Virginia Triple Crown Loop: McAfee Knob, Tinker Cliffs, and Dragon's Tooth

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (National Park Service corridor) and Jefferson National Forest, Catawba Valley (VA 311 near Salem and Catawba)

McAfee Knob, Tinker Cliffs, and Dragon’s Tooth are three of the best-known viewpoints on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, and the loop that links them is called the Virginia Triple Crown. Wikipedia notes that McAfee Knob was featured in the 2015 film A Walk in the Woods.

Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge describes the full loop as about 35 miles over three days and two nights, combining the A.T. with the North Mountain Trail on the far side of the Catawba Valley.

The hike

Most loop write-ups start at the VA 311 trailhead on Catawba Mountain. Heading north on the A.T., Wikipedia puts Johns Spring Shelter about 1.4 miles in, and Hiking Project’s author camped at Catawba Mountain Shelter about 2.5 miles in. McAfee Knob, at 3,197 feet according to Wikipedia, is about 4 miles from VA 311. Camping is not allowed on the knob, its cliffs, or its rocks. Campbell Shelter and Pig Farm Campsite sit just beyond, and RATC notes that hikers can catch the sunset from the knob and still reach Campbell if they leave right after.

Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge puts Tinker Cliffs about 5.5 miles farther and calls that leg the hardest of the three hikes. Lamberts Meadow Shelter and Campsite is the closest legal camping to the cliffs. From Scorched Earth Gap, the yellow-blazed Andy Layne Trail descends steeply to the Catawba Valley. Since August 2026 it ends at a new trailhead, followed by a 0.8-mile road walk to the Catawba Valley Trail.

The blue-blazed Catawba Valley Trail climbs about 2.5 steep miles to the North Mountain Trail, which Hiking Project’s author followed about 8 miles along the ridge before a rocky, switchbacking descent to VA 311. They found no water on North Mountain, and a 2026 check-in reports poison ivy and brambles. From the Dragon’s Tooth parking lot, a 2.3-mile climb (Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge) leads to the rock spire. Hiking Project calls it the hardest section, with scrambling and steep climbs.

The last leg follows the A.T. down Cove Mountain, across VA 624 and the Catawba Valley pastures, and back up Catawba Mountain to VA 311.

For other A.T. overnights in this part of Virginia, see the James River Face Wilderness to the north and Angels Rest to Docs Knob near Pearisburg.

Tips

Camp only at designated sites in the A.T. corridor; never on McAfee Knob or Tinker Cliffs.
Carry extra water for North Mountain and in late summer.
Bring a bear canister. The ATC recommends one on all overnight trips here.
Mind the road walk on VA 779; the ATC warns it has little or no shoulder.
Go midweek or off-season. Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge recommends it to avoid crowds, and Wikipedia says lots fill early on weekends.

Camping

RATC says camping in the National Park Service corridor between VA 624 (Newport Road) and VA 652 (Mountain Pass Road), about 28 miles, is allowed only at seven designated sites: Johns Spring Shelter, Catawba Mountain Campsite and Shelter, Campbell Shelter, Pig Farm Campsite, and Lamberts Meadow Shelter and Campsite. Wikipedia says campfires are limited to those same sites, groups are limited to 10 for overnight trips, dogs must be leashed, and alcohol is prohibited. RATC says camping isn’t restricted on the national forest on either side, including the North Mountain Trail, but is not allowed on the Andy Layne Trail (private property) or in Carvins Cove.

Inside Intel: Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge suggests planning on Lamberts Meadow if you want to camp near Tinker Cliffs before heading to North Mountain. RATC notes that campsites 0.3 mile north of Lamberts Meadow Shelter have slightly more reliable water.

Trail facts

Distance: About 35 miles (Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge); 34.8 (Hiking Project); 37 (EMS)
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Johns Spring, Catawba Mountain, Campbell, Pig Farm, Lamberts Meadow (corridor); dispersed on North Mountain
Water: Shelter springs (unreliable in drought); streams near the Andy Layne Trail and Catawba Valley
Permits: None reported
Bear storage: Required overnight (NPS regulation, per ATC); canister recommended
Dogs: Leashed
Trailhead: VA 311 McAfee Knob or Dragon’s Tooth lots
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

The 2.3-mile climb to Dragon's Tooth:

From the Dragon's Tooth lot, a 2.3-mile climb with scrambling leads to the rock spire, after a steep 2.5 miles up the Catawba Valley Trail. Here's how to adjust and grip your poles for climbs like these.

Read the pole tips →

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.