These weekend-friendly hiking trips let you enjoy the famous footpath with some mountain town creature comforts.
Editor’s Note: This story was printed in our October issue before Hurricane Helene devastated portions of western North Carolina and surrounding areas. Destinations in this article are currently dealing with effects of the storm and most likely not able to be visited. Contact local officials for more information. Read how to help those affected by Helene here.
The Blue Ridge Region holds thousands of miles of pristine hiking routes—and the iconic Appalachian Trail runs smack through the middle of it all. While there’s much ado about tackling it at once, section hikes are infinitely more pragmatic and user-friendly. And planning them around stays in cool towns offers a delectable brew of ruggedness and comfort. Here we bring you five curated, weekend-friendly treks along the A.T. that pair dazzlingly scenic highland adventures with destination-worthy overnight accommodations and eats.
HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA
The Hike: North from the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park parking area to the parking area at Fox Gap, about 17 miles.
The walk begins with a climb to a high ridgeline that passes through woodlands bordering the town, followed by a descent into the riverfront National Historic District. Cross the Potomac River via a repurposed 19th century railroad trestle that brings stunning views of steep surrounding cliffs and the Shenandoah River confluence. Follow the scenic C&O Canal Bike Trail along the riverbank for about three miles, then climb to the Weverton Cliffs for spectacular 180-degree views of the river, town, and surrounding mountains. Continue along the South Mountain ridgeline past the Ed Garvey Shelter, Crampton Gap Shelter and a pair of state parks to Fox Gap.
Stay: Find the Light Horse Inn in the heart of the Harpers Ferry National Historic District. The seven-suite boutique is housed in a sprawling, Georgian-style brick manor that dates to the 1770s. Inside you’ll find spacious, suite-style rooms with amenities like high-end beds, antique furniture, exposed brick walls, and modern bathrooms with marble or vintage tiles. A sister tavern with pub fare and craft brews awaits next door. lighthorseinn.com
Eat/Drink: Snallygaster’s Café & Wine Bar is a gem in a 1900s stick style building filled with historic, general store heirlooms. Sample a broad selection of wine, craft cocktails and regional brews at the barn-style bar. Snack on tasty yet affordable cheese and charcuterie boards, then follow with solid New American fare like barbeque-drizzled braised pork with wild mushroom risotto and local asparagus. snallygasterscafe.com
Shuttle: River & Trail Outfitters offers shuttles to and from trailheads throughout the region. rivertrail.com/shuttles
PEARISBURG, VIRGINIA
Hike: North from the Sugar Run Gap parking area to Pearisburg Cemetery, about 13 miles. Begin just below the 4,086-foot summit of Sugar Run Mountain and follow the high ridgeline past the stunning Wilburn Valley overlook and Doc’s Knob Shelter to Pearis Mountain. Soak up 180-degree, 3,555-foot views of Peters Mountain, the New River and downtown Pearisburg from the boulder-topped Angel’s Rest vista, then descend into town.
Stay: Find the newly renovated Lilly Valley Inn about two miles from the A.T. perched atop a low mountainside overlooking the New River. Enjoy post-hike views from the seven-suite boutique’s wraparound deck and terraces. Digs are chic, spacious, and modern with amenities reminiscent of a lux countryside spa. lillyvalleyinn.com
Eat/Drink: Palisades Restaurant is a Southern-focused, farm-to-table eatery that occupies a neatly renovated 1920s furniture and hardware store in the nearby village of Eggleston. Regional craft beer and ciders abound, but the craft cocktail menu shines. Stone oven pizza is served alongside delights like a buttermilk brined, Southern-fried local porkchop with hot honey drizzle. thepalisadesrestaurant.com
Shuttle: Lilly Valley provides comped shuttles to and from the A.T. for visiting hikers.
DAMASCUS, VIRGINIA
The Hike: North from Tennessee’s Low Gap parking area to downtown Damascus, 15 miles. This scenery-rich trek carries you through the Cherokee National Forest past Double Spring Gap, McQueen’s Knob Shelter and the Abingdon Gap Shelter. The relatively easygoing hike pursues the long, mostly 3,500-plus-foot ridgeline of Holston Mountain and offers a plethora of east and westward views. The route descends steadily into town after the Virginia border.
