Section index
Sections are broken at road crossings and trail towns that work as realistic start and finish points, so each one can be hiked as a standalone trip. Mileage is approximate: the Appalachian Trail Conservancy remeasures relocations every year.
Section 1 · Virginia
Damascus (US 58) → Massie Gap / Grayson Highlands
Virginia's Appalachian Trail begins at the Tennessee line and climbs out of Damascus — arguably the friendliest trail town on the entire AT — into the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.
Section 2 · Virginia
Massie Gap / Grayson Highlands → Atkins (VA 683 / I-81 exit 54)
North of the highlands the trail descends into pasture and farm country, crossing stiles and open fields — a surprising change of scene after the balds.
A long, comparatively remote stretch across Chestnut Knob, Burkes Garden's rim, and the ridges above the Walker Mountain country.
This section includes some of the most scenic ridge walking in the state: Angels Rest above Pearisburg, the long Sinking Creek Valley, and the Keffer Oak, one of the largest oaks on the entire trail.
The most-hiked stretch of AT in Virginia. Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs come one after another, linked by ridge tread with big drops into the Catawba Valley between them.
North of Daleville the trail parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway, crosses the James River on the long James River Foot Bridge, and climbs to the exposed rock of Apple Orchard Mountain and the Guillotine.
The Three Ridges and the Priest dominate this section — two of the biggest sustained climbs and descents in Virginia, often used as a training benchmark before longer trips.
Section 8 · Virginia
Rockfish Gap (I-64) → Front Royal (US 522)
One hundred-plus miles of well-graded trail weaving across Skyline Drive. Shenandoah is the gentlest long stretch in Virginia: consistent grades, frequent water, and waysides where you can buy a meal without leaving the park.
The northern end of Virginia's AT includes the Roller Coaster — a famously relentless series of short, steep ups and downs maintained by the PATC — and the Blackburn and Bears Den hiker centers.
Looking for the whole-state picture? Open the Virginia AT guide.