ABOUT CRIMORA MINE RETREAT

The deep green lakes and rolling hills of Crimora Mine Retreat tell a story all their own.

Scattered through the fields you might stumble across a strange and unfamiliar sight. It is a stone of sorts, appearing to have been brought up from deep beneath the rocky soil. Greyish-red in color and heavy in your palm, you have found manganese.

First discovered in Crimora in the 1800’s, manganese is a mineral used to turn iron into steel.

Desirable in many industries, open pit mining began in 1866 by Captain William Donald and he aptly named the area after Miss Crimora Frances Withrow. The manganese ore was so rich throughout Crimora, it soon became the largest manganese mine in the world. The mines were bought and sold many times, finally closing operations in 1958. Throughout the mining history are tales of German spies, untimely deaths, great wealth and great ruin.

Where once large pits and underground shafts were bustling with workers, emerald green water has filled into serene lakes. A hilltop vista created by mining excavation now stands as a quiet meadow,
overlooking the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains.

Crimora Mine Retreat is part of the open pit manganese mines that started in 1866. The three adjoining man-made lakes range anywhere from 20 to 100 feet deep with underground shafts connecting multiple water sources around the Crimora area.  Bordered by the Shenandoah National Park and a few miles from the Appalachian Trail, Crimora Mine Retreat is the perfect place for a getaway with family and friends.

Located on this historic 150 acre property is a custom-built New Century Log Homes glue-lam log home available for rent. This elegantly designed 4000 square foot home hosts four bedrooms with three full bathrooms and sleeps up to twelve. Crimora Mine Retreat offers all the luxuries of home with the majestic qualities of a woodland getaway.