Finding myself in Fairfax County's Far West, I continued on to check out possible put-ins for either our own use, or for urging on the Loudoun Parks planners. I looked at these places with the following estimates of the viability of the CURRENT access possibilities:
- Evergreen Mills - SR 621 - NO
- Banshee Reeks Park - NO
- US 15 Br - NO
- along Lime Kiln Rd (SR 733) (north bank) - YES
- Snickersville Tpk - Carters Br - SR 734 - NO
- Foxhall Rd Br - SR 626 - YES
- St Louis Rd Br - SR 611 - YES
- Battle of Upperville Park - SR 734 - YES
DETAIL - From Upperville Park to Evergreen Mills, this is a Cl 1, (1+) run of 19 miles west to east through wooded country. While Ettinger mentions it, since it lacks significant WW, he is perfunctory. Corbett is better, but no way exhaustive. The AW description of the Goose heading to the Potomac starts at Sycolin Rd.
- Evergreen Mills - SR 621 - NO ACCESS - The road is a 2-laner with no pull-out anywhere near the bridge. A former put-in (upper river left) is now chained off, and all the land nearby is posted. Pam White has put in here and paddled 4.7 miles on maily flat water (reservoir back-up) down to Sycolin Road. The USGS Leesburg gauge is on river left above the bridge, 332 square miles of catchment, it was running 490 cfs. Mild snowmelt - the day was sunny and in the high 30s.]]
- Banshee Reeks Park - NO ACCESS - Parking for ca 30 cars, but 1/2-mile downhill boat drag. Forbidden (I asked the park employee). Even with permission, while a possible put-in, it would not be a good takeout because of the slope.
- US 15 Br - NO ACCESS - High speed highway with long lead-in to the bridge. Possibility for three cars to park on roadside on SE quadrant (traffic going N) - A little eminent domain on the upper river right quadrant of this bridge would be useful - 200 yard road with parking needed..
- along Lime Kiln Rd (SR 733) (north bank) - YES - This road parallels the creek for 4 miles. New hardtop with low iron hiway-railing on stream side, not posted against parking on the other side. Several possibilities. Best was at a small plank-sided single lane bridge on Crooked Bridge Rd. Posted on the N/river left - towing - but not on the S/river right. Room for 4 cars. 4 miles W from U.S. 15, where SR 733 veers right, up Steptoe Hill, a landing might be acquired.
- Snickersville Tpk - Carters Br - SR 734 - NO ACCESS - Posted on the N side. Not posted on the higher S side, where it might be possible to park on roadside and put in just upstream of the bridge. If the County did eminent domain - parking for 3 cars on the north side.. Continuing W along SR 733 beyond Mountville, you start passing the well appointed estates of the Virginia horse country.
- Foxhall Rd Br - SR 626 - YES - parking on all quarters except the lower right (SE). Steep drop into the river. Road goes S into downtown Middleburg, astride U.S. 50. Continue W on 50.
- St Louis Rd Br - SR 611 - YES - Parking on lower left of the bridge. Steve Ettinger & I took out here after running Pantherskin Creek into the Goose in April 2004. The Middleburg USGS gauge is just upstream from the bridge on river right. (I wasn't looking for it and didn't see it.) 180 cfs was passing this gauge, where 122 square miles of watershed is being drained. 327 ft above sea level.
- Battle of Upperville Park - SR 734 - YES - This park belonging to Northern Virginia Parks is ca 500 yards N of U.S. 50 on a dead-end of SR 624. Said battle in 1863 was for a stone multi-arched bridge which is an ideal put-in, having parking for about 10 cars. Bridge is 200 yards downhill and the easiest P.I. is on the downstream left of the bridge. As a T.O. the 30-foot rise would be painful but perfectly doable. Roller wheels possible on the gated-off piece of old highway to the old bridge. 3 river miles down to St Louis Rd Br. This is the farthest upstream the Goose runs in Loudoun. With U.S. 50 running along the Fauquier/Loudoun line, upstream of here is to the south - in Fauquier County.
With the exception of U.S. 15 and 50 and SR 621, these roads have minimal traffic.
See also Paddlers Access Network http://www.monocacycanoe.org/pan/panmain.htm
Good detail on the Goose, but about 15 years out of date.