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Venture deep into the Blue Ridge Mountains and you’ll find the legendary Triple Crown, the three most iconic vistas in Virginia reachable by some tough, but rewarding treks. Tackle the infamous McAfee Knob, the most photographic vista along the Appalachian Trail along with awesome views from Tinker Cliffs and Dragon’s Tooth in one tour and crown your AT adventure with the best views in Virginia.
This trek is not recommended for beginners as this route takes you through approximately 35-40 miles over very challenging terrain, with rock scrambles, blustery ridges, and one whole day without water sources. Find out more about Hiking the Triple Crown of Virginia from Max Hepp-Buchanan, urban planner and avid hiker.
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Meet up with your guide at a hotel in Daleville, VA, just off highway I-81, around 2 pm. As your group assembles, gather for a welcome dinner and plan out the hike. Depending on logistics, you may hike south to VA 620 or VA 621, or reverse it and hike north. Spend the night in shared bedrooms at the hotel. Tomorrow, you will be transported to the trailhead and start your hikes, covering roughly 7-10 miles per day. Since there are several factors that can affect daily mileage, daily itinerary will be flexible!
Temps in September can go either way so be prepared for hopefully mild weather during the day and cool evenings!
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McAfee Knob is the most recognizable viewpoint in the state, with 270-degree views tailor-made for sunrise watching. The recognizable cliff itself boasts expansive views of the Catawba Valley and the mountains that surround it.
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Hike the Andy Lane Trail to intersection with AT and continue for unparalleled 180 degree views. Tinker Cliffs is an out-and-back marathon, in which 2,000 feet of elevation gain pay off in fantastic high-altitude panoramas. The cliffs overlook the Catabwa Valley and McAfee Knob area. Trail runs through private farms, meaning you’ll have to climb a few fence ladders and that it’s likely you’ll encounter cattle. As you continue on to the Catawba Valley Trail, you will find a difficult climb of about 1,200’ to the North Mountain Trail, which will eventually deliver you at the foot of Dragon’s Tooth.
The North Mountain Trail runs along a knife-edge ridge for about 10 miles and there is no water to be found. The trail is also less traveled and more overgrown than the AT, which makes for a long and difficult day.
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The Dragon’s Tooth trail is a short 2.3-miles, but its steep uphills and bouldering sections make you work for the views. The hike up is a challenging and fun scramble to the top of the mountain. If you’re afraid of heights, observe the view from a little lower on the tooth. After you’ve had your share of enjoying the views, backtrack back down to the Boy Scout camp to rejoin the AT and the path back to the starting point.
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Here’s what you get on this adventure:
- A local, experienced Appalachian Trail thru-hiker and hiking guide
- 5 days of hiking the AT
- Hotel accommodation in a shared bedroom on the first day
- Permits for designated campsites and shelter areas
- Dinner on the first day
- Shuttle to the trailhead from the hotel
- Shuttle from the trailhead back to the hotel
Not included:
- Sleeping bags, tents, and personal items (can be rented from the guide)
- Camping gear (can be rented from the guide)
- Meals during and after the hike
- Transportation before and after the hike
- Flights and flight taxes
- Shuttle back to the vehicle in the middle of a hike if the hiker is quitting
Roanoke, VA has the nearest airport if flying. A shuttle must be arranged to meet the group in Daleville which is about 30 min away. Hikers that are driving can meet up at the hotel and possibly keep their vehicles there or at the hiker/carpool parking lot for the entire hike.
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What you get in this adventure:
- A local Appalachian Trail hiking guide
- Campsites fees
- Hostel accommodation for one night
- Permits
- Transportation throughout the adventure
- Transfer back to your vehicle after the hike
What’s not included:
- Meals
- Travel insurance
- Flights and flight taxes
- Sleeping bags, tents, and personal items
- Camping gear
- Hotel upgrades or extra days
- Shuttle back to the vehicle in the middle of a hike if the hiker is quitting
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You need to be able to hike for full days, carrying a full daypack or backpacking pack. Each day you will hike between four to six hours or between 6 to 10 miles (9.7-16 km) per day for a total of 50 miles (80 km) each week. The terrain can be challenging—you can expect some scrambling even on the easiest trails. That said, if you are looking for adventure and up to the task of multiple days or weeks of full-day trekking, you’ll be rewarded immensely.
If you are joining hikes starting from Damascus, VA, or Erwin, TN, be ready for a more challenging terrain and pace. You will hike for 10 miles per day on average for 7-8 days, depending on the speed of your group.
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Here’s a list of the general equipment you need to bring:
- Backpacking pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 40-60L bag)
- Water bottle
- Hiking boots
- Spare warm clothes
- Down or synthetic jacket
- Rainproof jacket
- Compass & map
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, first aid kit, toilet paper, etc.)
- High quality sunglasses
- Head lantern
- Water filter
- Camp stove and fuel — can be rented from the guide
- Trekking poles — can be rented from the guide
- Tent — can be rented from the guide
- Sleeping bag
- Food you can eat on the go and camp food
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
Your exact gear list will be dependent on the itinerary you choose and will be provided after booking by your guide.
For all week-long and custom hikes, you can rent any hiking or camping gear from your guide for an added fee of $100 per week.
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The camaraderie, trail magic, and the sheer number of hikers all make the trail accessible for just about anyone. People of all ages, from 5 to 86 have hiked the trail. Doing a thru-hike, though, requires a great sense of your own physical capabilities and mental stamina. Most people who stop on the trail do so because of injury, as people often set unrealistic paces and their bodies can’t keep up. For those who have successfully thru-hiked, you’ll find that they were all patient and didn’t really push themselves until they’d found their trail-legs. Take your time, set realistic goals and manageable expectations.
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Everybody over the age of 16 is welcome on this hiking adventure.
The hiking community varies in age, occupation, experience and fitness levels. While there are hikers in their 20s and 30s, there are even more hikers in their 50s or even 60s. The only criteria you have to fit is to have a desire to be outdoors!
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Groups for week-long hikes usually consist of two people for southern sections and four people for northern sections. The maximum number of hikers is 5.
All pricing is per person.
You can arrange a private trip with a guide, if you’re traveling alone or with a larger party.
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Your exact meeting location and transportation to the trailhead will be dependent on the itinerary you choose and will be discussed after booking with your guide. You’ll typically meet your guide on Sunday for a day of preparation ahead of the hike. After your stay overnight, the guide will bring you to the A.T. trailhead.
If there is a complete thru-hike scheduled, you must be able to join the group wherever they may be unless you wish to hike outside of the hiker season. If no thru-hike is scheduled, there will be week-long group hikes offered each month from different locations.
Each month there will be several week-long hikes offered: one starting from Amicalola Falls State Park in NE Georgia to Neels Gap, and another one further north along the trail. Several hikes will begin at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and end at Pen Mar in Pennsylvania.
The thru-hike usually begins around mid-March to the beginning of April at Amicalola Falls State Park near Atlanta, Georgia, and officially ends on top of Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. Transportation from Baxter State Park to the bus station or Bangor International Airport will be included. Additional transportation back to Atlanta can be arranged for an additional cost.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Atlanta, Georgia, please refer to the Georgia Department of Public Health website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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