McAfee Knob

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Geography

McAfee Knob is a feature of Catawba mountain located in Catawba, Roanoke County, Virginia on the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,170-mile trail following the Appalachian Mountains. The trail starts in Georgia and follows the mountains up to Maine. In the Roanoke Region, there is a total of 120 miles of trail. The trails offer numerous hikes that range from long to short and from easy to dynamic. Along these trails hikers can find waterfalls, loops and cliffs with views for many miles. McAfee Knob is known as the most photographed point along the Appalachian Trail.[1] McAfee Knob is the tallest mountain in the area surrounding Catawba at an elevation of 3,400 plus feet. [2] Mcafee Knob has also been a lead and a setting place in a new film called "A Walk in the Woods". From its publicity in the film, it has been talked about in an international magazine called Wanderlust.[3]

History

McAfee Knob is named after James McAfee. James McAfee was a Scotts-Irish immigrant who settled in the Catawba Valley in the late 1730's.[4] The ridge line is currently covered in forest and much of the mountain was open farmland in the mid-1900's. [2]

McAfee Knob Hike

The hike description is moderately difficult with a gradual incline uphill on the way up and the hike down the mountain is mostly downwards.[5] McAfee Knob hiking trail ends on the rocky mountain terrain that sticks out on a diving like platform out onto thin air.[6] The hiking trail has a 270-degree panorama view of the Catawba Valley. North Mountain is also viewable to the west, the Tinker Cliffs to the north and the Roanoke Valley to the east. The hike is a climb of around 1,700 feet and about 4.4 miles to the top of the Knob from the VA311 parking area.[7] The hiking terrain is pretty rocky in some areas so it is very important to wear thick-soled and comfortable shoes. As the altitude changes during the uphill part of the 4.4 mile hike, it is also smart to bring another layer of clothing because it is colder at the summit.[8] The average time it takes to get up and down the mountain ranges from 4 to 4.5 hours so it is important to bring plenty of fluids and snacks.[9] The trail offers picnic tables and resting spots throughout.[8] The McAfee Knob trail is most popular in the spring and fall seasons and there have been an average of around 100 hikers on the trail at once. Hiking the trail in the winter, there will most likely be no one there. Among other things to encounter are the spikes of frost from the icy moisture that forms onto the objects such as rocks, leaves and frozen soil. The terms used to describe these coverings are rime ice and hoarfrost. Rime ice is formed when wind-driven droplets of water collide and freeze on an object like a tree branch or a limb that is on the trail. Hiking in the winter and hiking the Knob in the spring are two completely different experiences.[2]

Directions

From the right side of the Appalachian Trail, cross over to VA311 parking area and walk .3 miles north where there will be an information kiosk on the left. Continue walking on the Appalachian Trail crossing and there will be four wooden walkways before reaching the Johns Spring Shelter in 1.4 miles. Continue for .1 miles and there will be a shelter on the left and a spring with a white pipe projecting from rocks with a stream of water. Staying on this path for another .1 miles, there will be two camp sites in which the trail bears to the left before the overnight sites. Remain on the trial and there will be an old fire road near a high voltage power line clearing. In .3 miles after the power line, there will be an overlook on the left with the Catawba Valley in sight. Continue .5 miles further up the trail to the McAfee Knob Spur Trail. Turn left and in less than 30 yards will be the top of the Knob with the 270-degree panoramic view of the entire Roanoke Valley, North Mountain and Tinker Cliffs. There are also numerous sites to spend the night such as the Campbell Shelter. This shelter has copious sites and an outhouse. They also have a water source about .1 of a mile behind the shelter. Camping is prohibited around the on the immediate area surrounding McAfee Knob such as the cliffs and rocks.[7] Be aware that the trailhead parking lot is located on Rt. 311. Google map (and other mapping programs)directions may display directions that take you to Rt. 779. These directions are incorrect and will take you to private land, not McAfee Knob.

Visit www.roanokeoutside.com/mcafeeknob for more information on hiking to McAfee Knob.

Recognition

McAfee Knob is the most photographed part of the Appalachian Trail. It was also featured in a new film called "A Walk in the Woods", starring Robert Redford. "A Walk in the Woods" opened in theaters in September of 2015 and was based on the book by travel writer Bill Bryson. The plot line includes a travel writer who goes on an adventure to find hope and peace along the Appalachian Trail. The cover of the movie poster is a picture of the overlook at the top of McAfee Knob which has brought much attention to the hiking trail.[2] The trail was also featured on the cover of an international magazine in October of 2015 called Wanderlust. The magazine is a multi-award winning UK publication for exploration and authentic travel. McAfee Knob was featured in this magazine because of its publicity in the film "A Walk in the Woods". Wanderlust traveled to the United States to follow Bryson's footsteps along portions of the Appalachian Trail that was featured on the film screen. Instead of hiking the entire trail, they picked the most popular hikes and among their stops was McAfee Knob in Roanoke, Virginia.[6]

The Task Force

In 2015, a new group called the McAfee Knob Task Force developed. The group consists of 18 members that help the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Ridge runners patrol. Not only do they help the McAfee Knob trail but also Dragon's Tooth and Tinker Cliffs. Last year they put over 500 volunteer hours on the trail. They counted over 9,000 visitors and engaged with more than 5,000 of them. They also hauled out 54 gallons of trash.[10]

Gallery

The overlook has a 270 degree panoramic view of the Catawba Valley. McAfee Knob is known as "the most photographed spot on the A.T."[11]

Panoramic image of the Catawba Valley from the McAfee Knob overlook.
Another panoramic image of the Catawba Valley from the McAfee Knob overlook.
Another panoramic image of the Catawba Valley from the McAfee Knob overlook.

References

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  11. ↑ Metz, Casey (May/June 2007), "Appalachian Trail Tidbit". National Geographic Traveler. 24 (4):159

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