VA Swimming Holes

Round Trip to Nine Swimming Holes in VA

(5 days with 3 overnights)

Before we had air-conditioned homes, folks escaped to the cool waters of the mountains, but now days everyone’s coming here to the beach or flocking to state and national parks. Here are places not so far away with cool mountain streams and sparse crowds. The places are in a circuit (west, then north and finally back to Old Donation Church). You can spend five or more days visiting these swimming holes or perhaps one or two in separate trips. There are cabins, B&B’s and camp sites listed for your individual taste. To locate these places copy and paste the italicized words into “Google Maps.”  The first location, Lake Rawlings, shows a distance of  114 miles west of Old Donation Episcopal Church, 4449 N Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, then the distance and direction to the next stop (lunch in Crewe VA) and so on. Bon voyage – Bob Perrine (757) 481-1269 –t1mperlake@yahoo.com

10:30 am  Thurs - Lake Rawlings – (114 mi west) Google Maps “Lake Rawlings, Rawlings, VA.” Flooded quarry used primarily as a family SCUBA resort, but swimmers are allowed on weekdays - $5.00. The lake has clear water and is great for snorkelers viewing fish.  (804) 478-9000 http://www.lakerawlings.com  

Camping - http://www.lakerawlings.com/Camping.aspx

1:00 pm Thurs - Eat Lunch at Dine'n Crewe (35 miles NW) (434) 645-1656 – Google Maps “111 E Carolina Ave, Crewe, VA” Great Ribs.

http://local.yahoo.com/info-36260529-dine-n-crewe-crewe#reviews  

2:30 pm Thurs - Nottoway Falls (9 miles south).  Google Maps “The Falls Road, Crewe, VA” After lunch go about nine miles south on Falls Road to a bridge over the Nottoway River (look downstream to see the top of the falls). Continue about 1/4 mile and turn west (right) on an unpaved road to the river. Park in the parking area and walk downstream to the path leading to the falls. The swimming place is in the falls or at the bottom. The swimming hole has large beautiful rocks and natural water falls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vYUS96tX_w

6:00 pm Thurs - Crabtree Falls – (113 miles NW) Google Maps “11039 Crabtree Falls Highway, Tyro, VA.”  Crabtree Falls is arguably the most beautiful set of waterfalls in Virginia. Arrive for dinner and overnight stay at the Cabins at Crabtree Falls (tel 571-291-9370). For two people recommend Annie’s Place for $131 (taxes included) http://www.crabtreefalls.com/#!the-cabins/vstc1=annie's-cabin or camp at Crabtree Falls Camp Ground - http://www.crabtreefallscampground.com. On the way bye dinner, breakfast and lunch food at Food Lion Washington St, Amherst, VA, Google Maps, “Food Lion Washington St, Amherst, VA” (25 miles to Crab Tree).

9-11 am Friday - Hiking Crabtree Falls - http://www.hikingupward.com/gwnf/crabtreefalls and

https://www.google.com/search?q=crabtree+falls+virginia&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0gZoUd_RJ8b8qgGay4HYAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=603

11- 2 pm Friday - Swimming Holes near Crabtree Falls are on the nearby North Fork Tye River up North Fork Rd, about one mile http://www.vrbo.com/368761#location   (look for swimming hole picture)

4:00 pm Friday - Sugar Tree Inn (8 miles W-NW) for dinner and overnight stay. Google Maps “145 Lodge Trail, Vesuvius, VA 24483.” (800-377-2197 or 540-377-2197) Dinner is served Friday and Saturday nights (rooms $148 - $248) Weekends are a two night minimum but Friday night only is acceptable for one night - http://www.sugartreeinn.com

Camping - You can skip the Sugar Tree Inn and camp at Big Mary's Creek Slide - http://www.swimmingholes.org/va.html

10:00 am Sat - Big Mary's Creek Slide and St. Mary's Falls (7 miles N) Sat morning - Google Maps “St Mary's Rd, Vesuvius, VA” St. Mary's Road is also called Forrest Road 41. There is a parking lot and picnic area on St. Mary's Road, and the trails lead toward the falls. Swimming hole enthusiasts can enjoy several pools and even a natural waterslide along Big Mary's Creek and the St. Mary's River. Worn smooth by years of endlessly flowing water, a trough chute of rock forms a natural water slide along a section of Big Mary's Creek. Along another nearby section of the St. Mary's River, the water flows over a series of gentle falls and into several small wading pools. http://www.caar.com/rew/article/691
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0qT_eEUfJk

12:00 pm Sat - Blue Mountain Brewery (18 miles NE) (lunch) – Google Maps “9519 Critzer Shop Rd Afton, VA” (540) 456-8020 http://www.bluemountainbrewery.com/our-food

2:00 pm Sat - Blue Hole – (33 miles N) Google Maps “Sugar Hollow Reservoir Charlottesville VA.” Follow Sugar Hollow Road (along the Moorman's River) for 4.7 miles to the Charlottesville Reservoir. Continue up this road and you will see in front of you a dam and reservoir. Continue on this road past the dam and past the reservoir, where you will see under the trees a dirt parking area with some signs of the trees. Park here. From here, there are two trails: The South Fork Moorman's River Trail and the North Fork Moorman's River Trail. There are swimming holes on both forks. North Fork Moorman's River Trail: From the parking area, hike on up the road you were driving on. Soon there will be a sign saying it's now the Shenandoah National Park. There's one obvious trail in this area. Follow this trail along the North Fork and, in less than a mile, right where the trail crosses the river for the second time, there is swimming hole #2, called "Snake Hole" by locals (hole #1 was deleted, so the numbers now begin with #2). The trail continues (now on the right side of the river), to swimming hole #3 very shortly.  Hole #4, “Big Branch Falls,” is about 0.5 mi north of hole #3. The trail crosses Big Branch and to the left, but before crossing the stream there is a side trail with a concrete post marker stating 0.1 mile to the falls #4. This is a total of about 1.8 miles from the parking lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=039MRV1I0r4

