Category: Appalachian Trail

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, Closures

The following is directly from a Forest Service News Release. Beth Christensen, District Ranger, Eastern Divide Ranger District 540-552-4641

Catawba, August 21, 2023 – The U.S. Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club announce a new effort to protect water quality, ecological integrity, and a rare species adjacent to the Dragon’s Tooth Trail in Craig County.

Special Biological Areas identified in the Jefferson National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan have specific management prescriptions and protections. This Special Biological Area encompasses the Dragon’s Tooth Trail and the Boy Scout Trail within the Jefferson National Forest, from the Dragon’s Tooth parking lot to the Appalachian Trail.

Visitors are asked to stay on the marked trail and camping is prohibited along these trails. Volunteers have posted signs directing visitors to stay on the marked trail and have roped off areas where vegetation needs to occur. Backpackers looking for a place to camp can continue to the Appalachian Trail where appropriate sites are available.

Beth Christensen, District Ranger on the Eastern Divide Ranger District, stated, “Forest visitors can help us save this unique ecosystem and promote its recovery. At first glance, areas adjacent to the Dragon’s Tooth Trail may look like many other places on the national forest and seem like a convenient place to camp. However, in the past year alone, the area impacted by camping has expanded by 10,000 square feet – trampling pirate bush and other species it needs to survive. By simply staying on the trail or hiking a little farther away from the stream to find a campsite, visitors can help improve this plant population.”

Alternative dispersed camping options include Lost Spectacles Gap, 1.5 miles from the parking area and 0.9 miles from Dragon’s Tooth at the junction of the Dragons Tooth Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Dispersed camping along the Appalachian Trail is permitted on National Forest lands.

“We appreciate the cooperation of all visitors in protecting this beloved area,” stated Tom McAvoy, Conservation Supervisor with the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club. “RATC volunteers are working hard to re-vegetate this sensitive area by clearly marking it, and educating the public about why this place is so special. With everyone’s help, we can ensure the longevity of the Dragon’s Tooth ecosystem for generations to come.”

Only one percent of the Jefferson National Forest is designated as Special Biological Areas, a classification given to the most unique and fragile ecosystems in the Forest. The Dragon’s Tooth Special Biological Area protects pirate bush, a rare native plant that can only be found in a handful of areas in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Pirate bush, a parasitic shrub, can only survive in a specific, delicately balanced habitat. Due to the popularity of the Dragon’s Tooth hike, increasing camping impacts have severely threatened this rare plant and their population is dwindling. The soil compaction and vegetation loss impacting its habitat has also led to sedimentation and pollution of nearby streams. Several other uncommon plants grow here and by protecting the pirate bush these other species will also be protected.

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, Catawba Greenway, McAfee Knob/Triple Crown, RATC History Tagged with ,

On September 30, 2021, officials from Roanoke County, the Virginia Tech Catawba Sustainability Center (CSC), the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission and other organizations cut the ribbon to open the new Catawba Greenway. Hikers now have two additional parking locations for a McAfee Knob hike and a four-mile loop hike that connects two portions of the Catawba Greenway via the Appalachian Trail.  AT thru hikers can now resupply at the Catawba Post Office without walking down busy State Highway 311 as well.

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By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail Tagged with

The Appalachian Trail is again open between Pine Swamp Shelter to Clendenin Road effective 4/15/2021.

The power line tower structure has been repaired, but MANY trees remain down in the area. Work continues to remove and clear debris.

Map showing affected area of the Trail
Affected area between Pine Swamp Shelter (North) and Clendenin Rd (South)

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob/Triple Crown Tagged with

Want to show your love of iconic McAfee Knob and support the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club?

McAfee Knob shirts are available in various styles and sizes via this link –  http://www.bonfire.com/store/ratc

Proceeds support the mission of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC) to maintain 120 miles,16 Shelters/Privies and 53 Bridges on the AT from Lickskillet Hollow in Giles County to Black Horse Gap in Botetourt County. This includes Virginia’s Triple Crown, i.e., Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.

http://www.bonfire.com/store/ratc

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob/Triple Crown, RATC News

GOOD NEWS!

Beginning June 13. 2020 – The National Park Service reopened access to 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail known as the “Triple Crown”. The “Triple Crown” area includes the AT between VA Route 624 (Newport Road) and VA Route 652 (Mountain Pass Road), including McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. All sections of RATC maintained AT are now open.

Things to Remember:

Please follow all local health orders, including social distancing and practice Leave No Trace principles. No hand washing facilities exist on the trail, bring hand sanitizer. No restroom facilities exist on the trail or VA 311 McAfee Knob Trailhead Parking Lot

VA 311 McAfee Knob Trailhead Parking Lot is at 100% capacity and parking is not allowed on VA 311 – illegally parked cars may be ticketed and towed

No trail maintenance has been performed on the trail since March 15, 2020.Be prepared for trail obstructions.

Shelters and privies in all sections section remain closed

Plan your Triple Crown hike during the week, if at all possible. Weekend days can be crowded.

Enjoy your hike and BE SAFE!

