Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole
Buchanan, Virginia · on Jennings Creek · Jefferson National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Local spot, unofficial
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole
Jennings Creek is a National Forest stream in Botetourt County, Virginia, just outside the small community of Arcadia near I-81 Exit 168. Locals and Appalachian Trail hikers treat the calmer pools along the creek, known in one stretch as the 'Blue Hole,' as a classic summer swimming hole, while higher-water sections of the same creek are run as Class II-III whitewater.
The swimming holes sit along Jennings Creek within Jefferson National Forest, a mountain stream corridor followed closely by Route 614 (Jennings Creek Road) between Arcadia and the James River. The creek runs through forested National Forest land for most of its length, with the road paralleling the water for much of the route.
Swimming at Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole
Sources describe calm, pooled sections of Jennings Creek that are used for casual summer swimming, distinct from steeper, faster reaches of the same creek downstream that are run by whitewater paddlers at higher flows. The 'Blue Hole' pool is described as a local favorite, frequented by Appalachian Trail thru-hikers looking to cool off after long stretches on the trail.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Arcadia, reached via I-81 Exit 168, follow Route 614 (Jennings Creek Road) into Jefferson National Forest; the road runs alongside the creek for most of its length, with informal roadside access points to the water, including a small parking lot near Route 614.
Parking: Small informal parking lot/pull-off near Route 614, described by a travel feature as suited for quick visits; no formal trailhead lot documented.
The hike in
Difficulty: Easy but informal: flat road-adjacent walk followed by boulder-hopping along the creek bank; no elevation gain documented, but footing on wet rock is a factor.
Trailhead: Small parking pull-off directly on Route 614 (Jennings Creek Road) near the creek bridge, in Jefferson National Forest outside Arcadia, VA.
No formal, named trail, access is a short informal streamside walk, not a maintained hike. Per a first-hand 2020 trip report, from the Route 614 pull-off you walk across the road bridge over Jennings Creek, take an unmarked path down to the right to a rocky creek-bank 'beach,' then continue downstream over rocks/boulders along the bank to reach the actual Blue Hole pool. No source gives an exact one-way mileage or trail name for this stretch.
Multiple informal swimming pools exist along this reach of Jennings Creek; sources describe the general 'Blue Hole' area near the Route 614 bridge rather than confirming it is precisely the pin at these coordinates (carried over from prior enrichment pass).
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
A first-hand 2020 trip report (WSLS 'Backpacking with Brooke') describes 'a lot of families out ... taking the time to enjoy the sun and swim,' so it is a family destination, but the same report says the water 'is really deep, you can't touch in most places' and describes visitors climbing rocks to jump into the pool. No lifeguards, no swim ladders, or safety signage are documented anywhere. Combined with the American Whitewater note that the same creek becomes Class II-III/IV whitewater at higher flows, this is a spot for families who can supervise closely and check water levels first, not a shallow wading beach.
Parking
Free
A small informal lot/pull-off directly off Route 614 (Jennings Creek Road), described by both a travel feature (Only In Your State) and a first-hand trip report (WSLS) as suited for quick visits; no gate, fee, or attendant mentioned by any source, consistent with an unpaved National Forest roadside pull-off.
Restrooms
None on site
No source mentions restrooms, vault toilets, or any facilities at the informal Route 614 pull-off/Blue Hole access itself. The nearest developed facility is the USFS North Creek Campground (~1.5 mi away per RIDB), which is a separate site, not on-site at the swimming hole.
On the water
Restrictions: American Whitewater documents the Route 614-to-James-River reach as a Class II-III run (68 ft/mi gradient) recommended for experienced paddlers, with back-to-back Class III rapids right at the put-in, wood/strainers, and a Class IV falls near the run's end requiring paddlers to 'maneuver far left.' At the low summer flows when the creek is used for swimming, the same shallow, rocky channel is generally not deep or continuous enough for casual flatwater paddling. No source documents rules on motorboats/personal watercraft; the creek's small size and shallow rocky bed make motorized use impractical rather than formally prohibited.
Regional tourism copy (Visit Roanoke VA) lists 'fishing, swimming, paddling' as the creek's main uses, distinguishing calmer sections suited to swimming from higher/faster sections suited to paddling, i.e., swimming and serious paddling happen in different stretches/flow conditions, not simultaneously at the Blue Hole itself.
Rentals nearby
Canoe, kayak, tube, and raft rentals and guided/shuttled day trips on the James River (rentals are self-guided; tubing includes upriver shuttle, life jackets, and safety orientation).
640 Lowe Street, Buchanan, VA 24066, same small James River town as the Jennings Creek/Route 614 access area, on the James River just downstream of where Jennings Creek joins it. In business since 1978. · 9am-5pm, 7 days a week, April through October
What regulars say
The best candid, first-hand account found is a 2020 trip report that functions like a visitor report: it describes families swimming and cooling off on a hot day, water 'really deep, you can't touch in most places,' visitors climbing rocks to jump in, and access via a bridge crossing plus a rock-hop walk downstream from the Route 614 pull-off rather than a marked trail.
Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole: FAQ
Is Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole kid friendly?
A first-hand 2020 trip report (WSLS 'Backpacking with Brooke') describes 'a lot of families out ... taking the time to enjoy the sun and swim,' so it is a family destination, but the same report says the water 'is really deep, you can't touch in most places' and describes visitors climbing rocks to jump into the pool. No lifeguards, no swim ladders, or safety signage are documented anywhere. Combined with the American Whitewater note that the same creek becomes Class II-III/IV whitewater at higher flows, this is a spot for families who can supervise closely and check water levels first, not a shallow wading beach.
How hard is the hike to Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole?
A hike is required. Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole?
A small informal lot/pull-off directly off Route 614 (Jennings Creek Road), described by both a travel feature (Only In Your State) and a first-hand trip report (WSLS) as suited for quick visits; no gate, fee, or attendant mentioned by any source, consistent with an unpaved National Forest roadside pull-off.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole?
Regional tourism copy (Visit Roanoke VA) lists 'fishing, swimming, paddling' as the creek's main uses, distinguishing calmer sections suited to swimming from higher/faster sections suited to paddling, i.e., swimming and serious paddling happen in different stretches/flow conditions, not simultaneously at the Blue Hole itself.
When is the best time to visit Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole?
Summer, during normal/low water; after rain or during wetter periods the same creek becomes fast-moving Class II-III whitewater that is less suitable for swimming.
What water body is Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole on?
Jennings Creek 1 Swimming Hole is on Jennings Creek, a natural creek verified in USGS hydrography data.
More swimming holes near Buchanan
Cave Mountain Lake Campground
Natural Bridge Station, Virginialake
⛺🛶🏄
★ Top verifiedHydaway Lake
Lynchburg, Virginialake
⛺🛶🏄
Smith Mountain Lake Beach
Huddleston, Virginiareservoir
🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedColes Point Boat Ramp
Hot Springs, Virginiareservoir
⛺🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedSherando Lake Recreation Area
Lyndhurst, Virginialake
⛺🛶🏄🚤
★ Top verifiedBlue Bend
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginiacreek
⛺