Three Bridges from Hwy 56
The three ridges loop is a classic Virginia trail running route, consisting of 13.5 miles and over 4,000 ft of elevation gain. The route includes steep ascents and descents, rocky trails, stream crossings, and also some really fast runnable sections; packing a lot of adventure into a relatively short trail run.
This "lollipop" route can completed in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.
The counter clockwise route begins by touching the Eastern edge of Route 56, and then running on the Appalachian trail up into the Three Ridges Wilderness. the Counter clockwise loop summits Chimney Rock (3,195tt), then Three Ridges (3,969ft), then Bee Mountain (3,021ft), before turning left at Mau-Har Campground and taking the Mau-Har Trail, for several miles, back to the Appalachian Trail junction, and then back down to Route 56. The Route ends by touching the Eastern edge of Rout 56 again.
The Clockwise route begins by touching the Eastern edge of Route 56, and then running on the Appalachian trail up and turn left at the Mau-Har - Appalachian Trail junction, pass through the Mau-har campground, summit Bee Mountain, Three Ridges, and then Chimney Rock, and return to Route 56. The Route ends by touching the Eastern edge of Rout 56 again.
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Three Bridges from BRP
Three Ridges is one of those routes that looks reasonable on the map and then immediately humbles you in real life. From the very first climb off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the trail wastes no time reminding you that this section of the Appalachian Trail is steep, rocky, and completely uninterested in letting you settle into any kind of rhythm. The footing is awkward, the grade shifts constantly, and even the “descents” demand full focus just to stay upright.
The ridge itself is classic AT chaos: slabs, boulders, angled steps, and those long, rooty stretches where you’re not so much running as negotiating. It’s rugged in a satisfying way, with big views that show off just how far you’ve climbed — and how far you still have to go.
Dropping down to Harper’s Creek feels like a reward, but even the descent keeps you honest. It’s fast in places, slow in others, and always technical enough that you’re thinking three steps ahead. Once you hit the creek, you get a brief mental reset before the climb back out, which is every bit as tough as its reputation. This ascent is long, uneven, and steep enough in segments that you’ll probably question your life choices, but in that classic Three Ridges way that somehow feels fun.
The final stretch back toward the Parkway strings together rocky ridges, short punchy ups, and just enough smooth trail to keep you moving. This loop never fully lets up, and that’s part of what makes it such a standout — it’s challenging, rugged, remote-feeling, and absolutely earns a spot on the FKT map.
If you want a route that tests you from the first step to the last and shows off the wildest side of the Blue Ridge, Three Ridges delivers in full. It’s hard, it’s technical, and it’s an incredible adventure.