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, RATC News Tagged with ,

https://www.ratc.org/membership

As you know, RATC is an active organization devoting countless volunteer hours to maintain and improve our 120 mile section of the Appalachian Trail (AT). Funds generated from membership play an integral part in the club’s ability to provide trail and shelter maintenance. If you are not an RATC member or have not renewed your membership please join or renew your Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC) membership and support the stewardship of our 120 mile Appalachian Trail (AT) section with both your membership and financial support. Membership information is available at

https://www.ratc.org/membership

Questions? Please contact RATC Membership Coordinator – Steve Urbaniak 540-588-5410 – membership@ratc.org

Highlights of 2019 RATC activities include;
• Resurfaced McAfee Knob/VA 311 Trailhead Parking Lot – $2,000
• Supported the “Virginia Triple Crown” Volunteer Ridgerunner Program – 52 Volunteers/1679 Volunteer Hours
• Contributed $5000 toward purchase of Doc’s Way property to protect McAfee Knob view shed
• Replaced roofs on Catawba, Wilson Creek, Jenny’s Knob, Laurel Creek and Doc’s Knob Shelters – $2500
• Replaced fire rings for 5 Shelters – $1100
• Repaired foot bridges at VA 620, VA 621 and VA 785 – $1000
• Held weekly trail maintenance hikes resulting in 350 steps being installed on Dragon’s Tooth, Sinking Creek (Niday Shelter side), Curry Gap and AT/McAfee Knob.
• 83 RATC Trail Maintainers worked >5500 volunteer hours to maintain our section of the AT
• Assisted Konnarock Crew with War Spur trail relocation
• Performed emergency repairs to Fulhardt Knob Shelter after fire
• Offered 60+ recreational hikes covering a wide range of difficulty and distance

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob/Triple Crown, RATC News Tagged with , ,

Sandra Marra, President & CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy released the following statement, March 23, 2020;

“In these unprecedented times, I am making an unprecedented request: please stay away from the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). Whether your hike is for a couple of hours or a couple of days, staying away from the Trail minimizes the spread or contraction of COVID-19.

In a time when social distancing is necessary to minimize the spread and contraction of a dangerous virus, many have escaped to nature seeking isolation and unpopulated spaces. On the A.T., however, what they’ve found are trailhead parking lots exceeding their maximum capacities, shelters full of overnight hikers, day hikers using picnic tables and privies, and group trips continuing as planned. Popular spots along the Trail like Blood Mountain in Georgia, the McAfee Knob area in Virginia, and Annapolis Rocks in Maryland have seen day use reach record-breaking levels. Cars line the highways leading to popular day-hiking spots on the Trail. Hiking the A.T. has become, in other words, the opposite of social distancing.

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, RATC News Tagged with

COVID – 19 Information

RATC Members/Supporters

As a result of the COVID -19 pandemic we are all experiencing new and challenging times in our lives and on the Appalachian Trail.

In response to the best guidance available on effective ways to slow transmission the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC) is suspending all club and trail-related activities for a least the next month to give local communities and the country time to realize the full impact of the virus.

The RATC annual meeting scheduled for March 28, 2020 will be postponed and rescheduled at a future date.

This is a rapidly changing situation and acting with an abundance of caution is the best course of action.

Thank you for your understanding and stay safe!

Jim Beeson
RATC President

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob/Triple Crown

Appalachian Trail Friend/Supporter

McAfee Knob is one of the most beautiful and photographed spots along the 2,193 mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT) and one of the Roanoke Valley’s defining landmarks. A large partnership including the National Park Service, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC) and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) will be implementing significant improvements over the next decade, but public support is critical now to get the project off on the right foot.

Popular, but also problematic, anyone who has visited McAfee’s, and that’s about 75,000 people from around the world each year, know that crossing the road can be dangerous, parking can be difficult and amenities at the trailhead are limited. To address these issues our partnership has secured funding to construct a pedestrian bridge over VA 311, redesign the parking area and add signage with a similar look and feel to Shenandoah or Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

One small, but critical piece of the puzzle is left: ATC is raising money to buy a 7 acre parcel of land immediately adjacent to the existing parking area (see map below) that would allow the National Park Service to consider a wider variety of improvements

By Posted on Posted in Appalachian Trail, Appalachian Trail History Tagged with , ,

Want more solitude than the Dragon’s Tooth/McAfee Knob/Tinker Cliffs corridor on the Appalachian Trail? Just on the other side of the Catawba Valley, the NORTH MOUNTAIN TRAIL in  Jefferson National Forest offers about 12 miles of hiking and camping with far less traffic. The downsides: you may encounter a few mountain bikers, there are no water sources after the first mile, and there are very few views when the leaves are on the trees.  But this moderately difficult hike offers great views when the leaves are down – between November and late April or early May.  Plan a one-night backpack or allow at least 6 to 7 hours for a day hike. You can position cars at each end (Andy Layne/Tinker Cliffs trailhead and Dragon’s Tooth trailhead.)

The Hiking Upward website offers an excellent map and a detailed description, although the mileages differ slightly from those provided on Forest Service signage. The Forest Service map  is geared to people entering from the next valley west but it does include a description of the Catawba Trail that begins near the Andy Layne Trail parking lot. The entire North Mountain hike has excellent signage.

HISTORY. On March 1, 1978, problems with some local landowners forced the relocation of the Appalachian Trail away from McAfee Knob and on to North Mountain on the other side of the Catawba Valley in the Jefferson National Forest. This situation did not last long. On January 24, 1982  Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club volunteers Siegfried Kolmstetter, Charles Parry, Andy Layne, Mac McDaniel and Larry Wood brushed out the first mile of the new trail back to McAfee Knob. Although the AT is no longer there, North Mountain remains an outstanding hike, especially between November and April, when the leaves are down and the views most expansive.