Devil's Courthouse

The Devil's Courthouse Overlook and Trail can be one of the best places to see the entire Blue Ridge countryside. Even though it is a short hike, there is a fairly steep incline halfway through, so be prepared to huff and puff a little. It takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes depending upon your fitness level. But the views at the top are worth it.

There are those stands with signs telling you what you are looking at, directions and highlights, so be sure to take a minute to look at these. This area can be extremely dangerous if you go beyond the rock wall at the top.

As noted in the draw, there are some incredibly rare and delicate plants on the trail, so make sure to stay on the marked trail and not veer off. Again, this isn't the longest hike, the most strenuous, or the most difficult, but the views at the top cannot be beat.

Directions:

From Dillsboro/ Sylva take US Hwy 74/23 (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) east towards Waynesville/ Asheville. From Exit 85 just outside of Sylva travel 9 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway Access on the left. Continue through the Parkway gates and up the hill for 0.5 mile to a split in the road. Go left towards Asheville for 22.1 miles to the overlook parking on your right.