Glen Maury Park

1.00 MILE (LOOP)

DIFFICULTY: EASY

HIKE TIME: 45 MINUTES

DISTANCE: 1 MILE (LOOP)

ELEVATION CHANGE: 50 FEET

DRIVE TIME*: 20 MINUTES

*from Lexington Visitor Center, 106 E. Washington St.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From the Lexington Visitor Center, drive east on Washington Street to a left at the stoplight onto East Nelson Street / E. Midland Trail (US-60). Continue six miles into the City of Buena Vista. At the Hardee’s, turn right onto Beech Ave. (US-501). Continue through town and turn right onto 10 th Street, pass over train tracks, turn right into Glen Maury Park and check in at the park office.

Coordinates: 37.73442367147583, -79.36546783411794

Driving Distance/Time: 8 miles/20 minutes

DESCRIPTION

Glen Maury Park is Buena Vista’s 315-acre playground, providing wooded trails, an Olympic-sized pool, two campgrounds, as well as several pavilions where residents and tourists alike make the natural choice for enjoying life. Glen Maury Park hosts a variety of events each year – music from old time to classical, beach music to bluegrass, and gospel to rock n’roll. Around town you’ll find eateries and service businesses ready to provide what you need… all close at hand.

Activities include:

Hiking/Biking Trails/River Walk

Fishing

Paddling/Tubing 

Bird Watching

Disc Golf

Gems of Rockbridge Geocache

Rockbridge Rangers

Music Events

Amenities include:

Upper/Lower Campgrounds

Olympic Sized Pool

Bike/Kayak/Tube Rentals

Playgrounds

Tennis Court

Ball Fields

Picnic Pavilions

Paxton House

FISHING

Once called “the North Fork of the James,” the most popular and prominent waterway in Rockbridge County is the Maury River, the carver of Goshen Pass, a water sports highway, and a thriving habitat. The ease of access to the Maury River makes it the most kid-friendly fishing opportunity in Rockbridge County.

The Maury River runs from its headwaters above Goshen Pass through Lexington and Buena Vista, and down to the confluence with the James River in Glasgow. Glen Maury Park offers shoreline and wading access to productive waters below the dam in Buena Vista, plus a boat ramp for canoes and small craft.

The warmer waters in this section offer more opportunities for largemouth bass as well as trophy size smallmouth bass, along with high abundance of panfish, carp, and fallfish. Musky are occasionally caught in this section as well, as holdovers from past stocking or migrants from the downstream James River population. The Maury River is stocked 9 times October - May.

• A state fishing license is required and can be secured at the Buena Vista Clerk of Court (2039 Sycamore Ave). 
• Live bait is sold at Sheltman’s Gas & Grocery on 29th St.

HIKING/BIKING TRAILS

A wooden kiosk at the park entrance features a map and the 13 trails. The trials can be accessed from many locations within the park and vary in distance and difficultly.

Fox Trot Trail (Kids in Park TRACK Trail)

This description is in a clockwise direction. From the Double Decker Pavilion area, the Fox Trot Trail enters the woods to the right of the kiosk with a map and nature brochures/storybooks. Almost immediately, the Gobbler Trail exits to the left. The Fox Trot Trail continues straight; the grade is easy. Within the first 500 feet is the first page of the storybook. Just after the storybook there is a switchback to the left followed by a switchback to the right. There is a wide bend to the right through a thicket of Autumn olive. Autumn olive was originally planted for game species to eat but it has become a terrible invasive plant.

At 0.25 miles the trail crosses a drainage and then a pipeline route. It reenters the woods where the second storybook page is located. The trees are mainly small cedar and cherry. These trees are usually the first trees when pasture is reverting to woodland. The trail is mostly flat and easy. The trail passes through a thicket of trees at 0.35 miles and just before crossing under a power line, there is another storybook page. It crosses under the powerline again at 0.5 miles. Just past the power line is another storybook page.

The trail intersects the Elevator Trail at 0.6 miles. It exits to the left and descends to the park road. The Fox Trot Trail goes through a series of easy ups and downs through a mature second growth forest. Tall straight oak and hickory dominate the forest canopy. At 0.7 miles there is another storybook page. A series of “S” bends help make a descent much easier. There is a wide right bend at 0.8 miles. This is followed by an easy climb and another storybook page. One of the metal baskets of the disc golf course is visible at 0.9 miles and at 0.95 mile is the last storybook page. Here the Fox Trot Trail bends left and then right as it passes between two large trees.

