Rockbridge Baths is a farming community with mountain views
Located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Rockbridge Baths is a peaceful farming community with views of the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains. “People are naturally drawn to that area for the large tracts of land and the mountain views,” says Tony Girard, a Realtor with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services who’s sold homes in the area for 17 years. “The ability to get farmland is a big draw, and it’s still relatively close to everything.” Lexington, where most of the area’s amenities are located, is about 16 miles south, and Interstate 64 provides access to Staunton, 29 miles northeast. In the mountains to the northwest, the Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve is popular for hiking and fly fishing in the Maury River.
Farmhouses in the hilly Shenandoah Valley
Most houses in Rockbridge Baths are ranch-style homes and farmhouses that sit along gravel roads in the Shenandoah Valley, where neighbors are separated by hilly pastures and woods. Properties are typically multiple acres, except in the town of Brownsburg, a small section of state Route 252 where American Foursquare and colonial-style homes are right next to each other. Prices typically range from around $240,000 to $430,000, though properties with views or a lot of acreage can cost more. Homes near the Maury River and its tributaries might be at risk for flooding. “Because it’s surrounded by mountains, it can get very windy, so power lines tend to go down more easily,” Girard says. “Investing in a whole-house generator system is probably a wise idea.” Undeveloped properties under 100 acres can cost between $60,000 and $330,000, while larger properties can cost more. Girard warns that people building homes here might have to install a well or septic system.
Fishing, hiking and hunting opportunities
The Maury River passes through the community, and its trout and smallmouth bass make it a popular spot for fly fishing. The river carves a gorge through the mountains, and hikers can explore or hang out by the river at the over 900-acre Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve. The preserve’s most popular trail features a swinging bridge over the river, and the rapids here attract whitewater rafters. The Goshen Wildlife Management Area is open for deer, turkey and bear hunting.
Events at the Virginia Horse Center
Nearby, the Virginia Horse Center is the community’s primary event space. “They have international equestrian events at this center all the time,” Girard says. “It’s mostly for competitions and has multiple covered arenas.” Aside from its equestrian programming, the center hosts events like monster truck rallies, hot air balloon shows and the Rockbridge Regional Fair & Expo, a three-day fair with carnival games, live music and livestock shows.
Public schools earn Bs and Cs
Kids can start school at Fairfield Elementary and then attend Maury River Middle; both receive a C-plus from Niche. Rockbridge County High receives a B and offers career and technical education courses like collision repair and agriculture. The school also offers dual enrollment courses through Mountain Gateway Community College.
Drivers navigate state routes and gravel roads
State Routes 39 and 252 are the main roads in Rockbridge Baths, and Interstate 64 is nearby. Back roads and even some of the state roads are gravel, and sections of these can be steep and prone to flooding. Lexington and Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital are 16 miles away, and Staunton is 29 miles away. Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is a 66-mile trip.
Vineyards are nearby, and Lexington is the closest shopping and dining
Mountain View Farm Greenhouses is one of the few businesses in Rockbridge Baths. It specializes in indoor plants and is located near state Route 39, a main thoroughfare that also has the post office and Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Lexington Valley Vineyard and Jump Mountain Vineyard are open for wine tastings on weekends. The Kerrs Creek Community Market offers locally grown produce each week from May through September. Restaurants and national retailers are about 16 miles away in Lexington, where there’s a Walmart and grocery stores like Kroger and Food Lion.
Written By
Annie Franklin
