At Goshen Pass the Maury River cuts a 3.7-mile gorge through Little North Mountain, and Route 39 follows it the whole way, between Goshen and Rockbridge Baths. It's one of the prettiest drives in the area, especially when the rhododendron blooms and in fall color. The inn is about 35 minutes away.
A state wayside on Route 39 has parking, picnic tables, a pavilion and portable restrooms beside the river. Nearby, a stone memorial put up in 1923 honors Matthew Fontaine Maury, the oceanographer known as the "Pathfinder of the Seas." Maury taught at VMI and asked that his body be carried through Goshen Pass on its way to burial in Richmond.
The southwest side of the gorge is the 936-acre Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve, which protects old chestnut oak forest and rare plants and insects. Hikers reach the trails by a swinging bridge across the river from a parking area on Route 39. That land is a state Wildlife Management Area: visitors 17 and older need a Virginia hunting, fishing or trapping license, a boat registration or a WMA Access Permit.
The state stocks trout in the Maury here from October to May, and a trout license is required from October 1 to June 15. The river has Class II to IV rapids and is only for experienced whitewater paddlers. The current can be strong and dangerous after rain, and there have been drownings in the gorge, so enjoy it from the rocks unless the water is low and calm, and stay well away from the rapids.
Three renovated cottages on a historic 13-acre estate, about 35 minutes from Goshen Pass. Book direct, with no platform fees.
