Hiking McAfee Knob

Right in the heart of Virginia’s portion of the Appalachian Trail is one of the best hikes in the state. Somehow I spent most of my life in Virginia without ever hearing about McAfee Knob until I was in my 30s! The hike is relatively short at just under four miles each way, with roughly 1,300 feet (400 meters) of elevation gain. The sign above marks the beginning of the trail.

The scenery starts off with beautiful woodlands. Some of the fallen trees were covered in colorful moss and lichen like the one above, which made even the lower sections of the trail interesting to explore.

I didn’t have much luck photographing wildlife on this hike. I saw a lizard and several birds, but they were all too quick for me. One of the few animals that cooperated was this caterpillar above.

I’ve never gone mushroom foraging, but there seemed to be mushrooms everywhere along the trail. I wasn’t confident enough to identify the species above, so I was content just photographing them.

These orange mushrooms were especially noticeable. At the time I thought they might be jack-o’-lantern mushrooms, but without a positive identification I wouldn’t recommend treating any wild mushroom here as edible.

Continuing up the mountain, the trail never becomes particularly steep or technical, but it does offer a little variety. At different points you’ll walk over packed dirt, mulch, rocks, log steps, and even sandy sections. The part photographed above involved navigating around some larger boulders, although none of it was especially demanding.

The shaded forest kept plenty of the rocks and fallen wood covered in thick green moss. Even when there weren’t major views, there was still enough detail along the trail to keep the hike interesting.

It wasn’t until I was roughly three miles (five kilometers) into the hike that the first good views began opening through the trees. From these higher points I could see the surrounding Appalachian ridges, farmland, and valleys stretching into the distance.

One thing that stood out below was this enormous house sitting in the valley. From the trail it looked almost completely isolated compared with the smaller homes and farms scattered across the surrounding countryside.

The hike itself is enjoyable, but the real reward is the scenery near the top. Above is the final stretch of trail, with McAfee Knob only a short distance away.

Once you reach the ridge, the forest suddenly opens and you get wide views across the Catawba Valley and surrounding mountains. The elevation isn’t enormous by western standards, but the steep drop below the ridge gives the summit area a much more dramatic appearance than the numbers suggest.

What makes McAfee Knob famous is this rock ledge jutting dramatically over the valley. It’s one of the best-known viewpoints on the Appalachian Trail and easily one of the most photographed hiking locations in Virginia. My photo above doesn’t really take advantage of the famous overhang, so on my next visit I’ll have to do a better job capturing the classic view.

For such a relatively short hike, McAfee Knob gives you a little bit of everything: forest, wildlife, mushrooms, rocky trail, mountain scenery, and one of Virginia’s most recognizable overlooks. I still can’t believe I lived in the state for so long before finally discovering it.