Cooperative Living November/December 2016 - 35

Craig Creek winds
its way through
Craig Valley.
Oriskany, an Outdoor Paradise
Parts of the old railroad bed from the Craig
Valley Line days are used for secondary
roads. This section is heading west out of
Oriskany from the post office through
national forest.
Getting to
Oriskany
State Rt. 615 - Craig Creek Road -
runs from US 220 at Eagle Rock in
Botetourt County to Rt. 311 in New
Castle in Craig County. It is designated
as one of Virginia's Scenic Byways
for a reason.
Motorcyclists love it. Sunday drivers
can enjoy the slow pace the road
requires. Leaf peepers are hard-pressed
to find a prettier ride in the fall (really,
any time of the year).
It's the only way to Oriskany, too. You
can also get to Rt. 615 from Fincastle
(in fact, that's the quickest way from the
Roanoke Valley). Just hop on Rt. 606
(Grove Hill Road) in the historic county
seat and head west until you reach the
stop sign on Rt. 615. Turn right. 
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t's an outdoor person's paradise -
whether you enjoy fishing, kayaking,
bird watching, bicycling, hunting,
hiking, camping or a combination.
The mountains around Oriskany
include thousands of acres of the
Jefferson/George Washington
National Forest (in the Eastern
Divide Ranger District).
Craig Creek provides great spring
and early summer kayaking, canoeing
and smallmouth fishing. There's a
public access point on the national
forest just west of Oriskany proper
(look for the brown sign). That's a putin
and take-out area that includes a
couple of makeshift fire rings.
Several creek crossings for secondary
roads off Rt. 615 have fords where
there's public access to the creek. You'll
spot them because of the foot
" swinging " bridges that allow residents
on the other side to get in and out
during high water. There's great trout
fishing in nearby Barbours Creek near
New Castle and Roaring Run
Recreation Area near Eagle Rock.
Hunters can take their pick of
Virginia's major game species to hunt
- deer, turkey and bear; plus the
plentiful small game in the national
forest.
Bird watching is as easy as stopping
the vehicle or hiking one of the many
trails and U.S. Forest Service roads in
the national forest.
The serious mountain biker can try
those Forest Service roads as well,
including the climb from Lignite Road
to Bald Mountain and on to Fenwick
I
Mines Recreation Area, or over to
Barbours Creek.
Families can find easy biking and
hiking on the old railroad bed. You can
start from the Oriskany Post Office and
take the 3-plus-mile, nearly level ride
west, turn around and come back; or,
hop on Rt. 615. It's dirt and gravel. Or,
you can take Old Rail Road (Rt. 817)
east on the more improved gravel road
that also leads to Craig Creek
Recreation Area.
Craig Creek Recreation Area (called
The Grapevine by locals) is a modestly
improved, no-fee, day-use area in the
national forest. The entrance is on
Rt. 817, one-half mile off Rt. 615 in
Oriskany. Although rustic, it does
include Forest Service vault toilets,
picnic tables, access to Craig Creek and
a 1.4-mile hiking/biking single-track
trail. You can also get a permit for
group camping ($25/night at
www.recreation.gov) from the Eastern
Divide Ranger District (540-552-4641).
You'll want to do that to get access to
the gate that is locked from dusk to
dawn at the entrance to the 130-acre
area. Bring your own drinking and
cooking water.
There are a couple of vacation
rentals available near Oriskany, and
others within easy distances of the
community. They can be found on one
of the popular vacation rental websites.
The nearest motels are in the Troutville
area of southern Botetourt County.
The nearest restaurants (all family-run)
are in Eagle Rock, New Castle
and Fincastle. 
November-December 2016 | Cooperative Living | 33
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID COX
http://www.recreation.gov http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living November/December 2016

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