Send This Story To A Friend. Starting on the banks of the James River near Buchanan and sliding up the western slope of the Blue Ridge rests a small slice of outdoor paradise. Hikers, bikers and horseback riders are drawn to the area's hundreds of miles of trails. Campers can relax at developed sites or rough it in the backcountry.
Hunters stalk the woods in search of wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and small game.
Anglers dunk worms or cast flies into gurgling mountain brooks teeming with smallmouth bass and trout. A tiny community on the banks of the James sits at the most popular entrance to the area. Though the community itself is a small part of mostly public playground, many use its name to describe the outdoor heaven. The name is Arcadia. Raymond Compton has been visiting Arcadia for nearly 30 years.