Devil's Bathtub
7.3 mi.
The Devil's Bathtub is a 7.3 mile round trip hike near Fort Blackmore with an elevation gain of 1,866 feet recommended for experienced hikers as it is quite difficult. The "bathtub" itself is a rock formation where a medium sized waterfall has eroded a 20 foot deep hole in the surrounding rocks making tub shape big enough for several people to swim in at once. This hike crosses the Devil's Fork Creek several times and passes many watering holes on the way to the top where the bathtub is located. This trail and land is on private property and should be treated as such, be aware of the parking lot and do not park in the surrounding areas or down the street as you may have your car towed. It is not recommended to bring dogs or small children on this hike as there are as we said many water features and it is quite difficult to reach the top. While the trail does continue past the bathtub and make a loop back to the parking lot it is recommended to go back down the way you came as the second leg of this trail is rather poorly maintained and can be even harder to follow than the first half. If the parking area is too crowded and there's truly nowhere to stop don't be disheartened as there are two similar trails nearby known as Guest River Gorge and Little Stony Falls. During this section of the AT there is very rich soil that causes some of the bigger trees of Virginia to grow here, such as hemlock, black walnut, and white ash. There aren't too many flowering plants due to the moist nature of the area, along the trail you will mostly see varying types of ferns and moss. PC: Backpack Vacation
