Appalachian Trail #6 (BRP Mile 51.7 to Mau-Har Trail)

The Appalachian Trail between Punchbowl Shelter and the Mah-Har Trail covers roughly 40 miles of classic central-Virginia AT terrain, stretching from the James River valley up through the long ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains and into the high country around Three Ridges and The Priest. Leaving Punchbowl Shelter and nearby Blue Ridge Parkway at mile 51.7, the trail trends north toward Lynchburg Reservoir and begins a long, gentle descent to the James River, where hikers cross the river on the James River Footbridge—the longest pedestrian-only bridge on the AT.  From the James River, the trail climbs steeply for several miles up to Fuller Rocks on Bluff Mountain, an area with big views and Civil War–era history. The path continues along the ridges through classic mixed hardwood forest, passing spots like Hog Camp Gap, the meadows near Cow Camp Gap, and the wilderness feel of the Mt. Pleasant region.

As the AT progresses northward, the terrain becomes more dramatic: after passing Spy Rock which is a unique dome shaped formation that was once used by Confederate soldiers to watch Union troops during the Civil War.  From Spy Rock, the AT climbs The Priest, a major 4,063-foot summit with one of the steepest descents on the entire Virginia AT. From The Priest, the AT descends four miles and 3100 feet to the Tye River (920 feet) and then meets the blue-blazed Mau-Har Trail just before Three Ridges, a rugged, rocky highland with multiple overlooks and the popular Maupin Field Shelter nearby.