Finally, there is an easy climb into the grassy meadow. Continue uphill to reach the end of the loop.

Additional Trails

In addition to the Fox Trot Trail, there are several other trails in the park. It is possible to walk beside the Maury River or hike through less used areas of the park. For a pretty walk along the river, try the Floodline and Riverside Trails. The Hillside and Pic Nic Trails are quiet and immersive walks in the woods, with occasional views of the river. Deer sightings are likely! These trails can be used to make short loops and long day hikes. The possibilities are too numerous to mention. One thing is certain, the memories will last a lifetime.

For more hiking and biking, cross the Maury River on the Veterans Memorial Bridge beside the park to access the three-mile River Walk, which unfurls along the top of the flood wall. From the northern end of the River Walk you can walk or bike just under a mile to connect to the multi-use Chessie Trail, which follows the river seven miles to Lexington.

Download Glen Maury Park Trail Map

CAMPING

Glen Maury Park offers sites that range from primitive to full water, sewer, and electric hookups. Between the Lower Campground and the Upper Campgrounds, there are 100 tent sites and 42 full hook-up sites. All sites are first come, first serve—online reservations are currently unavailable.

Check camping RATES, or call 540-261-7321.

Lower Campground 

RVers with big rigs, this is your happy place. The vast Lower Campground sprawls across a grassy field just beyond the park entrance. RVs and trailers line-up on a small rise overlooking the river. It’s a friendly scene, and during festival weekends folks gather for chats – often circling up their chairs for impromptu mountain-music jams. This is the campground for socializing and larger RVs. 

• Tent campers pitch their tents below the rise, nestled along the Maury River. 
• A covered pavilion, bathrooms, and showers are nearby. 
• Two easy trails – the riverside Floodline Trail and the hillside Paxton Trail – connect with the Lower Campground.

Upper Campground

The Upper Campground is tucked in the woods atop a hill, with defined sites offering privacy and enjoying natural shade from the surrounding trees. This campground and its tight turns are best for small RVs. 

• Nearby trails twist through the trees and drop to the river. 
• The Olympic-sized pool, open in the summer, is also nearby. 

Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers

Buena Vista is an Appalachian Trail Community, meaning the city provides a friendly welcome and a slew of services to hikers walking the 2,190-mile trail. Thru-hikers can pitch their tents here for only $5 per night. 

There's a tent area for AT campers by the river. If it’s raining, thru-hikers are welcome to sleep under the pavilion by the office. Park WiFi is strong here too. If it’s not busy, staff will let hikers use the showers for free, even if they’re not planning to camp. 

• The Holy Cow ice cream shop beside the park office hands out a free ice cream cone to thru-hikers.
• There’s a convenience store three blocks away as well as a couple of BBQ joints.

POOL

Glen Maury Park Pool is an Olympic sized facility with covered picnic area, tables, and benches. 

• Walk-in stairs with railings, handicap-accessible chair, progressive depth from 4ft to 12ft in the diving area, floatation devices are permitted.
• Wading pool with a water-spewing mushroom feature.
• Concessions and outside food/drink permitted (excluding alcoholic beverages)
• Non-smoking facility!

Hours:

Sunday: 1pm-6pm

Monday-Saturday: 11am- 6pm

Admission Prices:

Ages 13+: $4

Ages 4-12: $3

Ages 3 and Under: Free

Campers: $2

Non-swimmers: $2

DISC GOLF

A nine-basket disc golf course loops around the Double Decker Pavilion near the upper fringes of the park. A multi-phase work-in-progress, the course is waiting for its tee-pads, but if you’re game for “wild” disc golf, it’s easy to follow the route. Installed by the Outing Club at Washington & Lee University, the course meanders along a grassy hillside before entering the woods at the top of the hill. Views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Buena Vista are impressive.

BIRD WATCHING

Maury Park is a stop on the Rockbridge River and Ridge Loop on the Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail, which includes several bird-watching destinations in and around Lexington and Buena Vista. The park is home to a thick grove of hardwoods close to the river while white pines appear at higher elevations. Green and great blue herons might be spotted along the river as well as Canada geese and belted kingfishers. Look for woodland birds like the pileated woodpecker on the upper hillsides.