Life Outside Spring 2018 - 30

ON THE MAURY
This fisherman is on the
Maury near the beginning of
the East Lexington Town Park
to Ben Salem Wayside junket.

HERE'S A BOLD STATEMENT. No state in the Eastern

half of the country boasts the number of highquality upland rivers as Virginia does, and our
region of the Old Dominion hosts the most sublime
sections of these waterways. For floating, fishing,
and aesthetics, here are 10 excursions to consider.
THE NEW RIVER
Trip I: Ripplemead to Bluff City (7 ½ miles) in Giles
County
Floating: Britt Stoudenmire, who along with

his wife, Leigh, operates the New River Outdoor
Company (NROC), describes this junket as the best
one for whitewater fans as does Tommy Cundiff
of River Monster Guide Service. The Class III
Clendennin Shoals punctuates the float near its
end; paddlers should run Clendennin on river right
says Cundiff, or, if unsure of their skills, portage
on river right. A half dozen other Class II rapids
provide thrills.
Fishing: Stoudenmire and Cundiff rate
Ripplemead as top notch for jumbo smallmouths.
Afternoon damselfly and dragonfly hatches often
result in feeding frenzies.
Aesthetics: Two miles from put-in, a railroad

Spring 2018 \\ LifeOutside Magazine

bridge and a Class II ledge offer photo ops.
Downstream a mile or so comes the trip's scenic
highlight: a towering river left cliff and heavily
wooded shorelines.
Bonus: NROC offers waterfront cabin
rentals and canoe and kayak rental for its
cabin guests, icanoethenew.com, 540-921-7438;
rivermonsterguideservice.com, 844-luv-2-fish.
Trip II: Eggleston to Pembroke (6 miles) in Giles
County
Floating: Best junket for intermediate paddlers

says Cundiff-delightful mix of Class I and II rapids.
Fishing: Consistent producer of two-pound-plus
smallies agrees Stoudenmire and Cundiff. Bigger bass
are possible, especially in spring and early summer.
Aesthetics: Stoudenmire proclaims the Eggleston
float as most scenic on entire New. Cundiff describes
the Palisades Cliffs, Caesar's Arch, and Castle Rock
dolomite cliffs as stunning. Bald eagles and redtailed hawks often soar nearby.
Bonus: Leigh Stoudenmire says Giles County
contains 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail with
scenic overlooks that include Angels' Rest and
Kelly's Knob.

http://www.icanoethenew.com http://www.rivermonsterguideservice.com

Life Outside Spring 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Life Outside Spring 2018