Hiking Virginia's Triple Crown: Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs
Three of the Appalachian Trail's best-known viewpoints, near Roanoke: how long each hike is, where to park, and how to link them into a loop.
Virginia's Triple Crown is three of the best-known viewpoints on the Appalachian Trail: Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. All three sit on the ridges around the Catawba Valley, just northwest of Roanoke, and all three are within easy reach of Wilderness Adventure. You can hike them one at a time as day hikes, or link them into a multi-day backpacking loop.
Trail lengths below are rough round-trip figures from the official pages and trail guides linked at the end. Parking rules change, so check those pages before you set out.
Dragon's Tooth
Dragon's Tooth is the shortest of the three and the hardest underfoot. The Dragon's Tooth Trail is a Forest Service trail in the Jefferson National Forest, and the out-and-back hike is roughly 4.5 miles with around 1,300 to 1,450 feet of climbing. The last stretch is a steep, rocky scramble to a tall stone spire. Wear proper shoes and allow three to four hours. The trailhead lot is just off Route 311, about half an hour from us, and parking along Route 311 itself isn't allowed.
McAfee Knob
McAfee Knob's rock ledge, hanging out over the Catawba Valley, is one of the most photographed spots on the whole Appalachian Trail. From the top of Catawba Mountain on Route 311 it's roughly 8 miles round trip with about 1,700 feet of climbing, so plan on most of a day. It's also about half an hour from us. There's no roadside parking, and the lot fills fast on good weekends, so check Roanoke County's page for current parking and shuttle information.
Tinker Cliffs
Tinker Cliffs is usually the quietest of the three: a long line of cliffs high above the Catawba Valley. Most people reach it on the Andy Layne Trail from Catawba Road (Route 779) in Botetourt County. It's just over 3 miles to the Appalachian Trail, then about three-quarters of a mile south to the cliffs, for roughly 7 to 7.5 miles round trip.
The Andy Layne trailhead moved in 2026. A new parking lot, with room for about 50 cars and a footbridge over Catawba Creek, opened on August 20, less than a mile south of the old one. Older guides and map apps may still send you to the old lot.
The full Triple Crown loop
Linking all three makes a loop of about 35 miles, mostly on the Appalachian Trail, with connecting trails to close the loop. Guides put it anywhere from 30 to 40 miles depending on the route, and most hikers take two to three days. It's a serious trip with a lot of climbing, so plan your water, since springs on the ridges can run low in a dry summer, and check the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's rules for where you can camp on this stretch before you plan your nights.
Using Wilderness Adventure as your base
Our 500 acres beside Craig Creek in New Castle make a good base for a Triple Crown weekend: hike one peak a day, then come back to a hot meal, a bed and the fire pit. Stay in a lodge room, cabin or campsite, or bring a group. Clubs, college groups and schools stay with us for exactly this, and groups of eight or more can have packed lunches ready for the trail. See college and club retreats and school field trips.
Hiking has been part of Wilderness Adventure since the start: our early campers set out on trips through the Jefferson National Forest, and teens on our Wilderness Leadership Course still finish their week with a long hike, big ride or major water day. For more hikes near the property, see our guide to hikes and rivers near Wilderness Adventure.
Before you go
- Start early. All three trailheads get busy on fine weekends, and roadside parking isn't allowed on Route 311.
- Carry water and a map. Cell service is patchy in the mountains, so don't rely on your phone.
- Watch your footing. Rock ledges and the scramble on Dragon's Tooth are slippery when wet.
- Leave No Trace. Pack out everything you bring in and stay on the trail.
