Maury River in Virginia

Trip Overview

Maury River a wonderfully scenic and historic river that is very different from the larger rivers in the state. It is a smaller river that allows for lots of fun rapids and offers some great fishing options on a river. For what ever reason unknown to me, this river is not normally very crowded and is always a pleasure to paddle.

The main thing to know about the Maury River is that it is normally only run-able April thru June. Dont make the mistake of paddling this river without checking the water levels. This weekend report highlights the most popular sections starting near the town of Lexington, VA.

The Maury River East Lexington
Jordans Point Park to Buena Vista route 60 boat landing
Mainly a float trip, running 7 miles with numerous class I and a only a few class II rapids. There are numerous river cliffs along the way as well as several Islands. This trip is an excellent trip for small mouth bass fishing. This section is run able normally only from April June with a min suggested level of 1.75 feet on Buena Vista gage.

The Maury River - Buena Vista (Glen Maury Park) to Glasgow
A step up in difficulty, this 12 mile trip has numerous class I & II+ rapids and not a trip for beginners. This section is also run able normally April June with a min suggested level of 1.75 feet on Buena Vista, gauge.

A popular option is to paddle the Jordans point to route 60 on day 1 and the second day to paddle the more challenging section from Glen Maury Park to Glasgow. Another option is to paddle the Maury River on one day and the James River the next allowing you to paddle two very different rivers.

Accommodations:

Lexington, Virginia has lots of lodging options and is a very popular tourist getaway location in its own right. Countys tourism website is Lexingtonvirginia.com and contains a lot of great info for those planning a weekend trip to the area including a great listing of a variety in over night accommodations.

One very convenient camping location for paddlers is Glen Maury Park, a large city owned campground which is also the starting point for the Buena Vista to Glasgow trip. I would recommend camping down by riverside 300 yards up from the Public boat landing.

Outfitting:

Twin River Outfitters currently the only canoe livery which offers trips on the Maury River and does so every spring, from April thru June depending on water levels. Their website is canoevirginia.net and phone number is 540-261-7334.

Fees:

Camping fees - $15-20 per night


Canoe & Kayak Rental available for between $30-$40 per day


No Permits required

Directions:

I-81 south to exit 188A. Follow the signs to either Glen Maury Park or downtown Lexington, VA

Launches:

The Maury River has some very good public access points

1. Jordans Point Park (North Main Street, Lexington) Good access to the Maury River, just below the dam.
2. Ben Salem Wayside (Rt. 60) Roadside access to the Maury River with picnic areas, halfway between Lexington and Buena Vista (R-26)
3. Buena Vista (Rt. 60 Bridge) - Access to the Maury River under the bridge, via Rt. 608.
4. Glen Maury Park well maintained access along the Maury River in the City of Buena Vista.
5. Glasgow Landing (off Rt. 130 where the Maury empties into the James River)

Resources:

Twin River Outfitters sells good river maps in their store.