Clarke County | Rockingham County | Page County | Alma to White House Bridge | Augusta County | Elkhorn Lake | Culpeper County | Orange County | Albemarle County | Rivanna River | Beaver Creek Lake | Lake Nelson | Appomattox County | Botetourt/Roanoke County
Important Note: Canoeing is an option but not a necessity for your trip. A driver and automobile, typically your school bus, will be needed upon your group’s arrival to perform a brief vehicle shuttle between canoe launch and end destination site (does not apply to lake sites). We will discuss these logistics with you during our pre-trip phone call discussion. CBF staff will happily collaborate with you to arrange for alternative lake, river, and stream sites not listed below for your own field trips.
Clarke County (Shenandoah River watershed)
Rt. 50 Bridge to Lockes Landing
From Charlottesville:
- Take Rt. 29 North towards Warrenton
- Make the left hand exit for Rt. 17 and Business 15/29
- Follow to left hand turn at stoplight for Rt. 17 west
- Follow 17 and it will merge with 66 west
- Stay on 66/17 for approx. 4 miles and take the Rt. 17 exit for Delaplane.
- Follow 17 until it intersects with Rt. 50
- Take a left at stoplight onto 50/17 west
- Follow 50/17 west until you cross over the Shenandoah. Make the first right after the bridge and follow the road towards the landing under the bridge, crossing the train tracks. (There will be a boat landing sign off the highway)
Rockingham County (Shenandoah River watershed)
Island Ford to Elkton
From Charlottesville:
- Take 250 west form Charlottesville to Waynesboro
- Take 340 north from Waynesboro
- Follow 340 to Island Ford
- Take a left onto Rt. 642 and cross over RR tracks. Make the first left onto access road and follow brown boat ramp sign to put in.
Page County (Shenandoah River sub-watershed)
Luray
From Charlottesville: take 64 west to 81 North
- Take New Market Exit (Rt. 211) towards Luray.
- Cross mountains and continue on 211/340 towards Luray.
- Take a left on Rt. 652 and follow until intersection with 675.
- Take a right on 675 and follow until it crosses Shenandoah.
- Landing in on the right on the far side of the bridge.
- Take out: Take a right out of Landing onto Rt. 684
- Follow 684 for 6-7 miles until first public boat landing (on right).
Alma to White House Bridge
From Charlottesville:
- Take New Market Exit (Rt. 211) towards Luray.
- At 211/340 split, take a right onto 340 south.
- Take a right on Rt. 614 and follow to a stop at Rt. 615.
- Take a left onto 615 and follow until it crosses Shenandoah.
- Take first right after bridge and immediate right to the boat landing.
- Take out at White House Bridge:
- Follow 615 back to 340 North, turn right onto 211/340 North towards Luray.
- Upon crossing the first bridge, take first left to boat landing beneath bridge.
Augusta County (Shenandoah River watershed)
Sherando Lake:
From Southern Augusta Lake:
- Take Rt. 81 N to exit for 11 south
- Take an immediate left onto Rt. 340 north, continuing to Waynesboro for about 15 miles.
- Turn right onto Rt. 631
- After about 1 mile, turn right on Rt. 644 where it joins Rt. 624
- Go about 9 miles and turn right at the sign (on the left) for Sherando Lake
- Follow this road for about 2 miles, around a hairpin curve, cross over a creek and park on the parking lot on your immediate right.
From Charlottesville:
- Take Rt. 64 west, exit onto Rt. 624 at the signs for Waynesboro/ Lyndehurst.
- Continue on this road for about 10 miles (keep straight when Rt. 624 becomes Rt. 644). Turn right at the sign (on the left) for Sherando Lake.
- Follow this road for about 2 miles, around a hairpin curve, cross over a creek and park in the parking lot on your immediate right. CBF staff will meet you there.
Elkhorn Lake
From Staunton:
- Take Rt. 250 west. You will go through the towns of Churchville and Whites Store. Approx. 20 miles.
- Approx. 3 miles after White Store take a right onto Rt. 715 (just after crossing the Calfpasture Bridge).
- There will be a dirt shoulder on the right side of the road directly after the turning. CBF staff will meet you there.
Culpeper County (Rappahannock River watershed)
Lake Pelham:
- Take Rt. 29 to Mountain Run Lake Rd/Rt. 718 (about 2 miles past the last exit for Culpepper).
- Go northwest on this road for about a ? mile and turn right onto Henretty Dr./Rt. 1025.
- Follow this road for a ? mile to the end at Lake Pelham
- CBF staff will meet you there.
Orange County (York River watershed)
Lake Orange/Clear Creek
From Charlottesville:
- Follow Rt. 20 north to Orange for approx. 20 miles
- Stay on Rt. 20 north through Orange
- Follow for approx. 4 miles to Rt. 600
- Take a right onto Rt. 600
- (Notice: you will pass a Rt. 600 on the left approx. a quarter of a mile before your right hand turn onto Rt. 600)
- Follow Rt. 600 for approx. 4 miles until it intersects with Rt. 629
- Take a right onto Rt. 629
- Clear Creek is approx. a quarter of a mile on the right down Rt. 629 (Clear Creek passes under Rt. 629, parking is most convenient of the right shoulder)
To Lake Orange from Clear Creek:
- From Clear Creek, follow Rt. 629 back towards Rt. 20 for approx. 3 miles until you reach Rt. 739
- Take a right onto Rt. 739 and follow to Lake Orange
Albemarle County (James River watershed)
Howardsville
From Charlottesville: Take Rt. 20 South towards Scottsville
- Take a right onto Rt. 626 and follow Howardsville.
