the chessie nature trail › uploads › 3 › 2 › 2 › 6 › ... · 2020-05-27 · continued...
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THECHESSIENATURETRAIL isaseven-milepublicaccessrail trail between Lexington and Buena Vista in the Great Valley ofVirginia. It was developed along the former Chesapeake and OhioRailroadbranch.TheTrailhasaflatgravelandpackeddirtsurface,goodforwalkingand running. Cycling is also permitted. River access for kayaking andcanoeingisatbothendsoftheTrail.
TRAILHISTORYTheTrailfollowswhatwasonceacanaltow-pathbringingboatsuptheMauryfromasfaraway as Richmond to Lexington’s industrialandcommercialhubatJordan’sPoint.In1861,theC&ORailroadCo.purchasedthecanal propertyand laid tracks for the JamesRiverLineandLexingtonbranch.Rail servicecontinueduntil1969,whenHurricaneCamilletookoutthetrestleacrosstheMaury.TheTrailofficiallybeginsat Jordan’sPoint,where theMiller’sHouseMuseumtellsthestoryoftheseearliereras.OtherremindersoftheTrail’shistoryasavitaltransportationlinkarefoundallalongits7.2milepathtoBuenaVista.TheTrailtodayisownedandmaintainedforpublicusebyVirginiaMilitaryInstitute(VMI).
PLANTSANDWILDLIFENative plants along the Trail includemayflower, wildginger,andbladdernut.Wildflowersareabundantinspringtime,especiallyalongthestretchoftrailfromMillCreektoReid’sDam.
TheMauryRiverisanimportantbreedingareaforsomemigrantbirdsanda"reststop"forothers.Widelyvariedhabitatsalongtheriver—pasture,riparianbuffer,maturetrees—allowadiversityofbirdspeciestoflourish.
GEOLOGYSedimentaryrocksalongtheTraildatebacktomountain-buildingeventsthatformedtheAppalachians.TowardtheBuenaVistatrailhead,caves
formedfromdissolvedlimestonearevisibleinthe rockface.
TheMaury River has been cutting its channeldownward over many millions of years. Thatprocess, alongwith blasting for the railroadandcanals,hasexposedlargesectionsofcliffface.TrailuserswillalsonoticerivererosionalongthebanksattheedgesoftheTrail.
TRAILTIPS• There are no bathroom facilities on the trail. Public rest-roomsareopenatJordan’sPointParkduringdaylighthours.
• Picnicfacilitiesareopenyear-roundatJordan’sPointPark.• Trail users will have to detour onto Stuartsburg Road tocrossSouthRiver(seemap).
• Shortstretchesareaccessibleforsomewheelchairusers.• BewareoffallingrocksalongexposedsectionsofcliffanderosionattheedgesoftheTrail.
SHARINGTHETRAIL• TheTrailpassesthroughunfencedcattlepasture.Berespectful,stayonthepath,andusecaution,especiallywhenlivestockarepresent.
• TheTrailisopentocyclists,familieswithstrollers,andpetsonleashes,sopleasemakeroomforfellowusers.
• VMI cadets routinely use the Trail for their field trainingexercises.
• PetsshouldbekeptonleashesatalltimesfortheirsafetyandthatofotherTrailusers’petsandneighbors’livestock.
• Plantsshouldbeleftundisturbed.• Please“leaveno trace behind.”Trash, recycling,andpet-litterstationsareinstalledataccesspointsalongtheTrail.
PleasereportTrailmaintenanceandsafetyissuesto:
VMIPhysicalPlantHelpDesk(540-464-7357)
[email protected],dial911.
TRAILMAPANDGUIDEFOR
The Chessie Nature Trail
Opendawntodusk
Freepublicaccess
Formoreinformationaboutthehistory,naturalhistory,andstewardshipoftheChessieNatureTrail,pleasevisit:
friendsofthechessietrail.org www.millershousemuseum.org
www.vmi.edu
VirginiaBluebells
BeltedKingfisher
ThisguidewaspublishedbyFRIENDSOFTHECHESSIETRAIL(FOCT).TheFOCTfosterscommunicationamongChessieTrailstake-holders,advocatesforthecommunity’svisionfortheTrail,andorganizescitizensupportforawell-maintainedandsafeTrail.
Pleasejoinorcontribute:
friendsofthechessietrail.org Visit us on Facebook! Questions? Email [email protected]
TRAILACCESSPEDESTRIANACCESSTheChessieNatureTrailisopentothepublicandmaybeaccessedfromseveralpoints,including:
❶AtthenorthendoftheEastLexingtonBridge(U.S.Route11)overtheMauryRiver
❷NearMillCreekonOldBuenaVistaRoad(Route631),about0.6mileseastofRoute11
❸AtStuartsburgRoad(Route608),whereSouthRiverflowsintotheMaury
❹Attheeasterntrailhead,neartheinter-sectionofStuartsburgRoad(Route608)andU.S.Route60NotethedetouratSouthRiver,whereTrailusersmustusepublicroadstocontinuetravelingthefulllengthoftheTrail.RIVERACCESSJordan’sPointParkPut-InJordan’sPointisoneofthebetterplacesforcanoesandkayakstoputin.Accessisdownstreamofthelow-headdam.BoaterscanalsopulloutatJordan’sPointifcomingfromupriver.BuenaVistaPut-InandPull-OutThereisaboatrampattheintersectionofStuartsburgRoadandU.S.Route60,justbelowtheeasterntrailhead.
ParkingArea
Gate
LimitedWheelchairAccess*
TrailAccess
RiverAccess
Restrooms
*