Shortly after the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club was organized, members began scouting optimal routes for the Appalachian Trail in the Roanoke area. The original route of the trail went south and east of Roanoke along what is today the route of the Blue Ridge Parkway. RATC members were more familiar with the geography of their area and proposed a new route along Tinker Ridge that brought McAfee Knob, the most photographed location on the trail today, into the new route of the trail. This photograph shows two RATC members on a day hike along Tinker Ridge in 1932.

Five members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club on Whitetop Mountain in Southwestern Virginia at a "Tri-Club Meet." These multi-club meetings were common, especially among the southern clubs. In this particular case, the three clubs were the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC), the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club (NBATC) based in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), then based in Washington, D.C. ATC Chairman Myron Avery organized a work trip to the Appalachian Trail in Southwestern Virginia over Memorial Day week and volunteers from all three clubs worked on sections of the trail from northern Floyd County down all the way to Damascus, Virginia, clearing trail, blazing the route, and enjoying one another's company. They all stayed at the lodge which used to be on the summit of Whitetop Mountain, which is where this photograph was taken.

Members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club measuring the Appalachian Trail in Floyd County, Virginia, with Myron Avery, second from right with wheel. July 1940.

From 1932-1952, the Appalachian Trail followed an entirely different route between Roanoke and Damascus, Virginia from the one it uses today. The Guide to the Paths of Blue Ridge (1941 edition) details each section of that hike from Route 11 just northwest of Roanoke, down through Floyd, Patrick, Carroll, Grayson, and Washington Counties in great detail.

This section of the Guide describes the route of the trail between Mason Cove and Glenvar, the point at which the old Appalachian Trail route deviated substantially from the current route. Several of the landmarks mentioned either no longer exist (Bradshaw Post Office) or are substantially different -- Catawba Sanatorium is now Catawba Hospital -- and the "dirt road passable by automobile" is now county road 622, a paved road.

From 1932-1952, the Appalachian Trail followed an entirely different route between Roanoke and Damascus, Virginia from the one it uses today. The Guide to the Paths of Blue Ridge (1941 edition) details each section of that hike from Route 11 just northwest of Roanoke, down through Floyd, Patrick, Carroll, Grayson, and Washington Counties in great detail.

This first section of the guide describes the by now well-known route across Tinker and Catawba Mountains, the location of McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs, and the route that the trail took once it reached Highway 311 near Mason Cove.

The Pickle Branch Shelter is a typical example of the U.S. Forest Service's plank sided lean-to. This shelter was built in 1980 by volunteers from the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club and U.S. Forest Service staff. It is currently maintained by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

Members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club on Potts Mountain in Central Virginia during the fall of 1939. Day hikes like this one were a central activity of the AT Clubs for many decades.

The Fulhardt Knob Shelter is located in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia and was built by the U.S. Forest Service. It is one of the few Trail Shelters with no spring nearby. Instead, water is gathered in a large rain cistern behind the shelter. It is maintained by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

Volunteers and officials of the U.S. Forest Service at the dedication of the Niday Place AT Shelter on August 26, 1962. The Niday Place Shelter is a typical example of the plank sided lean-to favored by the U.S. Forest Service. It is located in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, south of Roanoke, and is maintained by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

The Johns Spring Shelter, formerly known as the Boy Scout Shelter, was built in 2003 by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club as a replacement for the older Boy Scout Shelter. John's Spring Shelter is a memorial to John Haranzo, an avid AT hiker and RATC member.

The Catawba Mountain Shelter was built by volunteers from the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club in the summer and fall of 1984. This shelter was added to the chain of shelters after the relocation of the Appalachian Trail from North Mountain to Catawba Mountain, adding McAfee Knob to the Trail's route. This shelter is built in a style that is reminiscent of the typical plank sided lean-to favored by the U.S. Forest Service, but has unique features in its design, including the peaked roof and more open front. It is maintained by the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.

Members of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club (RATC), and the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club (NBATC) on a group hike to McAfee Knob, October 1935.