Camp at Misty Mountain Camp Resort, 13 miles South of Sugar Hollow Reservoir - Google Maps “Misty Mountain Road, Crozet, Virginia” -http://www.mistymountaincampresort.com/rates.html

6:00 pm Sat - Big Meadows (48 miles north) Google Maps “Big Meadows Campground, Shenandoah National Park, Stanley, Virginia.” From Skyline Drive entry (Route 33 between Sandersville and Elkton) drive north 14 miles north to MP 51.2 for overnight stay - $128.00 includes breakfast for two. Phone for reservations: 877-444-6777 - http://www.goshenandoah.com/Big-Meadows-Lodge.aspx or camp at Big Meadows Camp Ground -

http://www.goshenandoah.com/Amenities.aspx

10:00 am Sunday - Big Rock Falls – (1.8 miles SW)  444-6777. Google Maps “Big Meadows Campground, Shenandoah National Park, Stanley, Virginia.” Drive back 1.8 miles and park at the Milam parking lot just short of MP 53 on the Skyline Drive. Follow the trail for a 100 yards then turn onto the Mill Prong Trail. Follow this trail until it crosses Mill Prong a second time. It’s a three-mile round trip. This quaint little waterfall is a slight misnomer in that there are not a huge number of boulders on the small stream, but the water does flow over a large rock formation creating a natural slide into the cool waters below. http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/outdoors-travel/trip-guides/adult-swim  

12:30 noon Sunday - Eat Sunday Lunch at Skyland (11 miles north) Google Maps “Skyland Resort, Skyline Dr, Luray, VA” MP 42. Lunch is served  12:00 Noon - 2:00 p.m. http://www.goshenandoah.com/files/Lunch-Menu.pdf  

2:00 pm Sunday - Whiteoak Canyon – (0.6 miles back south) (877-444-6777. Google Maps “Skyland Resort, Skyline Dr, Luray, VA.” Drive 10 mi north to MP 42.6. Start on a gentle grade downhill on the White Oak Canyon Trail and cross the Limberlost Trail in 0.3 miles. Continue downhill and re-crossing the Limberlost Trail and coming to the first footbridge footbridge in another 0.3 miles. White Oak Run is now off to your left. As you get closer to the main falls, 1.0 miles after crossing the footbridge, White Oak Road will come in from your right. Turn left over the footbridge and continue downhill for another 200 yards to arrive at the best waterfall overlook in the park, Keep hiking up and you'll find some secluded areas for nude sunbathing and swimming. A possible shortcut is via MP 45 (parking is at Hawksbill Gap) via the White Oak Fire Road. See Map @ http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/whiteoak_canyon_area.pdf

http://www.gayoutdoors.org/page.cfm?typeofsite=storydetail&id=1021&storyset=yes   
http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/whiteoak.shtml  

5:00 pm Sunday - Stay overnight and eat dinner at Hotel Strasburg (55 miles W-NW).  Dinner on Sunday starts at 4 pm (540- 465-9191) Google Maps “213 S Holliday St Strasburg, VA”  http://www.hotelstrasburg.com/dining.html

or Camp 5 miles south of Red Hole @ Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp Ground, “15618 Fort Valley Road, Fort Valley VA 22652”
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Elizabeth_Furnace_Group_Camp/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72069

11:00 am Monday - Red Hole (6.2 miles east of Strasburg) Google Maps, “Fort Valley Road, Strasburg, VA.” On 678 Fort Valley Road go 2.5 miles south along Passage Creek. Park in the second paved lot and follow the creek north for a quarter mile where you will see the slanting rock diving into the creek. A huge flat rock slanting into the creek provides ample space for sitting and sunning and the gentle rapids and deep pool are ideal for a family outing. http://www.swimmingholes.org/va.html

4:00 pm Monday on the way home - Fall Hole  (107 miles S-SE) Google Maps “Oxford Road Doswell, VA” Go 1.3 miles on Oxford Road., turn left (south) onto an unmarked dirt access road. (If you reach Fall Hole Drive, you've gone a little too far). After a few hundred feet, the dirt road will narrow, and there is a small clearing where you can park. A short trail leads to a swimming hole on the river called "Fall Hole." There is a small sandy beach area nearby, and just upstream there are large rocks that are great for sunbathing.

http://www.gayoutdoors.org/page.cfm?typeofsite=storydetail&id=1021&storyset=yes

Camping - Before going to Fall Hole, stay at Hidden Acres Family Campground, “17391 Richmond Turnpike, Milford, Virginia 22514.” It’s on the way south, or 17 miles north of Fall Hole - http://www.hiddenacresva.com/Home/Location.aspx

If traveling north, stay at Americamps RV Resort, “11322 Air Park Rd,  Ashland, VA 23005” 14 miles south of Fall Hole.

Start home about 6 pm “4449 N Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455,” (120 miles SE), arriving at 8 pm. Total trip is 681 miles.