Kelly's Knob - Appalachian Trail

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A 6.6 mile, out and back hike on the Appalachian Trail. Kelly Knob is located on a ridge that bridges the valley between John's Creek Mountain and Clover Hollow Mountain and is immediately off of the Appalachian Trail. While Kelly Knob is not the highest point on the ridgelet—(the high point is densely wooded), it is still much higher than its mountain neighbors, thus affording a fantastic vista of the New River Valley.

Sandstone bedrock forms a broken escarpment along the East and South of the ridge, and the area around Kelly Knob is a particularly striking place with fifty foot cliffs containing deep fissures in the rock. The trails to Kelly Knob are well signed and well traveled. It is a popular dayhike for Virginia Tech students and there is a nice campsite right on the cliff edge at Kelly Knob

Directions to trailhead from Blacksburg area:

Take US 460W (approximately 10 minutes) past Blacksburg to intersection with Rt. 42 in town of Newport
Turn right onto Rt. 42 and follow for approximately 7 miles to very small community of Huffman
You will go down a long straight away (church on right) and as Rt. 42 bears left Rt. 629 turns off to the right - park here
The A.T. crosses Rt. 42 here. The hike to Kelly Knob follows the A.T. on the opposite side of where you parked. Looking west on Rt. 42 you hike to the right.

Directions to trailhead from Roanoke area:

Take I-81S to exit 141 (Rt. 311/New Castle)
Turn left off exit onto Rt. 419 (Electric Rd.) and then turn right at next light onto Rt. 311N.
Follow Rt. 311N for 20 minutes into town of New Castle
Turn left onto Rt. 42E and follow for approximately 23 miles to community of Huffman
You will go down a long straight away and as Rt. 42 bears right Rt. 629 turns off to the left- park here
The A.T. cross about 100 yards west on Rt. 42 from where you parked. Hike west on Rt. 42 until you see where the trail crosses. Turn right and follow trail.

Add On:

Heading back towards Blacksburg? Turn right onto Rt. 460 and grab a bite to eat at the Palisades Restaurant overlooking the New River (540.626.2828).
Heading to Roanoke? Follow Rt. 311S to Catawba Valley and enjoy a home-cooked meal at The Home Place (540.382.7252)