Page 31 - Fall 2014
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MILES
Chessie
Nature
Trail
Trail endpoint
or access point
Total trail length:
7.2
miles
Trail surface:
Dirt and gravel
map illustration by
daniellemarks.com
Parking
southern
virginia
university
washington
and lee
university
stonewall
jackson
house
virginia
military
institute
reid’s
lock and dam
buena
vista
lexington
to
Goshen Pass
to
Natural
Bridge
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South River
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rails
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trails
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fall.14
WHERE TO STAY:
You’ll find plenty of nice bed and breakfasts and hotels in and
around Lexington.The B&Bs will run you a bit more money—between $100 and $200
a night—but are nice if you want a home-cookedmeal and some local color. A B&B at
Llewellyn Lodge
0.882.1145)
is one option; host John Roberts also offers
fly-fishing tours out of there. A cheaper place that’s closer to the Chessie trailhead is
the Frog Hollow Bed and Breakfast
540.463.5444).
But be sure to
book well in advance, as these fill up, especially during peak fall foliage.
ATION:
For more on all things Lexington and BuenaVista,visit
r call the Lexington&Rockbridge Area Tourismoffice at 877.453.9822. For
more on the Chessie Nature Trail itself, visit VMI’s website at
WHERE TO EAT:
Together, Lexington and Buena Vista offer a range of dining options
to meet various appetites and budgets. Bistro on Main (
540.464.4888)
has a nice menu with local beers on tap and $10 sandwiches. The
Southern Inn (
540.463.3612)
is a little pricier—but a good place
to grab some regional specialties like fried chicken, calf liver and rainbow trout. For
pizza, try Salerno Family Restaurant
540.463.5757).
Don’t forget the two local breweries, Blue Lab and Devils Backbone. Blue Lab
(
540.458.0146)
is actually downtown, so it’s a nice option after
lunch and is open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. If you don’t mind the drive,
Devils Backbone (
540.462.6200),
just north of town on
North Lee Highway, makes great beer, too.
GETTING THERE:
Both Lexington and
Buena Vista are just off I-81. It’s a beauti-
ful drive by itself, but if you want some-
thing even more scenic, pop onto State
Route 11, North Lee Highway.
WHAT TO SEE:
Lexington, located in the
ShenandoahValley region of Virginia, is
known for its views, its universities and its
history. So after you’ve worn out your legs
on the Chessie Nature Trail (
traillink
540.464.7287)
and toured the campuses
of
.
i.
(
540.464.7704)
to
Confederate general
lived, and then take a stroll through his
resting place, Stonewall JacksonMemorial
/
77).
If you
time your visit right, youmight also catch a
CivilWar battle re-enactment (there’s spe-
cial fervor as we near the end of the 150th
anniversary of various war milestones).
About a half-hour’s drive north from
the Chessie, you can check out Goshen
a gorge overlooking the Maury River that
offers scenic views and great kayaking.
minutes down Interstate 81.
