Devil's Courthouse (5,720') is one of the most recognizable summits along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and the Smokies. A short half-mile path ascends the 400 or so vertical feet from the parking area to the summit and, as you might expect, is quite busy on most clear days. The summit rises nearly 3,000 vertical feet above the valleys to the south and is surrounded to the north and west by peaks rising to over 6,000 feet providing those with the ambition to climb it a stunning panorama from the top. There's only so many shots one can take along a half mile trail but this album should give you a good idea of what the Courthouse has to offer on a sunny, early summer's afternoon...
Trailhead GPS Coordinates: 35.305191, -82.899487
Route Type: Out-and-back Difficulty: EASY (Petzoldt Rating: 1.70 )
Hike Length: 1.0 miles Hike Duration: 0:45
Trailhead Temp: 70'F Trail Traffic: 50-100 people
Min. Elevation: 5,400' Max. Elevation: 5,750'
Total Vertical Gain: 350' Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile: 350'
Trails Used (Blaze Color):
Devil's Courthouse (unblazed)
kw
on June 1, 2012Sorry-- forgot to rate the album-- it wasn't hard! Thanks for taking us for a hike through the Smokies!
kw
on June 1, 2012Wow! What beauty! It was hard NOT to give a thumbs up to every photo in this album! What a beautifully clear day you had--- strikingly clear photos! :)