Are you and your partner looking for a jaw-dropping location to host your engagement session? McAfee Knob (pronounced either as mick-affey or mac-affey) in Roanoke, Virginia is not going to disappoint!
McAfee Knob is one of the most photographed locations along the Appalachian Trail – and there is a good reason for that! The views are absolutely incredible no matter the time of day. I had the pleasure of photographing Audra and Jacob at McAfee Knob for their adventure engagement session and it was an amazing experience; you can read the full blog about their adventure engagement session here. If you’re looking to use McAfee Knob as your backdrop for your upcoming engagement session, keep on reading for some important tips!
But first, what’s an adventure session?
An adventure session is whatever you want it to be! It’s usually an engagement session, but it can also be an anniversary session, a day-before or day-after photo session that happens prior to or following your elopement, or a couple session. This type of session usually involves going to an epic location for amazing photos and, as it’s mentioned in the name, involves some element of adventure.
Adventure is completely subjective and could mean something different to each person. An adventure session to you could mean hiking, climbing, or braving the cold (or heat!) or it could entail visiting a place you’ve never been before or experiencing something you’ve never done before.
Planning and Coordinating Your Arrival + Departure
McAfee Knob is an extremely popular hiking trail. It sees over 50,000 visitors per month! Because of this, it’s recommended that you go to McAfee Knob Monday through Friday versus the weekend, due to the large crowds of people.
If you are wanting to incorporate a sunset or sunrise in your photos, you will want to invest in headlamps because you’ll either be hiking up in the dark or descending down in the dark!
As for parking, it’s a must that you get there early because it fills up extremely fast. Speaking from experience, even arriving at the parking lot at 7:45am on a Friday in October, the parking lot was already a third of the way full. If you’re trying to go mid-day, forget about it! That same day, as I returned to the parking lot after my hike to the summit, there was virtually nowhere to park and incoming cars were waiting desperately for us to leave our spots. The address for the parking lot directly across from the trailhead is 4440 Catawba Valley Drive. You can also park at the Catawba Sustainability Center (5061 Catawba Creek Road) or the Catawba Community Center (4965 Catawba Creek Road), but this will increase your round trip hike from 8 miles to 10. Read here for more information about parking.
In an effort to make this iconic spot more accessible, Roanoke County has since started offering a McAfee Knob Trailhead Shuttle. As of writing this blog, you are able to book your trip online and it costs $5 one way or $10 round trip. This shuttling service is only available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with occasional Mondays for holidays (like Memorial Day and Labor Day) and runs seasonally, so check back for availability. The shuttle has ended for the 2022 season. The shuttle will return in March 2023. Starting November 30, 2023, the McAfee Knob trailhead parking will close until late 2024 due to the construction of a pedestrian bridge on Route 311. Parking at the Catawba Greenway Trailhead (Address: 5075 Catawba Creek Rd, Catawba, VA) will add an extra mile each way, making the round trip hike to McAfee Knob about 10 miles.
Potential Timeline for an Engagement Session at McAfee Knob
7:45am – Arrive at parking lot
8am – Begin hike
10am – Arrive at summit
10am-11am – Eat lunch
11am-11:15am – Change into your clothes for session
11:30am-12:30pm – Take photos
12:30pm-2:30pm – Hike back to parking lot
Total time: A little over 6.5 hours
Side note: If you’ve never hiked before or, specifically, hiked at McAfee Knob, this could easily become a 7.5 to 8-hour hike when you account for breaks.
What to Expect If You’ve Never Hiked McAfee Knob Before
If you don’t have experience hiking, I highly recommend doing some conditioning prior to doing this hike because your legs are definitely going to feel sore afterward! Try walking up stairs, going up hills, and practicing walking with weight on your back. Realistically, you’re going to have a backpack full of clothing, supplies, snacks, any props, and, at least, 2 liters of water. You’ll want to get acclimated to carrying that weight for several hours.
Other Valuable Tips For Your McAfee Knob Engagement Session
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Invest in a good hiking backpack that has straps across the chest and hip so it helps distribute the weight more evenly.
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Invest in good hiking shoes or boots. Sneakers are fine, but if you intend to go on more hikes in the future anyway, do yourself the favor. I swear by my Altra hiking boots, which feature a wide toe box (get them here).
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Even if you’re physically fit, I still recommend you take a full day to rest after the hike. All of our legs were destroyed after the hike.
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Wear layers! For this hike, I wore wool thermal leggings, wool socks, a beanie, gloves and an Eddie Bauer down jacket and I’m so glad I layered up because it was freezing in the morning! However, as we hiked and as the day progressed, it got considerably warmer so I was able to take off layers as needed. Remember, if you’re going in the fall or winter, it’s a must that you wear multiple layers! I’d even have a light jacket on you during the summer months in case it’s a bit windy up top.
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Try to avoid wearing clothes that are 100% cotton when you’re hiking. You want your clothing to be able to wick away your sweat and keep you as dry as possible. Cotton usually retains moisture more than it wicks it away, which could potentially harmful if you’re hiking on a particularly cold day.
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You are going to burn a lot of calories on this hike so, you’ll want to pack foods that are going to keep your energy levels up. I packed two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a couple of cuties, and a small bag of pretzels. I was extremely hungry after this hike so, naturally, I made my way to the nearest Cook Out.
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This is more of a general hiking safety tip but take a picture of the hiking trail/map. The McAfee Knob trails were well marked and easy to follow, but it never hurts to snap a photo of the map prior to starting.
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Tell at least two people where you’re going, what time you’ll be starting, when you plan to leave, and where you parked. Another general hiking safety tip but, an important one nonetheless. Whenever you go on any hike, it’s important to have loved ones or friends know of your whereabouts in case of an emergency.
And, most importantly, don’t forget to have fun, enjoy the hike, and practice the Leave No Trace principles.
If you’re planning to elope in Virginia, I would love to be your photographer! Check out my pricing to learn more about my philosophy, process, and packages. If you’re ready to book now, fill out an inquiry form to get started.
