Parking
Park in the paved Devil’s Courthouse overlook parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 422.4. There is no street address for GPS; the overlook has parking, a picnic table, and the trailhead.
Overview
About Devil's Courthouse Trail
Why go
- Mostly paved route with a dramatic four-state panorama from the summit.
- Short, direct climb from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlook.
- Pet friendly on leash and connected to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Heads up
- Continuous uphill grade with no flat relief despite the short distance.
- Upper section is rocky, exposed, and often windy; the overlook can be busy.
Devil’s Courthouse is a short, steep climb from a Blue Ridge Parkway overlook to a high-elevation summit with sweeping views into North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The hike is 1 mile roundtrip and takes about 1 hour, with roughly 272 feet of elevation gain.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation5,449–5,709 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
- ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
- ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Devil's Courthouse Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Devil's Courthouse: The Best Punchy Climb on the ParkwayListen
“You're pulling up to Devil's Courthouse. If you're up for a quick, strenuous hike, this is one of the best bangs for your buck on the whole Parkway.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Devil's Courthouse: A Steep Climb to a Four-State View
- The Parkway’s Bloom Calendar: Chasing Spring up the Mountains
- Wolf Mountain's Hidden Garden
- Rough Butt Bald's Tilted Sign and Fading View
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Devil's Courthouse Trail
Route and terrainStart at the Devil’s Courthouse overlook parking area near Parkway milepost 422.4.
Start at the Devil’s Courthouse overlook parking area near Parkway milepost 422.4. The route climbs continuously from the parking area, with pavement covering most of the lower and middle sections. Near the upper section, the pavement ends and a spur connects left to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail; stay right on the named Devil’s Courthouse Trail for the final climb to the overlook. The upper route is steeper, rougher, and more rocky.
Views and ecologyThe exposed summit provides a broad four-state panorama and sits in a rare high-elevation plant…
The exposed summit provides a broad four-state panorama and sits in a rare high-elevation plant community. Peregrine falcons use the cliffs beyond the overlook, so stay on the designated trail and behind the overlook wall. Do not climb on the rock outcrops or enter the protected habitat.
Trail tipsThe grade is steady with no flat relief, and the summit can be windy and exposed even when the…
The grade is steady with no flat relief, and the summit can be windy and exposed even when the parking area is calm. Wear shoes with good traction and bring a layer. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
