Lexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge CountyLexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge County
‹ Lexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge County

9 Unique Outdoor Experiences

Rockbridge County Outdoors

🚶 Walk + drive5 stops
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Rockbridge County is packed with opportunities for outdoor adventure – and the list goes well beyond the county’s many awesome trails. Check out the recommendations below for some of the most unique Rockbridge County adventures, which make the most of the county’s national forests, powerful rivers, striking geologic formations, and dark skies. The International Dark Sky Association named Natural Bridge State Park an International Dark Sky Park in 2021. This means that the park has taken steps to limit nighttime light pollution, making it easier to view the stars. Check the park calendar for ranger-led stargazing events or hike the Skyline Trail to the viewing area. Ten geocaches are hidden at carefully selected scenic and historic destinations across Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County. Pick up a passport at the Lexington and Buena Vista visitor centers to participate in this high-tech treasure hunt that uses GPS coordinates. The passport is also available online on the Lexington & Rockbridge Area Tourism website. Visitors to downtown Lexington may catch a glimpse of House Mountain, which rises on the western horizon. The mountain they see, however, is actually a composite of two separate peaks: Little House Mountain and Big House Mountain. Hikers ready for a half-day adventure can climb both peaks on a 9-mile out-and back hike, which begins at the parking area off Jacktown Road. Saddle up for a guided horseback-riding tour of the pretty Shenandoah Valley.

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    Devils MarbleyardOutdoors · Devils Marbleyard

    A jumble of granite boulders – some as big as a car – blanket a mountain slope in the James River Face Wilderness near Natural Bridge in the southern reaches of the county. From the parking area it’s a one-mile hike to the boulder field. Wear your grippiest shoes.

  2. 🚗 about 32 min drive
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    Glen Maury ParkOutdoors · 100 Glen Maury Park Rd

    Got discs? Then test your skills on the 18-hole disc golf course at W&L. The course starts beside the back-campus Pavilion. There is a course map on the building. There are three tees for each hole, geared to varying skill levels. You’ll also find a new 9-hole course at Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista.

  4. 🚗 about 19 min drive
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    Hull's Drive InAttractions · 2367 N Lee Hwy

    One of only eight drive-in movie theaters in Virginia, Hull’s screens two movies on Friday and Saturday nights from March through late October. On nice nights you’ll find families and moviegoers sitting in fold-out chairs and blankets beside their cars or in the beds of their pick-up trucks – all enjoying the movies under the stars.

  6. 🚗 about 13 min drive
  7. 4
    Just Games LexingtonShopping · 29 W Nelson St

    Discs are sold at Just Games in downtown Lexington.

  8. 🚶 about 16 min walk
  9. 5
    Washington and Lee UniversityAttractions · 204 W Washington St