McAfee Knob

McAfee Knob is 20 minutes west of central Roanoke at the head of the Catawba Valley — a sandstone outcrop on the crest of Catawba Mountain at about 3,200 feet. The view from the knob takes in the whole Catawba and Roanoke valleys, with North Mountain rising on the far side and Tinker Cliffs visible to the north on the same ridge.

The Appalachian Trail crosses the knob, and the standard out-and-back hike from the trailhead on VA Route 311 is 8.8 miles round trip with about 1,700 feet of elevation gain. A shorter, steeper route via the Fire Road takes an hour or so off the time. The parking lot is small and fills quickly on weekends — arrive early. The hike combines naturally with Dragon's Tooth (a sharper, more vertical scramble on the same trail system) and with Tinker Cliffs.

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A story
McAfee Knob is reputed to be the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail. The angled sandstone outcrop juts out over a 1,000-foot drop into Catawba Valley, and AT through-hikers traditionally pose with their boots over the edge. The trail itself is just over 4 miles each way from the parking area at Route 311, and the route is moderately strenuous but well marked.