Devil's Courthouse Pisgah National Forest, NC
miles
LENGTH 0.9 MILES
DIFFICULTY 2.2 Easy
DURATION 1 hour
ELEVATION GAIN
280
feet
TRAIL TYPE
There And
Back Again
Devil's Courthouse

The Devil’s Courthouse hike is a short trip to some outstanding views from a large stone observation deck. Not one to be missed by travelers along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this mostly paved path allows hikers a chance to take in a beautiful hike and a summit that provides views into four states: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

The moderately sized parking lot is located between milepost 422 and 423 along the parkway on the south side of the Devil’s Courthouse tunnel. From this overlook, the summit is directly in front of you atop the protruding cliff face. Posted signs provide history and elevation information and point you in the direction of the path.

The hike begins as a paved path and will remain so until the last tenth of a mile. Following briefly along the parkway, the trail turns into the woods just before coming to the Devil’s Courthouse tunnel. From here, the trail keeps a steady, however steep, ascent until the summit. Along the way are several benches for those that need to take a pit stop. Erosion control “speed bumps” line the path along this section. A sharp right turn provides a small overlook, better so in winter. Shortly afterward, the pavement ends, giving way to compact dirt and gravel from here to the top. Pass a flight of stone steps and step up to the large stone overlook area.

The large overlook provides massive, almost 360° views. On clear days you can see into the surrounding four states. There are three elevation markers with guides to identify the surrounding mountains. Take your eyes down the level of the center cone, which represents your current location, and align it with the other cones on the marker to identify notable peaks.

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Elevation Map Length (miles) by Elevation (feet)
Terrain Map Click to control map
Details
length0.9 miles
difficulty2.2 Easy
duration1 hour
features Dog Friendly  Summit  Views 
trail typeThere And Back Again
blazeNone
elevation gain280 ft.
park/forestPisgah National Forest
ranger districtPisgah Ranger District
1600 Pisgah Highway
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
828-877-3265
parking feeNone
trailhead coordinates 35.305031, -82.899459 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 35°18.3, W 82°53.97 (Degree Minutes, MinDec)
N 35°18'18'', N 35°18'18'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Trailhead Directions
35.305031, -82.899459 (Degree Decimal, DegDec)
N 35°18.3, W 82°53.97 most GPS units use this one
N 35°18'18'', N 35°18'18'' (Degree Minutes Seconds, DMS)
Google Map It
The overlook and parking lot is between milepost 422 and 423 along the Blue Ridge Parkway on the south side of the Devil's Courthouse tunnel.
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Reviews / Comments
Average Review Rating
5 (2)
sandy12-6 years ago
Great hike!
This hike was great but pretty much straight up! But the view was worth it! Even though it was super hot at home it was really pleasant to hike. Not hot at all.
Easy-Medium | Hiked Summer 2017
hikethesouth-6 years ago
One of the Best Short Hikes Along the BRP
This is one of my favorite short hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Excellent views and the sight over cones map is cool.
Easy | Hiked Winter 2012
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