New River | Oldest River in North America
The New River is an ancient river system, the oldest on the North American continent and second only to the Nile River in Africa as the oldest river in the world. It begins as two streams in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, before merging into the New River four miles from the Virginia line. And therein lies another quirk of this ancient river - it flows northward rather than southward like most of the other major rivers along the eastern seaboard. It meandors some 160 miles through the counties of Grayson, Carroll, Pulaski, Montgomery and Giles in Virginia before it turns into Bluestone Lake in West Virginia and emerges later as the Kanawha River at the Gauley Bridge. The New River ends its metamorphosis when it empties into the great Mississippi River.
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Claytor Lake | Pulaski
With 472 acres of mostly hardwoods and pines, Claytor Lake State Park is now the centerpiece of 21-mile-long Claytor Lake.
website | (540) 643-2500
Rural Reteat Lake | Rural Retreat
This 90-acre lake has excellent fishing. Campground has 72 wooded sites with hookups, a swimming pool, a picnic area, hiking trails and a playground.
Hungry Mother State Park | Marion
Hungry Mother has a sandy beach with bathhouse, boats and boat launch, universally accessible fishing pier, campgrounds, cabins, a fantastic restaurant, a gift shop, a visitor center, a five-bedroom lodge that sleeps 16, and hiking and biking trails.
website | (276) 781-7400
Mountain Lake | Pembroke
Mountain Lake provides a wide array of nature-based opportunities that are managed by the Mountain Lake Conservancy, including: 20 hiking and birding trails, a wetland area, boating, and various programs and activities in which guests at Mountain Lake's hotel and cottages can participate in order to learn more about becoming good stewards of the land.
website | (800) 346-3334
Smith Mountain Lake | Bedford-Franklin
Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia's most popular lake, offers superb recreational activities, 500 miles of shoreline, a wide variety of water sports. Known as the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains".
website | (800) 676-8203
Fairy Stone State Park | Stuart
Home of the lucky fairy stones, Fairy Stone is well known for its 168-acre lake adjoining Philpott Reservoir just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
website | (800) 933-PARK
- Pigg River
- Craig Creek
- John's Creek
- Big Stoney
- Little Stoney