Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Virginia / Southwest Virginia

Appalachian Trail: Pearisburg to Angels Rest and Docs Knob Shelter

Appalachian National Scenic Trail on Pearis Mountain, Jefferson National Forest (Pearisburg, Giles County)

Pearisburg, the Giles County seat, sits where the Appalachian Trail comes down off Pearis Mountain to cross the New River. The ATC’s Angels Rest hike climbs from town to a rock viewpoint over the New River Valley, Pearisburg, Peters Mountain, Butt Mountain, and Bald Knob, and Hiking Upward extends it into an overnight along the ridge to Docs Knob Shelter.

The out-and-back runs 20.4 miles, per Hiking Upward. The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club maintains this part of the A.T.

The hike

Hiking Upward starts at the Farm Bureau Co-op on US 460, crosses the road, and follows the A.T. south just before the New River bridge. The trail passes the A.T. parking lot on VA 100 at mile 0.4 (the ATC’s trailhead, which also gives access to the cemetery of the town’s namesake, George Pearis), a small waterfall at mile 1.4, and the small Angels Rest trailhead on VA 664 at mile 1.6.

The climb starts here. The ATC describes hardwood forest and boulders giving way to rockier ground near the crest. At mile 3.6, a blue-blazed side trail runs about 50 yards through rhododendron to Angels Rest’s View Rock. A spring sits on a short spur at mile 4.2, the only water Hiking Upward lists before the shelter, and the Wilburn Valley overlook, a rock ledge the ATC places about 0.6 mile south of Angels Rest, follows at 4.3.

Beyond, the A.T. follows the crest of Pearis Mountain. Hiking Upward notes a power line with views on both sides of the ridge at mile 6.5 and reaches Docs Knob Shelter at mile 10.2, where small campsites sit in front of the shelter in a rhododendron thicket. Hiking Upward’s overnight option turns around here and retraces the ridge to Pearisburg.

Hiking Upward also describes going on another 2.8 miles, past the junction with Route 663, to Woods Hole Hostel, which requires reservations and may be full in thru-hiker season. The guide says the 1-mile climb south of Docs Knob is followed by a level stretch to the road.

North of Pearisburg, the A.T. climbs toward the Rice Field area, maintained by the Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech, according to the ATC. Nearby overnights include the Mountain Lake Wilderness loop and, farther east along the A.T., the Virginia Triple Crown.

Tips

Camping

No permit is needed. RATC lists Docs Knob Shelter with room for six, on the trail, with a spring at the shelter. Hiking Upward describes small tent sites in front of the shelter. The ATC’s summary of the Forest Service food storage order says food may not be stored in tents or shelters; use a canister or a proper hang.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific site were found. Hiking Upward, which wrote up this route, recommends spending a night at Woods Hole Hostel instead of camping if you go the extra distance.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Tent sites in a rhododendron thicket:

Docs Knob's campsites are small and tucked into rhododendron in front of a six-person shelter, so a tent with a compact footprint fits best. See the tents testers like.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.