McAfee Knob

Trailhead Shuttle

McAfee Knob

Trailhead Shuttle

VDOT News Release
Trailhead Parking Lot Closed through late 2024 for Walkway Construction.

THERE IS NO PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE TRAILHEAD

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The McAfee Knob Trailhead Shuttle Service provides safe and convenient transportation to the McAfee Knob Trailhead on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, plus Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The shuttle can hold 20 passengers on each run and the fare is $5 one-way, $10 round-trip, plus processing fees.

Take the stress out of finding a parking spot for your hike and hop on the shuttle!

Route & Schedule

Route 1 – Continuous Loop:

On all days of operation, the shuttle runs a continuous loop from the I-81 Exit 140 Park-and- Ride in Salem, VA  to the designated shuttle pull-off near the McAfee Knob Trailhead parking lot.  The route is approximately a 15-minute ride each way.

Route 2 – Four On-Demand Shuttle Stops: 

NEW! There are on-demand stops at the following locations:

    • Longwood Park – 601 East Main Street, Salem, Virginia
    • Downtown Salem – 101 South Broad Street, Salem, Virginia
      (MAP: Arriving by car)   (MAP: Arriving by bus)
    • Route 311 – Orange Market Park-and-Ride
    • Route 311 – Dragon’s Tooth (Coming Soon)

Schedule:

Beginning at 7:00am, every Friday, Saturday, Sunday,  and holiday Mondays, March – November.

Timing:

I-81 Exit 140 Park & Ride: Departs from parking lot every 30 minutes until final pickup
7:00am, 7:30am, 8:00am, …

Trailhead:  Departs from parking lot every 30 minutes until final pickup
7:15am, 7:45am, 8:15am, …

On-Demand Stops:  Time selected during ticketing.

Final Pickup Time Each Day:

March: Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

April – September:  Service ends at 7:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:45pm

October:  Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

November:  Service ends at 5:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 4:45pm

Frequently Asked Questions

Comfortable shoes, plenty of water (at least one liter), snacks, sun protection (sunscreen, hat) and an extra layer. Depending on the time of day it can get cold at the summit!

Schedule:

Beginning at 7:00am, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March – November.

Timing:

I-81 Exit 140 Park & Ride: Departs every 30 minutes until final pickup
7:00am, 7:30am, 8:00am, …

Trailhead:  Departs every 30 minutes until final pickup
7:15am, 7:45am, 8:15am, …

Final Pickup Each Day Time:

March: Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

April – September:  Service ends at 7:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:45pm

October:  Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

November:  Service ends at 5:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 4:45pm

Tickets are $5.00 each way (to and from trailhead) plus processing fees.

  • Day hikers book a round trip ticket. Your return ticket will be automatically booked 6 hours after your initial booking. Don’t worry, if you finish your hike early or late, just hop on the next shuttle. Just don’t miss the last shuttle of the day.
  • Overnight Backpackers book two separate one way tickets. Just guesstimate when you will be ready for pick up at the trailhead. Don’t worry, if you finish your hike early or late, just hop on the next shuttle. Just don’t miss the last shuttle of the day.

Depending on your hiking ability, it can four to six hours to complete the hike.  Please consider your hiking pace and the amount of time you would like to spend at the summit when selecting your pick-up time at the trail head.

You will be placed on standby for the next shuttle. All guests whose tickets are booked for the shuttle will board first and if there are additional open seats you can hop on that shuttle.

The last scheduled departure from the trailhead varies by month and is show below:

March: Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

April – September:  Service ends at 7:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:45pm

October:  Service ends at 6:30pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 6:15pm

November:  Service ends at 5:00pm;
last shuttle departs trailhead at 4:45pm

If the shuttle is full and additional hikers are waiting at the trailhead, the shuttle will come back for an additional pick-up to ensure all of the hikers are returned back to the Park and Ride. If an additional pick-up is needed from 6:45pm – 7:45pm an after hours fee of $25.00 per hiker will be charged for pick up. The after hours pick-up will end at 7:45pm. Please do all you can to ensure you are at the trailhead 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

If you miss your shuttle after live phone support has ended, you will need to find your own transportation back to the Exit 140 Park and Ride.  Uber and Lyft do not service this area. 

Live phone support at (540) 761-7564 is ONLY available for 30 minutes after the shuttle service has ended. If an after-hours shuttle needs to return to the trailhead to pick up hikers who have missed the last scheduled shuttle, a fee of $25 per person will be charged. ***There is no guarantee an after-hours shuttle will be available.***

Daylight Savings Time.  We want to ensure everyone has boarded the last shuttle before dark.

We encourage hikers to pre-book on the website. Hikers who book via the website have first seating priority. If there are additional seats remaining on the shuttle, walk up guests can book those remaining seats. If you are walking up to the bus to purchase your ticket, please book your return ticket at the time you book your walk up ticket to ensure you have a seat for your ride back to the park and ride.

Coming Soon! Real time shuttle tracking.

Customers will be able to cancel/modify their ticket up until the scheduled time of departure. Please modify/cancel your booking through our contact us form on the website or at 540-761-7564 on Friday’s, Saturday’s or Sunday’s. Customers will receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows will be charged the full amount.

Drivers are not allowed to accept cash on the shuttle.  Drivers are able to swipe credit and debit cards.

Dispatch can be reached at 540-761-7574 during the following hours:

September: 6:30am – 7:30pm Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s

October: 6:30am – 7:00pm Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s

November: 6:30am – 5:00pm Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s

Service Animals may accompany their owner on the shuttle. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Yes! You must be accompanied by an adult to board the shuttle.

Yes, the shuttle is wheelchair accessible, however, no part of the McAfee Knob trail is wheelchair accessible. If you are in a wheelchair, or have other mobility constraints, the shuttle drop off area at the trailhead is the only place that is wheelchair accessible.

Awesome. You will need the following:

  • CDL license with a passenger endorsement
  • DOT medical card.
  • 3 years of driving experience with your CDL

If you meet these criteria please reach out to hello@goridesource.com to begin the application process.

McAfee Knob Trail Map