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Virginia Trailfinder
Full field brief

Trailhead view · Lexington

Chessie Nature Trail

Distance
7mi
Climb
48ft
Hiking time
2h19–3h07
Difficulty
Not rated

Start: 37.79096, -79.41981 open in a map app

48 ft up, 99 ft down · 853–911 ft

8509000 mi246Start
6.56 miles measured, 48 ft of climbing and 99 ft of descent, between 853 and 911 ft. No climb of 80 ft or more; the profile is essentially level.6.56 miles measured, 48 ft of climbing and 99 ft of descent, between 853 and 911 ft. No climb of 80 ft or more; the profile is essentially level.Trailfinder reading Measured from an OpenStreetMap line and the USGS 10 m elevation model, fetched 2026-09-05. Sampled terrain, not a GPS track.

6.56 miles measured, 48 ft of climbing and 99 ft of descent, between 853 and 911 ft. No climb of 80 ft or more; the profile is essentially level.

Official notes

Parking
VMI's trail log states that a small parking lot opened at the South River access in December 2021, alongside a replacement bridge funded by a Federal Highway Administration grant. VMI publishes no parking information for the other three access points it lists (the north end of the East Lexington bridge on U.S. Route 11, near Mill Creek on Old Buena Vista Road / Route 631, and the eastern terminus at Route 608 and U.S. Route 60). Confirm parking availability with VMI Physical Plant, gordontp@vmi.edu or (540) 464-7358, before relying on a specific access point.
Water
No drinking water is provided. VMI states there are currently no facilities on the trail, so carry all the water you need. As for the river itself, VMI says the Maury "has relatively high-quality water, but is degraded along the trail as polluted tributaries flow into the river," with agricultural runoff contributing nitrogen, phosphorus, fecal coliform and sediment, and with additional pollution from parking lots, interstates, buildings and other city infrastructure.
Dogs
Dogs allowed on leash
Cell
Not on file
Emergency
Not on file
  • Ticks are fairly common in this area during warmer months (VMI advises appropriate clothing and a thorough tick check afterward)
  • Falling rock where the river has exposed cliff faces; VMI advises users to beware of falling rocks and refrain from standing too close to the rocks
  • Undercut river banks can cause small landslides, and VMI notes trail users may see spots of erosion at the edges of the trail
  • The trail goes through private lands, including active cattle farms; VMI asks users to exercise caution and respect, and to do so particularly when moving through gates in the pastureland sections
  • Floodplain corridor with a documented flood history: VMI says the August 1969 Hurricane Camille flood, the highest on record in the area, reached a height that would have covered the trail with 10 to 15 feet of water, and that various floods have washed out pedestrian bridges at South River and Jordan's Point
  • No restrooms, drinking water or other facilities anywhere along the seven miles — VMI states there are currently no facilities on the trail
  • Shared use: VMI states pedestrians and bicycles are both welcome on the trail

This view is a reference, not navigation. The line is sampled from OpenStreetMap and USGS data; carry an offline map and treat cell coverage as unreliable.