Hearty hoofers can follow the next day with an approximately 15-mile trek from the Taylors Valley Parking Area to the 5,525-foot summit of White Top Mountain, Virginia’s second highest peak.
Stay: The Old Mill Inn occupies a beautifully renovated, early 19th century downtown mill complex that sits on Laurel Creek about a mile from the A.T. The boutique’s dozen, hotel-style rooms pair modern amenities like walk-in glass showers with carved wooden bedframes. Balconies and wraparound porches overlook a 200-foot-wide dam across the creek. damascusinn.com
Eat/Drink: Pick from eight delicious seasonal brews on tap that rotate between Damascus Brewery’s overall cast of 60 (!). Follow with dinner at Old Mill’s onsite restaurant for solid American fare like pan seared rainbow trout in a setting that feels more old-world tavern than rural Virginia. thedamascusbrewery.com
Shuttle: Mt. Rogers Outfitters provides shuttles to trailheads within 100 miles of town. mtrogersoutfitters.com
HOT SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA
The Hike: North from the Lemon Gap parking lot into town, around 14 miles. Climb to the 4,300-foot summit of Walnut Mountain to bask in views of the surrounding Pisgah National Forest and Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest. Pass through a series of remote mountaintop meadows to the summit’s eponymous log shelter, then climb through Catpen Gap and descend through dense, high-elevation forests and rhododendron thickets to Garenflo Gap. Nab eye candy at Lamb Knob and Canebrake Ridge, then pass the Deer Park Mountain Shelter and 2,400-foot summit vista and begin the descent into town.
Looking for more action? Follow with a give-or-take nine-miler from Hot Springs to the Hurricane Gap parking area. Highlights include stunning views of the town and French Broad River from Lovers Leap Ridge.
Stay: Find the Iron Horse Station, an inn and restaurant in a pair of restored, turn-of-the-century brick warehouses on the edge of downtown just off the A.T. Upstairs has been transformed into a 15-room boutique hotel that pays homage to its historic setting with refurbished hardwood floors, transom windows, and soaring sky wells. theironhorsestation.com
Eat/Drink: Enjoy classic Southern staples like fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and burger-centric pub fare in the Iron Horse Restaurant. Post up for craft brews or cocktails in a dim and woody bar area with antique tin ceilings that’s good and divey.
Shuttle: Stop in at Bluff Mountain Outfitters and get connected to an on-duty local shuttler. @bluffmountainoutfitter
ROAN MOUNTAIN, TENNESSEE
Hike: North from the Carvers Gap parking area to the U.S. 19 parking area, 15 miles. This bucket-list trek passes through rare Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests in the Cherokee National Forest, traverses the famed Roan Highlands balds, and features some of the trail’s most incredible high-elevation hiking. The seven-mile “Grassy Ridge” section is the longest of its kind on the A.T., rarely dips below 5,500 feet and brings stunning 360-degree views. Take a .6-mile or so detour through rhododendron groves to 6,165-foot meadows atop Grassy Ridge Bald for mind-boggling, eastward eye candy that, on a good day, includes Grandfather, Beech, and Sugar Mountains.
Stay: Mountain Harbour B&B sits just over a quarter mile from the A.T. crossing at U.S. 19 and is a legendary haven for thru-hikers. May breakfasts, for instance, are often attended by dozens. Accommodations at the onsite Hiker Hostel are rustic, but the main house’s three rooms are comparatively lux and offer private baths. There’s an onsite food truck that serves burgers, tacos, wings and salads on the gorgeous property. mountainharbour.info
Eat/Drink: Venture into the tiny town of Roan Mountain for craft brews, world-class wood-fired pizzas and dessert pastries from Smoky Mountain Bakers. smokymountainbakers.com
Shuttle: Mountain Harbour patrons enjoy free shuttles within reasonable distance of the inn.
Cover photo: Courtesy of Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau
