Overview:
Buffalo Creek drains southern Rockbridge County, with headwaters in and around Purgatory Mountain. It joins Colliers Creek near Effinger, doubles in size, and then joins the Maury River between Buena Vista and Glasgow. Blessedly free of development, passing through beautiful farms and past small curving rock bluffs, Buffalo Creek is one of the more scenic trips in Virginia. It has nearly constant rapids near its confluence with Colliers Creek and between Interstate 81 and the Maury, with a few miles of riffles in between. With a bed that is either pebbly or highly irregular bedrock, Buffalo Creek takes significant precipitation to run comfortably, but should be a top priority whenever it does. If the Maury is around 1,200 cfs on the Rockbridge Baths gauge, or if the Kerrs Creek gauge is around 300 cfs, or if the Piney River is well over 300 cfs, then Buffalo Creek is probably running.
Recommended Trips:
Effinger to Lotta Water Ln: This 13 mile full day trip is one of the better day trips in the state, if there’s enough water.
Directions to Put Ins and Take Outs:
View Buffalo Creek in a larger map
Effinger: This crossroads of Blue Grass Trail (Rt 612) and Collierstown Road (Rt 251) is a convenient put in when there is enough water to run the Buffalo but not enough to run upper Colliers Creek or the branches of the Buffalo. One can park and put in at the fire station, on Colliers Creek. Effinger is located approximately 15 minutes west of Lexington.
Murat: There is a roadside put in on the north side of Buffalo Creek on Rt 251 approximately 3 miles downstream of Effinger, in the hamlet of Murat.
Bunker Hill Road: The low water bridge for Bunker Hill Road (Rt 700) can be used as a takeout; access it via Forge Rd, Route 608.
Lotta Water Ln: One can head east from Route 608, park alongside gravel Route 700 near its dead end, and take out at the Lotta Water Lane low water bridge. Do not linger or block this private bridge, which is well-used.
Sections of River to Run:
Effinger to Murat: After putting in on Colliers Creek in Murat, Buffalo Creek flows in from the right; it appears to have less volume even though the waterway downstream bears its name. Colliers Creek has some class I-II ledges and small boulder gardens prior to the confluence. After the confluence, there are numerous class I-II rapids as Rt 251 follows Buffalo Creek on river right. Shortly after the road disappears up a hill, the paddler will come to the largest single rapid on Buffalo Creek, a sloping, curving ledge that drops approximately 5 feet. Most water flows through the left. If entering the right side of the left chute, be prepared for a strong cross current from the left at the bottom of the drop. At higher water any part of this ledge should be runnable. A hundred yards below this ledge is the Route 251 bridge at Murat, from which one can check out this impressive rapid on the way to the put in. There should be no hazards in this section except possible strainers.
Murat to Bunker Hill Road: Below Murat the Buffalo has significantly reduced gradient, and the rapids decrease in frequency and severity. Scenery continues to be outstanding, and paddlers should stay alert for several low water bridges and at least two electric fences. There are two low water bridges that one can float underneath at lower runnable levels. At least two other bridges appear to be death traps, and should be portaged. Novice paddlers must have a more experienced partner in their boats if running this section, as some of the low water bridges are located at the terminus of a wave train, such as a driveway and Bunker Hill Road. Approximately 7 miles downstream of Murat, one will pass under Route 11. Following the relatively flat water as the Buffalo wraps around Buffalo Bend, the creek drops precipitously over a two hundred or three hundred yard long series of ledges where Interstate 81 crosses the creek. Buffalo Creek spreads out over these ledges, so at most water levels capsized paddlers will have time to recover boats, but at high water it would be a very long swim. Also be aware that the pillars for the I-81 bridge can be a hazard: this is near the top of the rapid. After passing through the pillars, the water drops over two foot ledges before concentrating in a series of pour-overs on river right. Many more ledges follow. In a mile or so one will see a road on river left. After seeing this road be prepared to take out above Bunker Hill Road, an extremely dangerous low water bridge located in the middle of a rapid. At most runnable levels, this bridge is right at water level, with no eddies near it. It appears that river left has the best portage.
Bunker Hill Road to Lotta Water Ln: For its final 2 ½ to 3 miles Buffalo Creek drops over mild ledges interspersed with fairly fast moving flat water and riffles. The takeout is about a mile below the next bridge (not a low water bridge!), Route 608. Pull over on the right directly above the horizon line created by an overflowed private low water bridge. Take out quickly here: the bridge is private, and though the landowners are pleasant they do not appreciate a blocked driveway.
