This Steep Hike Off A Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway Rewards You With Breathtaking Views

The Blue Ridge Parkway is known as "America's favorite drive" for good reason. Spanning , it has some of the , , and . That's not to mention all of t on this epic road trip. Even though all of this and more exists on the Blue Ridge Parkway, lots of visitors think it's only a scenic drive with some stop-offs for pictures — completely missing the best of the mountains. 

The , just , one of the top three towns in America to visit for outdoor adventure. It's a looming rocky outcrop supposedly named that way b inside the mountain. There is an right beneath this imposing monolith, but the real views are from the top of it. Hop out of your car and head up the short for a fun that culminates in .

The Devil's Courthouse Trail is very easy to reach and . There is a  milepost marker The on the Blue Ridge Parkway, so you of choice or follow the markers until you reach the right one. 

The Devil's Courthouse is about and . The which you can reach from the  (). The eastern terminus of the parkway is in which you can reach from the sma or the  the historic waterfront Virginia neighborhood of Alexandria. The entire parkway drive takes about 10 to 12 hours. 

To start the hike, you want to set off from the  and follow the road for a little while.  however, previous hikers have reported that the , so make a judgment call based on the weather. It's only a  , but .

Even though it's just a short hike, the Devil's Courthouse Trail has a lot to offer. Of course, there are the views. You can cast your eye on a cloudless day, and stunning mountain scenery awash with verdant forests. Each season brings a different treat on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the from such a stunning vantage point. The walk through the  a special treat for nature lovers. A remnant from the last ice age, a number of , a . They're o in the United States, so it's important to protect them by not veering from the trail. 

Another reason that good trail etiquette is essential on the Devil's Courthouse Trail is that there are also  and can continue thriving in the biodiverse Appalachians. In much the same manner, on your trip through the Blue Ridge Parkway, you should remain respectful of National Park Service regulations in pursuit of a thriving natural world. . With a bit of care, the Devil's Courthouse and its surrounding beauty can remain an adventure paradise for generations to come.