Adventure into the Outdoors
See below for local parks and trails, hikes, campgrounds, water activities and other local features all within about an hour from campus
Hikes:
Bluff Mountain
RT Distance 4 Miles|Moderate|17 min drive
The hiking trail closest to home, Bluff Mountain Trail is accessible from the Blue Ridge parkway at milepost 51.7, just a quick few miles south once you get onto the parkway from the 66. This trail takes you to an escalation of 1,276 feet and a view of both sides of the mountain — a rare view in the Shenandoah valley. From the top hikers can see Lexington, the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont. If you are short on gas, but want to see a spectacular view of Virginia’s display of flaming fall colors, this is the hike for you.
Mount Pleasant:
RT Distance 6.15 Miles |Beginner |30 min drive
Leading to a 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge mountains, trail-goers and photographers will find more-than-pleasant views, especially in the early morning or during golden hour.
Devil’s Marbleyard
RT Distance 3 Miles|Difficult|32 min drive
The Devil’s Marbleyard looks as if the earth opened up and out of it spilled hundreds upon hundreds of boulders. These boulders are the perfect outdoor playground, as hikers get to scale one after another all the way to the top of the mountain. For those who are more interested in the view from the top of the “marbles” rather than actually climbing them, a dirt trail to the right of the boulders will also lead hikers to the top.
Spy Rock
RT Distance 3 Miles|Beginner|40 Min drive
One of the many hikes along the Appalachian trial, the hike to Spy Rock takes you to a 360-degree view of the valley, of which the Virginia is for Lovers website describes as “probably the best viewpoint in the central Blue Ridge.” At 3,980 ft. elevation, this is another fantastic hike to see Virginia at its best in the fall or spring. Located in Montebello, VA, the trail head begins by the Montebello Fish Hatchery.
Saint Mary’s Falls
RT Distance 4.4 Miles|Moderate|45 Min drive
For such a quick drive to Raphine, this hike impresses. Hikers follow along the Saint Mary’s river until reaching a lavish waterfall and swimming hole. Make sure to pack your swimsuits for this one and be prepared for the effort it takes to reach it. The trail is beaten but not officially blazed, as the swells from the river change the trail from time to time. An active terrain, hikers on AllTrails.com have described a few obstacles such as small streams and rocky scrambles. However, they do say it is well worth the effort.
McAfee Knob:
RT Distance 8.8 Miles|Moderate|56 min drive
The McAfee Knob is an overhanging ledge at a peak of 3,197 feet. Arguably one of the most photographed spots on the Appalachian trail, it is frequently used for postcard images. This tremendous land feature is almost begging to be in your next profile picture. With a 270-degree view, those who don’t mind waking up long before dawn will see a stunning sunrise.
Camping:
Lake Robertson Recreation:
$26 /night|Open through Nov. 30|30 min drive
Lake Robertson, located just over in west Lexington, is the glamper’s (ie glamourous camper) dream come true — at least for a campsite that doesn’t have cabins. While the lake itself is strictly for fishing, there is also a swimming pool, volleyball pit, tennis court, softball field, laundry rooms and a playground all on site. The pool is open from Memorial Day through the end of September, and costs $3.50 per adult.
Each campsite has its own fire ring, picnic table, water, and electricity so you can charge your phone, watch TV, plug in your dehumidifier and whatever other electronic you can’t seem to go without while in nature.
If you plan to fish, the site also has a concession stand for boat rentals and bait, a courtesy dock and fish cleaning station, and a concrete boat launch. The lake is full of large-mouth bass, channel catfish, panfish and walleye fish.
There are even a few hiking and nature trails off the campground as well.
Otter Creek
$20/night|Open through Oct. 29|30 min drive
Another campground just down the Blue Ridge parkway, Otter Creek gives campers and hikers the opportunity to observe countless wildlife. The creek and lake allow for great fishing, and campers can explore along tributary streams in the early morning and late evening for glimpses of beaver lodges, a variety of birds, and of course, otters.
Each campsite provides water and comfort stations with flush toilets and sinks, however, you will have to wait until you go back home to shower.
Otter Creek also has several easy hiking trails:
- Otter Creek Trail: 3.5 miles along the parkway leading to the James River Visitor Center.
- Otter Lake Loop Trail: .9 miles around the lake, great for watching wildlife.
- Trail of Trees: .4 miles leads you through various identified trees to a rare geological feature, the James River water gap.
