ROANOKE, Va. – From atop McAfee Knob, hikers can take in a spectacular panoramic view of the Catawba and Roanoke Valleys, North Mountain, and Tinker Cliffs. Now a significant section of that vista — regarded as among the most popular scenic overlooks on the entire 2,198-mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.) — as well as the view from nearby Tinker Cliffs have been conserved thanks to a multi-year effort by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and The Conservation Fund.

The partners recently finalized a deal to protect 850 acres beneath McAfee Knob in the Catawba Valley. Comprised of six adjacent properties previously owned by different landowners, the newly conserved lands expand the Trail’s narrow corridor, providing critical protection and connectivity for the greater A.T. landscape. Now known as the ATC’s McAfee Vista Preserve, the land will be managed to protect Trail values including wildlife restoration and viewshed protection.

Viewshed from McAfee Knob showing the ATC’s new