Day 30: McAfee Parking Lot to Lamberts Meadow Shelter

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”
~Beverly Sills

June 25, 2021
Hike from McAfee parking lot (Rt 311) to Lamberts Meadow Shelter
AT miles: 10.4
Ascent: 2275’
Descent: 2116’
Weather: warm and sunny
Sightings: multiple brown lizards, several deer
High points: Hiking McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs, two of the highlights of the AT

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After driving to Bearwallow Gap (Buchanan, VA) and taking a shuttle to the McAfee Knob parking lot, I started my mini solo section hike.

McAfee Knob (3197’) is one of the most popular hikes in Virginia, so the parking lot was packed even though it’s a weekday. The trail is well-worn. The hike up McAfee Knob is basically four miles of ascent. To fight the erosion that is a huge issue on such a popular trail, the Roanoke ATC has installed many steps on the trail.

After about four miles of UP, I reached the iconic site. If you are hiking the AT you really have to have your picture taken here, so I asked a stranger to do the deed.

I thought I was going to spend the night at the shelter just beyond the Knob, but when I got there I found several people who were relocating to the next shelter six miles down the trail due to a bear that was supposedly hanging around the first shelter. That rumor provided all the incentive I needed to push on!

I did stop and get water from the stream near the shelter. The stream lay on the other side of a field, so I got to see some gorgeous meadow flowers.

This lovely plant is viper’s-bugloss. Despite its good looks, it is considered an invasive species and botanists would prefer that it return to Europe. It has numerous medicinal properties, which is probably why folks brought it over.

The bees and butterflies were hovering around this brilliant orange flower, butterfly milkweed. A member of the milkweed family, butterfly milkweed is toxic to humans but great at attracting butterflies!

I walked by some remarkable rock formations.

Approaching Tinker Cliffs (3000’) the trail became flat and sandy and the woods thinned into a dappled wind-stunted pine forest.

For a half-mile I walked along cliffs and gazed at absolutely gorgeous views.

The views reminded me of illustrations from a children’s fairy tale — the valleys looked verdant and civilized and prosperous, while the mountains looked dense and dark and menacing.

Since I didn’t start hiking until after noon and I had hiked roughly ten miles, evening was approaching.  I focused on hurrying to the shelter. When I arrived I found so many people and tents already there that I had problems finding a place for my tent! I fell asleep to the sounds of conversation and campfires and harmonica noises. Since hiking McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs is so popular, almost all these people are out to hike these famous landmarks. I bumped into only two other AT hikers.

Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!