Peaks of Otter:
$20/night|Open May-Oct.|45 min drive
The Peaks of Otter is a local favorite, and offers everything all in one place. The Peaks of Otter includes a campground, a lodge and full-service restaurant, a lake for fishing, and five different hikes varying in difficulty. Another nearby feature is the Johnson Farm, which was restored to represent life in the 1930’s. Visitors can help on the farm and play games.
The lodge can be pricey, anywhere from $110-$250 a night depending on the different packages offered, but camping is only $20 a night.
Hikes include:
- Sharp top: Difficult, 1.5 mile to the summit. 360 degree view
- Flat top: Difficult, hike to the summit, 4.4 miles
- Harkening Hill: Moderate, 3.3 miles, elevation of 3,375 ft
- Johnson Farm: moderate, 2.1 mile trail to the Johnson farm
- Abbot Lake: easy, 1 mile loop around the lake
Drives:
Blue Ridge Parkway:
Access Point US Highway 60 to Amherst|8 min drive
Essential for any Buena Vista resident, the Blue Ridge Parkway is great for cruising and thinking, relaxing on Sunday drives or simply enjoying fantastic views of the beautiful blue mountains and valleys of Virginia.
Route 39: Appalachian Waters Scenic Byway:
Begins in East Lexington- ends 60 miles later in West Virginia
A combination of winding mountain roads and smooth valley cruising, this drive takes you past breathtaking scenes and fun pit stops all the way until Summersville, WV. Along the way, fun stops include: Goshen Pass where you can swim, bike and kayak; the Diamond Triple C Ranch Alpaca Farm in Millboro, VA, where you can experience “alpaca encounters” and shop for handmade alpaca products; The Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, where you can explore exhibits featuring the areas ecosystem, wildlife and local history; and end at the Summersville Lake, West Virginia’s largest lake where you can boat, swim and camp.
Geocaching is a popular activity along the route, and visitors who collect six out of nine caches can turn them in to the participating visitors centers for a special gold coin.
Falling Spring:
60 min drive
If you don’t want to get out your hiking boots to see one of the largest waterfalls in Virginia, the drive to Falling Spring will take you right to the base of the 80 ft high waterfalls. There is an overlook, grounds and even a picnic area for visitors. These falls were even noteworthy of Thomas Jefferson’s attention, who described them as “The only remarkable cascade in this country,” which he wrote in 1781 in his manuscript titled “Notes on the State of Virginia.”
Water Activities:
Ben Salem Wayside:
5 min drive
Nicknamed the ‘Buena Vista Beach’ by locals, on any given sunny day you will find plenty of people enjoying the calm waters of the Maury River. You can float, kayak, fish or simply wade in the water, and there are picnic tables and grills to enjoy some burgers and hot dogs with friends and family.
Panther Falls
26 min drive
Another local hot-spot and a must for every Southern Virginia student. It is said that you can’t graduate as a true Knight if you haven’t jumped off the rocks of Panther Falls! With a small walk down to the falls, this natural water park has multiple pools of water, a naturally carved-out water slide and calmer waters to dip your feet in or to splash around with your dog. Along the rocks are great locations for bonfires, which are a student year-round favorite.
Cave Mountain Lake Recreation:
$5 /vehicle for day visit or $15/night|April — Late Oct.|35 min drive
This man-made lake built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps is perfect for swimming and sunning on its sandy beach. With picnic areas, wildlife, camping and backpacking trails, this serene and historic location is perfect for a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Douthat State Park:
$5/person admission|45 min drive
Sandy beaches, cool water, and kayak/paddle-board/paddle boat rentals are what you will find at Douthat State Park. The design of the park itself played a role in the development of parks nationwide, according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. With its 50 acre lake, campgrounds and cabins, hiking, mountain biking, bridle trails, fishing, boating and picnic shelters, this place has it all.
Camping is $26-$30 a night depending on ammenities, and swimming is free when the beach is unguarded after Labor day until Memorial day. Otherwise it is $4 per adult.
Local Parks and Trails:
Penny Park:
3 min drive (10 min walk)
Penny Park is a cute little park located at the intersection of Forest and 21st street (4 blocks away from campus) in Buena Vista. This small park provides a playground for children to explore, and a small Gazebo.
Laurel Park:
6 min drive
At the westernmost point of 21st street in Buena Vista, Laurel Park consists of a large softball field and some grassy areas. Behind the park is a mile-long hiking trail that follows Indian Gap Run and has a few streams to cross along the way.
