever I go 4x4'in in the GW forest because I carry my 1911or P229 OC.

I wrote the VCDL leadership over this last night.  My wife and I frequent George Washington weekly and we backpack carry to be CHP compliant, yet it's so utterly useless.  IWB carry is impossible when in the outdoors, so I hope the VCDL can fix this to make these areas of public land like the rest of the Common Wealth.