October 21, 2023: McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs – Hiking 18 Miles in One Day
I had this crazy idea to hike McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs… out-and-back. Not one-way but out-and-back! The total would come out to be about 18 miles. That’s a pretty far distance to cover in one day unless you’re some ultra-marathon runner… which we are not.
We enjoy challenging ourselves. Even if in the moment we are miserable and tired and hungry. It always feels worth it once we complete those extremely long hikes. Some people hike 15-20 miles (or more) daily when hiking the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail.
So, in reality, it’s really not that crazy to hike 18 miles in one day. But for us personally, it was going to be a challenge! It had been a while since we did a long hike. We did a few 15+ mile hikes in California. We hiked to three famous waterfalls in Yosemite which ended up being 18 miles, and we hiked to the tallest peak in the lower 48 states (Mount Whitney) which was 22 miles in one day.
Experience breathtaking 270-degree views from McAfee Knob and take a picture at the famous ledge. The hike to McAfee Knob is the perfect little adventure for you and your family/friends/pets.
Read my Complete Guide to Hiking McAfee Knob in 2024 to learn about the best time to go, day hike gear, trailhead location (plus all about the current trailhead closure), trail directions, and more!
Here’s how this 18-mile hike went. We woke up early and arrived at the trailhead a few hours before sunrise. We parking lot had more cars than I anticipated. But also, many people park their cars at the trailhead when backpacking.
We set off towards McAfee Knob. I’ll be honest… I had no idea about the fire road. I would’ve have rather taken that trail versus the Appalachian Trail (AT). The AT section was much tougher, and we had to hike fast to catch sunrise in time.
We eventually made it. We wanted to sit at the “famous ledge” since no one was there and we could easily see sunrise from there. We put our stuff down and were about to sit when all of a sudden, this couple comes and sits right down in our spot. Like we were literally about to sit there! I wanted to say some words but I held back.
We left and continued down McAfee Knob to find another spot. I didn’t want to be anywhere near those inconsiderate people. But it was actually a blessing in disguise.
We found an even BETTER spot! We walked further down to another rocky outcrop that had even better views of the sunrise. We found the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sun rising over the horizon.
More people gathered at this spot. Everyone just sat in silence as the sun started to rise. It was stunning! So happy we got our butts out of bed early in the morning to witness such a beautiful event.
One really sucky part was the temperature. It was COLD! The wind chill up there made it miserable after a while. Because we hiked so fast to reach McAfee Knob in time for sunrise, I was a bit sweaty. Being sweaty in freezing cold temperatures will only make you feel colder. I was shivering really bad. Once the sun was up all the way, we immediately left to find shelter away from the wind.
We warmed up quick once out of the wind. We continued onward to our next location – Tinker Cliffs. We have been to McAfee Knob before in 2022, but never have been to Tinker Cliffs. Hiking through the fall-colored trees was one of the best parts of this hike.
However, it was a windy day. Like the windiest conditions we have ever hiked in. It only got worse as we continued towards Tinker Cliffs. Here’s a “fun” fact about me. I have an irrational fear of high winds. Only because as a child, my family and I were stuck at home due to a hurricane. I was in my room drawing at my little desk when I heard a loud bang. The tree beside my room had fallen over parallel to the house. What if it would have fallen the other way? I was sitting right in front of the tree by the window at my desk. That thought has always stuck with me.
Now I have fears of wind blowing trees over and smushing me! So, here we are, hiking in the woods on a very windy day. My anxiety levels were through the roof the entire time! The wind would die down every now and then but only for a short time before picking back up.
We quickly hiked the 5 miles to Tinker Cliffs from McAfee Knob. It was a quick trip because I was hiking fast to get away from the trees. We finally made it to the overlook of Tinker Cliffs. The views were amazing!
Unfortunately, we could not properly enjoy them. The wind was not giving! We found refuge in a giant crack in the rocks at the overlook. It was a nice little shelter. We were the only ones there, so we had it all to ourselves.
We sat there, rested, and at our snacks before heading back. It was a long 5 miles back to McAfee Knob. Our legs were feeling it from hiking 9 miles which consisted of a decent amount of elevation gain. But we slowly made our way. The wind and trees still worried me, but I was feeling too tired to be as worried as I was before.
We made it back to McAfee Knob. More people had showed up. We found a place to sit (near the same spot we watched sunrise) and rested for a bit. A guy asked us if we were the ones he passed walking towards Tinker Cliffs. We said yes, and he was impressed that we hiked all the way there and back.
Usually, people hike this trail one-way from McAfee Knob parking area to Tinker Cliffs parking area which is about 13 miles. Still a fairly long hike but without the extra 5 miles.
We felt rested enough and continued onto the McAfee Knob Trail (fire road) for an easier decent down to the parking lot. The last 4 miles were tough because our legs were fatigued but mostly because we were hungry! I don’t remember what we ate once we got back home but I’m sure it hit the spot.
That was our story of hiking 18 miles to McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs and back. What a challenge! If you decide to do this exact same 18-mile hike because of this blog post, let us know in the comments below or DM us on Instagram. We would LOVE to hear all about your experience!
Our Rating of the McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs
We give all three trails an average of 8.5/10!
What we liked: spectacular sunrise at McAfee Knob; beautiful fall foliage throughout the entire hike; amazing views from McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs; challenging long-distance hike; trail was not crowded.
What we didn’t like: THE WIND! It was freaking me out the whole time! I was scared a tree would blow over and squish us.
