June 2, 2024 3 min to read

AT Blog: 48 and 49

The Triple Crown of Virginia

Day 48:

Up early this morning. Most people plan to do 23 to Pickle Branch Shelter. I’m hiking by 6:30 AM just cause I was already awake and heading out.

First stop is at Keffer Oak, the largest oak tree in the south section of the trail. There is a slightly larger one up in New York, but this is the largest in a while.

A few miles later I reach Sinking Creek Mountain, notable for being the last continental divide view point on trail. Essentially when you look east, all water empties directly into the Atlantic river, mostly via the James River. Looking west, water flows to the Mississippi then into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a pretty sight.

I take a midday lunch at Niday shelter, and yes I waited there until Lobster, Footprints and Waywalker passed so I could make that exact pun.

Craig creek had lots of warnings about the bridge being out but it was only a foot deep at most when I crossed. After that was the climb up to the Audie Murphy Monument, dedicated to the most decorated soldier of WW2. He died near the spot in a plane crash in the 70s.

After that was arriving at Pickle Branch Shelter, it wasn’t the best night for camping. Lots of mice burrowing loudly the entire night.

Day 49:

Not the best nights sleep last night plus another early rise from the others mean I’m up.

Go get more water from below, long distance but necessary. I’m one of the last to leave.

I’m hitting 2 of the Virginia “Triple Crowns” today, Dragons Tooth and McAfee Knob. They are very famous outlooks with pretty sightlines. The first few miles out of Pickle Branch are easy going through literal cow pastures where cows roam on trail.

The climb up to Dragons tooth is not too bad and Lobster grabs a few picks of me overlooking it. The tooth itself is a piece of rock jutting up over 30 feet.

The climb down from it is very rough, requiring slow descent and putting away my polls for most of it. I have to be more careful than the dozen day hikers heading up due to my pack, it juts out and means I can’t be as nimble.

When I make it down to the road crossing, I stop by a gas station for some treats for lunch. I keep going towards McAfee. To the uninitiated, McAfee Knob is probably the most photographed area of the AT, due to its amazing 180 views and the viability as a day hike. I see no less than 50 people hiking down on my way up.

I see Waywalker, Footprint and Lobster at one of the shelters heading up and follow them shortly after using the privy and refilling water. We plan to take a group photo at the top.

McAfee itself is beautiful with great views and not too many people around. We get a group photo with everyone through hiking and take a break.

I join Taxi and Huge to hike down (some others already left and others were enjoying the view for longer) when we get to the campsite 0.6 away. It’s another site with an annoyingly long water trek, but it does have a bear box so no time lost there.