Construction began in 1850 using only hand drills, pickaxes, and black powder. Despite the light visible at the end of the tunnel, you should come prepared with a flashlight or headlamp as the tunnel is not lit. The trail parallels active CSX tracks and overlooks Rockfish Valley. Although bikes are permitted on the trail, it’s advisable to walk your bike in the tunnel due to foot traffic and the uneven surface of the tunnel floor.įrom the Afton trailhead, it’s a 0.6-mile hike to the eastern portal. On the Waynesboro end, the route gets steep, with an average grade of 6.5% and a maximum grade of 19%. A 2.3-mile crushed-stone trail leads to the tunnel from both towns, but we recommend that you start in Afton for a more gradual grade. The tunnel is located below Rockfish Gap, with the community of Afton on its eastern side and the city of Waynesboro near its western end. The impressive Blue Ridge Tunnel, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, was designed by French engineer Claudius Crozet to allow the Blue Ridge Railroad to pass through the mountains to reach the Shenandoah Valley.
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