Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Goshen Pass

Goshen Pass in Rockbridge County is Virginia's oldest state-maintained natural area. The pass encompasses 3.7 miles of gorge along the Maury River, which carved out the pass. The state manages a wilderness area there of about 1,000 acres.

The Pass is located about 10 miles outside of Lexington.


The Maury River from one of the overlooks.


Another shot of the river. It's a very rocky river.


Looking upstream.


My sweetie at the overlook.


About midway, where the road and river run more even, the state has a little picnic area and pavilion.

It is a nice, relaxing place to stop and eat a bite of chicken.


People swim in the river here.


This is a monument to the philantropists who donated the wilderness area.



This is a monument to Matthew Fontaine Maury, for whom
the river is named. You don't often see an anchor that large
along a riverway in the Blue Ridge.

The Maury River flows into the James. It was not officially called the Maury River until 1968. Before that it was known as a branch of the Calfpasture or the North River.



Another scenic shot to end the post!

There are many hiking trails in the area. Definitely something to see if, like me, you find a certain kind of calmness in watching the waters roll by whilst in the midst of the woods.

7 comments:

  1. looks like you had a fun trip. the hubby & i love goshen pass ... we went there many many time in the beginning of our dating history. a couple time after we got married. such a great place to see throughout the year. fall is gorgeous with all the foliage changes. a busy spot of many people & even their doggies swimming. (:

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  2. it's a beautiful area...we stopped at that very same little picnic spot!

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  3. Neat location and I love that people actually swim in the river!

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  4. Looks like a gorgeous place to spend a summer day.

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  5. What a pretty place! One of these days, we're looking forward to exploring Virginia (my husband actually grew up in Roanoke)---I'd love to see this place. I don't think I've ever seen so many rocks in a river.

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  6. I've never been here! Thanks for the beautiful photos. They remind me that there is still so much to see and do around here.

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  7. When I was growing up in Staunton, Virginia in the 1960’s this was our version of a water park riding on inner-tubes down the rapids. I don’t know for sure but as a very young child I don’t believe the banks of the river shore were quite as rocky. I vaguely remember my family returning to Goshen Pass sometime after a huge flood and all of the dirt had been washed away revealing the boulders. I was just telling my nine-year-old this weekend when we went swimming in the river we always wore our tennis shoes because it was so rocky. You never really had to ask how the water was as everyone knew it was COLD.

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