Recommendations for 3-night Loop in VA/WVa/NC

If you're looking for 6-10 miles that puts your loop at 24-40 miles in four days. There are a number of such loops in PA if you're willing to travel that far (it depends on where in VA you are). Here are some suggestions:

• Old Loggers Path (30 miles)
• Black Forest Trail (42 miles)
• Allegheny Front Trail (27-40 miles)
• West Rim Trail (30 miles with a shuttle service available at Pine Creek Outfitters)

PM me if you'd like more info.

Here is one that you could add some miles to if you wanted by including more of the AT along Cove Mtn.

Peaks of Otter area in central VA

Did you do the entire Mt. Rogers area or just the hike up to it? The AT/Pine Mountain Loop is nice.

Other options are

Shining Rock Wilderness-We did a short out and back here once. Very nice views.

Linville Gorge – Had to bail from a trip here once. Loops are a bit tricky but it might be worth a look.

If you want a 50-60 mile hike then try connecting the Iron Mountain Trail north of Damascus with the AT through the Mt. Rogers area. I did that with my little brother and it was a very nice trip. A bit long though.

Thanks all for the recommendations!

Alex – the Peaks of Otter loop looks real nice… looking more into that one.

Kevin – we're down in southwest VA… have family up in PA but it's too far of a drive ;)

Luke – haven't done the full Mt Rogers area yet, just up and down from the parking lot. The Pine Mtn Trail looks to be only about 11 mi?

Linville Gorge loop looks amazing, and would be perfect… but looks like permits required and max of 2 nights :(

Anyone done the Ramsey's Draft loop in the fall?

I have done the Wild Oak trail which is a loop that is on the NE side of Ramseys draft. Not a lot of water on it other than the river crossing. Nice loop with good campsites and some views.

Nate it sounds like you've only done the parking lot to summit of Mt. Rogers. If that is correct then doing the whole area might be worth a shot. The area has lots of meadows and nice views. If you look at a map there is a loop created by the AT and Pine Mountain Trail. The best trips use that loop plus some other access trail to create a "Lolipop" loop.
In the past we've normally started from Elk Gardens which gives you something like 23 miles total. There are a couple peaks in the Wilson Creek Wilderness you can hike over to create an even bigger loop if you want and you can always do side trips.
If the Mt. Rogers Area interests you I've done a couple trip reports you can look at. PM me if you like too.

If you want to get 3 nights in Linville Gorge it might be possible to hike out of the area and camp along the Mountains To Sea Trail outside the recreation area. There is a forum on Linville Gorge that has info on lots of secret routes. They might be able to help you find a way to work around the rules.

Appreciate the suggestions! Going to save Linville for a 2-night trip and do Mt Rogers probably in the spring… Coming up next month we are going to do the Tar Jacket Ridge / Cold Mountain area in VA… Combining a couple loops should add up to at least 20 miles. Anyone done those trails?

Seems you have some good plans. I have done Tar Jacket Ridge/Cold Mountain a couple times. Its not as dramatic as some of the other places but you get nice views off both Tar Jacket and Cold Mountain. I only did it as a one way hike down the AT so I can't comment on the Mt. Pleasant loop.

We have done multiple loops there, our favorite is one we call the Religious Range loop, which runs around the headwaters of the Piney River. You park down on the Piney River, walk up the dirt road along Shoe Creek to the AT at the gap south of the Priest (you can do a side walk up to the Priest for the views if you want). Head south on the AT to Spy Rock (great views). About a mile farther is the Seely-Woodworth shelter. On south on the AT is Rocky Mtn. the Salt Log Gap (not many views on this section) then Tar Jacket Ridge then Hog Camp Gap then Cole Mtn. If you go over Cole Mtn. then your can cut back on the Old Hotel trail past Cow Camp shelter the trail then curves back around essentially to Hog Camp Gap. You can then climb on up to Mt. Pleasant, good campsites and water just below the peak but the trail on up to the top is a mile round trip to pretty good views. From Hog Camp or Mtn. Pleasant you thread the ridge over to the Cardinal via mostly woods road and some old trail until you drop down to a church camp and then drop on north down old woods roads back to Piney River and your car. The loop as described is about 30 miles but you can shorten it around Hog Camp Gap and there are other options. This is a rough map, hope it is large enough to see.

There are lots of well-watered loop options in WV in Otter Creek or Cranberry wilderness areas.

Edit: Forgot to include link: http://www.midatlantichikes.com/wv.htm