Virginia | Rockbridge County / Buena Vista–Glasgow
Maury RiverGlen Maury Park to Locher Landing
A source-backed 12-mile Maury River day trip from Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista to Locher Landing in Glasgow. Virginia DWR documents both public endpoints, Class I-II+ rapids, broken-dam hazards, private-bank constraints, and the direct Buena Vista gauge.
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Need to know
Why this call
Safety
Route safety
CautionThis route has hazards or access considerations that require extra verification.
Safety details
Virginia DWR documents several Class I-II+ rapids and the concrete remains of Edmondson’s Dam, Goose Neck Dam, and Devil’s Step Dam. Scout each hazard from a legal location and walk around it when the line is uncertain.
- The 2.0 ft Buena Vista reading is only DWR’s low-water navigability floor. DWR separately warns that high water can be dangerous; no upper safe limit is published for this route.
- Both banks are private above the average high-water mark except at depicted public accesses. Stay in the channel and use only Glen Maury Park, Miller’s Dam where appropriate, and Locher Landing unless landowner permission is explicit.
- Wear a fitted PFD, plan for cold water and a six-plus-hour float, stage the shuttle before launch, and reassess for storms, debris, rising water, and daylight.
Keep Maury River handy
Save this route in PaddleToday and check its conditions before your next paddle.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A long day float with a direct gauge, developed public endpoints, three broken-dam hazard areas, private banks, and nearby reservation-based primitive camping.
Access map
Put-in
Glen Maury Park public river accessLaunch at Glen Maury Park on river right upstream of the Route 745 bridge and take out at Locher Landing on river right just downstream of Route 130, as depicted by Virginia DWR.
Take-out
Locher Landing public boat rampMiller’s Dam is a documented intermediate access with a steep undeveloped bank and parking for only about six to eight vehicles; do not rely on it as an unplanned easy bailout.
Road shuttle
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Access planner
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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Glen Maury Park public river access to Locher Landing public boat ramp is about 12.0 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Launch at Glen Maury Park on river right upstream of the Route 745 bridge and take out at Locher Landing on river right just downstream of Route 130, as depicted by Virginia DWR.
- Miller’s Dam is a documented intermediate access with a steep undeveloped bank and parking for only about six to eight vehicles; do not rely on it as an unplanned easy bailout.
- Except for depicted public accesses, both banks are private above the average high-water mark. Do not land, scout, park, or camp on private property without permission.
Watch for
- USGS 02024000 below 2.0 ft, rising rapidly, unavailable, or inconsistent with the launch visual
- Edmondson’s Dam, Goose Neck Dam, and Devil’s Step Dam concrete remains and swift currents
- cold water, strainers or fresh debris, thunderstorms, high water, daylight loss, and a failed shuttle
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
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USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Maury River near Buena Vista, VA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge note
Minimum 2.00 ft · Maury River near Buena Vista, VA
Does this gauge apply to my trip?
Use direct USGS 02024000 gage height. Virginia DWR says navigation becomes difficult below 2.0 ft; this is a minimum-only planning rule, not a safe upper limit. High or rapidly rising water, concrete dam remains, cold water, and current access conditions can make the route unsuitable at any reading.
New to reading stage or flow? Read the paddler's gauge guide.
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Route gallery
Photos
Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Maury River near Buena Vista, VA |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 2.00 ft |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Virginia DWR Maury River Float Guide: difficult to navigate below 2.0 ft at Buena Vista |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named public corridorGlen Maury Park to Locher Landing; 12 miles; 6+ hours
Virginia DWR publishes the exact trip, endpoint descriptions, distance, coordinates, and expected duration.
- Direct live gauge and thresholdUSGS 02024000; difficult to navigate below 2.0 ft
DWR ties its official low-water rule directly to the Buena Vista gauge; USGS supplies continuous discharge and gage-height telemetry.
- Access and safetyPublic endpoints, Class I-II+ rapids, broken dams, and private-bank rules
The DWR guide requires hazard scouting, warns about high and cold water, and limits bank access to depicted public sites unless permission is obtained.
- Camping logisticsNearby Blue Hollow primitive campground by reservation
Virginia State Parks documents a year-round primitive campground at Natural Bridge; it is a separate basecamp, not on-route camping.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
More level reports needed
Only a low-water floor is known.
We can tell when this route is likely too low, but we do not yet have enough reports to define a best range. If you paddled it recently, send a condition report with how the level felt.
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Quick answers
Maury River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Glen Maury Park to Locher Landing route on the Maury River?
Paddle Today watches Maury River near Buena Vista, VA and uses 2.00 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does the Glen Maury Park to Locher Landing route on the Maury River start and end?
This route starts at Glen Maury Park public river access and ends at Locher Landing public boat ramp, 12 river miles on the water.
Is the Glen Maury Park to Locher Landing route on the Maury River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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