- Across from the Post Office, turn left (crossing Railroad Tracks) to the boat landing.
- To take out at Warren: Take Rt. 626 towards Scottsville
- At intersection of 627 and 726 continue on 627 to river (crossing RR tracks).
Rivanna River
(Several sites to select from in Albemarle and Fluvanna Counties.)
South Fork Rivanna Reservoir/Panorama “PayDirt Compost” Farms
From Charlottesville (to Panorama Farms):
- Take Rt. 29 north and turn left onto Hydraulic Rd/Rt. 743 about ? mile north of Rt. 250/29 Bypass Go 1-1/2 miles, past Albemarle High School on the left and turn left onto Rt. 743, continuing over the Rivanna Reservoir
- *Go 1 - ? miles past the end of the reservoir bridge and turn left onto Rt. 844
- After about ? mile, the road will end at the gravel driveway to Panorama Farms. Proceed on the driveway to the main house on the right.
From North of Charlottesville (to Panorama Farms):
- Take Rt. 29 south towards Charlottesville
- Turn right onto Rt. 649 at the signs for Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport
- Pass the airport (Rt. 649 turns into Rt. 606) for about 1 - ? miles and turn left onto Rt. 743.
- Follow directions from the * above.
Beaver Creek Lake
From Charlottesville:
- Take 29 north to Rt. 250 west
- Stay on Rt. 250 for approx. 7 miles
- At the Mechum River Bridge take a right onto Rt. 240
- Take an immediate right onto Rt. 680, it is the road on the right side of the Galleria Restaurant!!!
- Go over the one land bridge and continue on this very windy road for .9 miles
- You will see the lake on your left. The entrance to the park will be on the left immediately after crossing the lake
- CBF staff will meet you down by the boat ramp and bathrooms
Nelson County (James River watershed)
Bent Creek
- From Charlottesville: Take Rt. 29 south to Amherst
- Take Amherst Exit (Rt. 60) , East away from town
- Follow 60 E for 13 miles until crossing James River Bridge
- Take immediate right after bridge on Rt. 605
- Public Boat Landing is on the right.
Bath/Alleghany County (James River watershed)
Lake Moomaw/Jackson River
Discuss most suitable site directions with CBF staff
Botetourt County (James River watershed)
Buchanan to Arcadia
- Take I-81 towards Lexington to Buchanan Exit (Rt. 11)
- Follow Rt. 11 to downtown Buchanan
- Cross over the James River and make first right. Boat ramp on right.
Thrasher’s Lake
- From Buena Vista: take 60 east for approx. 20 miles
- Take a left on Rt. 610 (Fancy Hill Rd)
- Follow Rt. 610 for approx. 2 miles and make a left onto Rt. 617 (Hal Watts Rd.)
- Make the first left (approx. 1 mile) and follow signs to boat ramp.
Nelson County (James River watershed)
Rockfish River
Discuss site directions with CBF staff.
Lake Nelson
From Charlottesville:
- Take 29 south past Lovington and turn left onto 655 just south of Colleen
- Go about 2 ? miles to Arrington
- Continue on 655, following signs to Nelson Lake, for about 1 ? miles
- Turn left on 812 and go about 1 mile to Nelson Lake
- CBF staff will meet you there
From Lynchburg:
- Take 29 north past Amherst to just south of Colleen
- Turn right on 665 and go about 2 ? miles to Arrington
- Take 655, following signs to Nelson Lake, for about 1 ? miles
- Turn left on 812 and go about 1 mile to Nelson Lake
- CBF staff will meet you there
Appomattox County (James River watershed)
Holliday Lake
From Charlottesville:
- Take 64 east to 15 south or 20 south to 15 south
- Follow 15 south to Sprouse’s Corner
- At Sprouse’s take 60 west-After approx. 8 miles take a left onto Rt. 24 south
- After approx. 10 miles take a left onto Rt. 636
- After approx. 3 miles make a right onto Rt. 640
- Stay on 640 for approx. 3 miles and make a left onto 692
- Follow 692 to the Pavilion area, CBF staff will meet you there
Botetourt/Roanoke County (Roanoke River watershed, Albemarle Sound)
Carvins Cove:
From Roanoke:
- Take I-81 north to the Hollins College exit #43 ( Rt. 115 south/ Hollins Rd)
- Turn right onto Rt. 115 south
- Go to the stoplight at the intersection of Rt. 115 and Rt. 11
- Take a left onto Rt. 11 north
- Go for approx. 1.2 miles ( you will pass Hollins College)
- Then take a left onto Rt. 648
- Follow this road to the end, approx. 2.5 miles
- This will take you down to the boat landing, CBF staff will meet you there.
- ** If you pass the Pepsi and Dr. Pepper plant on Rt. 11 you have gone too far
From Points North of Hollins:
- Take Rt. 11 south past the 220 intersection
- Continue on Rt. 11 for approx. 2.5 miles
- Take a right onto Rt. 648 (just past the Hollins stockyards and the Dr. Pepper plant)
- Follow this road to the end, approx. 2.5 miles. This will take you down to the boat landing, CBF staff will meet you there
- ** If you go past Hollins College on Rt. 11 you have gone too far.
Didn’t see the site that you had in mind? Too far to drive for your school group? Want to stay on school grounds? Not a problem…Call us so that we can arrange for a more suitable location that will best accommodate your own specific needs.