Glen Maury Park:
8 min drive
The heart of all local activity in Rockbridge County, Glen Maury park has pavilions, a skate park, playgrounds, tennis courts, large grassy fields, a softball field, The Paxton House, camping and even a swimming pool — all covering about 600 acres of land.
The Paxton house was built between 1829 and 1832, and only recently reopened in 2016 after 20 years of restorative work. The swimming pool is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day with a $3.50 per person admission fee, and camping is $22 a night.
The park also hosts regular music events and festivals, all posted on its regularly updated Facebook page.
Chessie Trail:
The Chessie trail is a favorite for the cross-country team, and is great for running, walking or biking. The seven-mile trail follows along the Maury River and connects Buena Vista and Lexington. Shaded the majority of the way, the trail also goes through cattle farms, with close encounters with cows giving trail-goers a “running with the bulls” experience.
To access to the trail from the Buena Vista side, look for the road to the right of the bridge that crosses the Maury River near Food Lion. Once on the road, there is an small pull off to the side where you can park your car.
Hopkins Green:
13 min drive
Located in downtown Lexington near Salerno’s pizza, Hopkins Green offers a small grassy space and a quaint pergola to relax or take pictures under.
Jordan’s Point Park:
15 min drive
This park includes some of Lexington’s history, as it once was an industrial and transportation hub for the city. Now a great park for families, Jordan’s Point has a canoe launch, great fishing, a pavilion, picnic tables and a soccer field. At the entrance of the park is also the Miller House Museum, which tells about the history of Jordan’s Point.
Other Local Features:
Indian Gap Rocks
13 min drive
About a five-minute walk off of milepost 47.5 on the Blue Ridge parkway are the Indian Gap Rocks — immense rocks the size of small houses, completely surrounded by trees. Those two features combined are a rare occurrence, and while the rocks are fun to explore and climb on, there is also deep, ubiquitous serenity.
Hull’s Drive-In
$7/person|Mar -Oct|14 min drive
A weekend favorite when the weather is warm is to see a movie at Hull’s Drive-in, located just past the Walmart in Lexington on Lee Highway. Opened in 1950, it is one of seven drive-ins in Virginia and is the first and only non-profit drive-in theater in the country. The theater shows double features every night, with show times varying slightly each day depending on sunset. Ticket prices are $7.00 for adults, $3.00 for children ages 5–11, and children ages 4 and under are free.
Natural Bridge State Park:
$8 entrance fee|20 min drive
Virginia’s newest state park, this site is named after the 215-foot tall limestone gorge that was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. Alongside this natural marvel, the park also has hiking trails leading to waterfalls, living history programs including the Monacan Indian Village and beautiful views of the James River valley.
The Cedar Creek Trail is a 2 mile walk that passes by the Monacan Indian Village and leads to Lace Falls. Nearby the state park is The Natural Bridge Zoo, where admission is $14 for adults and for an additional $6 you can ride an African elephant.
Virginia Safari Park:
$21.95/person|23 min drive
Voted one of the top ten animal attractions in the U.S. by FamilyFun magazine, this park brings the exciting safari experience to Virginia. With attractions including a safari drive-thru, a village walk-thru and wagon rides, visitors will have many opportunities to see and even feed wild animals up close. The safari drive-thru is $21.95 per adult and buckets of feed sell for $4 each. You can feed llamas, bison, deer and more all through the windows of your car. Additional attractions with caged animals include a kangaroo walk-about, a penguin pool and a farmyard petting zoo.
James River Footbridge:
23 min drive
Spanning a total of .12 miles in length, the James River Footbridge is the longest pedestrian-only bridge on the Appalachian trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. This bridge is a great place to explore, and a visit on a foggy morning provides for some incredible photo opportunities.
The Roanoke Star:
60 min drive
One of Virginia’s most recognizable icons, according to Visit Roanoke’s website, The Roanoke Star is the largest, free-standing, man-made illuminated star in the world. Built in 1949 and originally intended as a seasonal Christmas decoration, this symbol is a must-see. While there is a simple hiking trail leading to the star, most visitors prefer driving up to the top of the mountain where there is a parking lot directly below the star. With great views of Roanoke, it is especially striking to drive up when the star is illuminated at night.
A special thank you to Quinn Skouson, who contributed many photos and assisted with insights and descriptions of the various locations.
To submit suggestions for favorite outdoor actvities/sites, please email us at theherald@svu.edu or comment on The Herald’s group page on the Knight App
