Devil's Bathtub

Trail Name Devil's Bathtub Nearest City Ft. Blackmore State Virginia Trail Marking Yellow Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Medium Hiking Time 5 hrs0.313 Days <br />300 Min <br /> Distance: round-trip/trail only 7.38 mi11.877 km <br /> / 7.38 mi11.877 km <br /> Trail Type Loop Climb/Descent Elevation 2,363 ft720.242 Meters <br /> / -2,363 ft-720.242 Meters <br /> High Point 2,881 ft960.333 Yards <br />878.129 Meters <br /> Parking 36° 49' 9.81" N, 82° 37' 42.71" W Trailhead 36° 49' 9.81" N, 82° 37' 42.71" W Nearest Medical Kingsport, TN Trip Reports Click Here Loading map... {"type":"ROADMAP","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"270px","height":"180px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":8,"layers":[],"controls":["zoom"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":36.81939299999999803958417032845318317413330078125,"lon":-82.6285309999999952879079501144587993621826171875,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

Located in the Jefferson National Forest, a loop hike along Devils Fork Creek with several fords, interesting Devils Bathtub pool, and sandstone cliffs with coal seams.

How to get there

From Gate City, VA

1. Take VA 71 east out of town.
2. Turn on VA 72 and proceed north for 11 miles to and through Ft. Blackmore.
3. Turn left/north onto VA 619 (Big Stoney Creek Road).
4. Cross Stoney Creek and swing right with VA 619.
5. After 4.3 miles on VA 619, enter the National Forest.
6. Turn left past Devil Fork Fishing/Hunting Club (sign) onto a gravel road (FS Road 213/Alley Valley Rd).
7. After 0.25 mile on the gravel road, turn left on a narrow right-of-way between a garage and small white house (FS Road 619).
8. Parking area is in about 0.25 miles at trailhead.

Other visitors have noted that if your vehicle doesn't have good ground clearance (ie, is a sedan), you may want to park at the bottom of the hill near the creek.

Route Description

Hike up Devil Fork from parking area and loop up on mountain and back. There are several fords (at least ten). There is an interesting pool just downstream from the Devil’s Bathtub. On trail above the pool, a sign points downstream to the actual Devils Bathtub pool. To make a longer hike, continue upstream, then follow trail up right side of mountain. This eventually levels out and circles back to the old road leading back to the parking area.

Typical Conditions

Per another trail review site, "Although the trail follows yellow blazes for its entire 7 miles, poor maintenance means it is often difficult to find the blazes-and the path, which, in several places, scrambles over large rocks or up very steep cliff faces."

In April 2014, a rescue crew had to help two groups of hikers lost from this trail. One was over a mile off. news article Later in the month, it was also reported that Weber City BSA Troop 86 cleaned up the trail head and painted yellow blazes along the most difficult sections of this trail.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No fees or permits required for day hiking or camping. Managed by Clinch Ranger District (Wise, VA) Tel: 276-679-8370 (M-F 8AM-4:30PM)

Misc. Information

See also the excellent write-up in Explore Scott County website.

No facilities at the parking lot. Bring your own water.

Maps

A trail map is provided on the Explore Scott County website.

Loading map...

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Note: Google Maps does show the path as "Devils Fork Loop Trail".