The Triple Crown Loop, Virginia - 38.5 Miles. Strenuous / Advanced.

*** This backpacking route is not suitable for beginners.***

• Parking at McAfee Knob trailhead is closed, there is no parking currently available at the trailhead.
• Overnight Parking is not allowed at Dragons Tooth trailhead or along VA RT 311
• Please read and ensure you understand how you will get to and from the trailhead.
• All participants will be automatically waitlisted until I speak with you to confirm your readiness for this adventure. Attendance will be capped at 8.

Please join me for an advanced / strenuous backpack of Virginia's Triple Crown in November. The triple crown is McAfee Knob, one of the most photographed spots along the Appalachian Trail; Tinker Cliffs, which offers 180-degree views of mountain ranges and amazing sunsets; and Dragon’s Tooth, a rock-scrambling climb to a unique jagged peak.

Getting to the trailhead and back to vehicles: Due to closure of parking lot at McAfee Knob trailhead we will have to shuttle to the trailhead and back. I will be going to the the I-81 Exit 140 Park & Ride lot and catching a shuttle to the McAfee Knob Trail Head (https://maps.app.goo.gl/k2q3qK31qwpLJ51Q9). Yes, if you google it it will say the park and ride lot is permanently closed. I have spoke with the shuttle folks on the phone to confirm that the lot is definitely open.

There is an $6.50/person fee for the shuttle to the trailhead.
Shuttle tickets can be purchased here

The shuttle only runs Friday - Sunday. I have arranged a shuttle with Duck N Hut Hiker's Hostel to get back to my car on Monday. There is room for two more in the shuttle. Cost for this shuttle back to the cars is $16/per person. If you are unable to get in on this shuttle I encourage you to reach out to Duck N Hut and see if they have another available or are aware of other options.

Difficulty: Strenuous / Advanced. You should have intermediate level backpacking skills at the very least. Several significant elevation change, multi-day trips within the last year would be a good measure of ability for this one. Please bring your own navigation tools such as Gaia, Alltrails, etc. in case we get separated and have the route downloaded or printed out.

I strongly suggest you read the guide provided below and educate yourself on what to expect. Specifically, please read the sections on water, terrain, and dangers.

• Elevation Gain: 6,874 Feet
• Peak Elevation: 3,197 Feet

Day 1-3 Itinerary: Please read and become familiar with the following guide: https://intothebackcountryguides.com/trail-guides/virginias-triple-crown-loop-backpacking-guide. It details the mileage for each day and where we will be camping. As we approach the date we may need to alter the guide suggestions based on comments for the trail, additional information received, bear activity, etc.

"No show, no go" policy: If you RSVP "Going" to our event, but no show without updating your RSVP to "not going" within 24 hours of the event start time you will be removed from our future events without question. We do this to ensure that people on the waiting list who might want to join the trip have sufficient time to prepare should a spot open up.