Swimming holes/activities in VA Post- Lockn

Thanks for the detailed reply. Blue Ridge Parkway definitely sounds like it would be an awesome thing to do as well. 

For those who like exploring I recommend the map book called "Virginia Gazetteer". I think they make it for other states, too. Very detailed for small roads even farm and fire tower roads, hiking trails and all the maps are topo maps. Not always 100% accurate and they sometimes show a farm road that is a gated private road. Shows all the "back ways" into Lockn' as discussed.

Also the Wildlife Management Areas are set aside for hunting but offer great hiking and car exploring (incl. 4WD) especially in the off season (now). Some have limited camping as well as water access. They tend to get overlooked by non-hunters for recreation. And you can get topo maps of them, probably on line from the Va DGIF.

Highway department county maps are good for this, too.

I do not use GPS (on land), apps, MapQuest, dashboard voices, etc. Paper maps. And I know how to fold them.

Didn't know the WMA's were restricted now; haven't used one in a long time.

Goshen is one of the best places on earth; I omitted it b/c the OP was going to/from Massachusetts.

Swimming Holes - Blue Hole on the Moorman's is very cool, but it is a bit of a hike plus a long drive out to Sugar Hollow. The Tye River is where Waterlockn will take you somewhere just south of Arrington. If you follow the Tye up into the mountains towards Crabtree Falls, you could probably find some pull offs and swimming holes - possibly near where the AT crosses Crabtree Falls road and goes over the river on a swinging footbridge. If you stay an extra night at Crabtree Falls Campground, you can swim in the river there. Panther Falls is a good hole off of 81 near Buena Vista. It's a little out of your way to the south, but the time you save with a 1/4 mile hike to the falls may make up for it. I echo support for the St. Mary's Wilderness. The 2 mile hike up the St. Mary's River to St. Mary's Falls is great if you have time. There are several good holes along the last half mile of the trail.

You might want to drive from Lockn' up to the Blue Ridge Parkway for some great vistas. If you take the Parkway up to interstate 64, you will pass Humpback Rocks. It's a very steep mile hike up to an incredible view over the Shenandoah Valley.

Totally agree with St. Mary's. Last went there almost 30 years ago, there were good swimming holes and wild blueberries to pick.

Thanks! There is another smaller fall above the main fall. There's also some footage of us swimming in a hole by a big wedge-shaped rock that is about 1/4 mile below the main falls. It had been at least 20 years since I had been there. Pretty sure the trail has changed as it's been washed out in storms, but it was reassuring to know that all we had to do was keep following the river. That hike was definitely the highlight of the trip for the girls.

Great video, Crabtree falls seems like just what I'm looking for. Also not far from Arrington so that's good. So from the trailhead to the falls is about two miles? Might be a little much, but maybe I can convince my crew to get up and out early to do something cool like that. We're definitely planning on driving at least some of Skyline Drive too.

www.swimmingholes.org/va.html#CAMPBELL CREEK

This hole isnt far from Lockn. Involves a pretty good hike in but is remote. Great Skinny Dipping.

Bump. Also in search of a swimmin' hole not too far from the road. Definitely going to need a dip before the long drive home.