CATAWBA VALLEY — A newly relocated parking area for the Andy Layne Trail opened Thursday, Aug. 20, providing hikers with improved access to one of the Appalachian Trail’s most popular viewpoints in Virginia.
The 3-mile Andy Layne Trail serves as a connector to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail near Tinker Cliffs, one of the three destinations that make up Virginia’s Triple Crown along with McAfee Knob and Dragon’s Tooth. The sites are among the most visited locations on the Appalachian Trail, which stretches more than 2,100 miles across 14 states from Georgia to Maine.
The new parking area is less than a mile south of the former trailhead and includes expanded parking, a rerouted section of trail and a new footbridge over Catawba Creek.
“These changes are also evidence of broader trail improvements along the A.T. as it passes Roanoke due to the region’s popularity as a hiking destination,” said Kathryn Herndon-Powell, Virginia regional director for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
The former Andy Layne Trail parking area frequently overflowed during busy spring and fall weekends, while the trail’s bridge over Catawba Creek was nearing the end of its lifespan, Herndon-Powell said.
“Across the Virginia Triple Crown, we are many years into a focused effort with a broad partnership in finding ways to accommodate more visitors while protecting the natural beauty that makes this area so popular,” she said.
The Andy Layne Trail has been marked by blue blazes on property owned by Roanoke Cement Co. since 1991 through a partnership involving the company, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club. As Roanoke Cement expands its operations, the company coordinated with the two organizations to maintain public access to the trail.
“For 35 years, Roanoke Cement has partnered with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy because being a responsible operator and community partner means caring for the natural resources and recreational opportunities that surround our operations and that make our region special,” said Kevin Baird, president of Titan America’s Mid-Atlantic Business Unit.
“Together, we’ve maintained trail access, repaired storm damage, and designed a new route with a safer crossing, expanded trailhead, and additional parking to better serve the thousands of hikers who visit each year,” Baird said.
The new trailhead has parking for 50 vehicles. Roanoke Cement Co. fully funded the project.
“We’re grateful to the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the dedicated volunteers who help preserve this remarkable resource,” Baird said. “We are proud to support their important work and the lasting benefits they provide to our community.”
Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club President Linda Mulheren said the Andy Layne Trail provides an important access point for hikers seeking to reach Tinker Cliffs.
“Without Andy Layne Trail, the awesome sights from atop Tinker Cliffs would be far more difficult for hikers to reach,” Mulheren said. “People come from around the world to hike Virginia’s Triple Crown.”
“The Andy Layne Trail is an important entryway to the A.T., and especially Tinker Cliffs, because the location of Tinker Cliffs is rather remote,” she added. “The Andy Layne Trail provides a fantastic way to get there.”
The improvements to the Andy Layne Trail follow the completion of a dedicated pedestrian bridge for the Appalachian Trail over Virginia Route 311 in spring 2025. That project improved access to nearby McAfee Knob, another Virginia Triple Crown destination and the most-photographed location on the Appalachian Trail.
The Andy Layne Trail is named posthumously in honor of a World War II veteran, outdoor enthusiast and dedicated Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club member.
If you go: As of August 2026, the new trailhead does not have a street address. Hikers preparing for the 7-mile round trip can locate the new trailhead by entering 37°26’52.9″N 80°00’54.0″W into a map application.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, founded in 1925, works to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and its surrounding landscape. The organization works with supporters, partners and volunteers to preserve the trail and its natural and scenic resources.
