About Bryce Resort and the Surrounding Area

An excerpt from BASYE – ORKNEY SPRINGS, BRYCE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY

A major focal point of Basye/Orkney Springs and Bryce Mountain is Bryce Resort. A family named Whitacre owned and lived on 156 acres next to the Basye settlement. They sold their farm in 1904 to the Brice family who developed the land as a small, old fashion family vacation spot. The resort was in the Basye village. It had cabins, dining hall and an out door recreation park next to Stoney Creek. During the 1960- 70’s, Pete Bryce and others developed a large mountainous forested area adjacent to Basye into what is now the Sky Bryce Homeowners Association, Inc. Fifty miles of roads were paved and water, sewer and underground electrical and telephone service was developed. . For flood control purposes the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers built a dam which formed the 45 acre Lake Laura. In 1971 and was paid for by the department of Agriculture.

The Bryce Resort lodge and ski/golf facilities were built and time share companies followed in the 70’s . Today inhabitants include:

• Permanent full-time homeowners
• Families of the people who settled the area
• Families who work in the surrounding communities, towns and cities
• Weekenders and vacationers who maintain second homes
• “Snow birds” who come in the winter for ski season
• Time share owners.

The make up of the communities include:

• Sky Bryce Property Owners Association, Inc. with 2,776 lots
• 13 other independent smaller homeowners associations
• 3 Time share companies
• Vacation rentals through 2 property management offices
• Historical structures and traditional family homesteads
• The village of Orkney Springs
• Shrine Mont, a retreat owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
• Bryce Resort, a member-owned resort of 350 to 400 members. The resort owns the golf course, ski slopes, outdoor private sports complex, the lodge complex, the roads, and property around the lake with the public beach. For membership information call 856 2121, ext. 220. Contact the ski and golf offices for info about these sports.

Bryce Restaurant offers a grill and dining room open to the public. It caters many private parties and weddings. During ski season the Fireside Grill is open and during the summer the Grill at the sports complex is open.

Basye is an unincorporated village with a fully stocked general store, It also serves as gas station, hunter check-in point, and is an invaluable source of information to new visitors. There are also two restaurants, a post office, a car wash, and two real estate offices. Several active churches are nearby: Brethren, Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, Baptist, and United Church of Christ.

The Basye-Orkney Springs Volunteer Rescue Squad fights fires and offers quick ambulance service in emergencies taking people to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in Woodstock, a part of the Valley Health System.

Most of the activities and events featured at Basye/Bryce are open to the general public, including:

• Skiing; snowboarding; tubing; competitive ski races; ski lessons
• Tennis
• Swimming
• Golf
• Basye Community Library featuring adult and children’s book groups
• Various Church activities and Bible study groups
• Bridge, sewing, quilting and knitting groups
• “Take A Hike” group
• Art classes
• Sky Bryce Flying Club
• Creekside Fitness Center
• Seasonal activities and summer camps for children.

Next: Nearby Shenandoah Valley Activities.