Devils Bathtub: Devils Fork Loop Trail

Last updated: October 31, 2023

I’m coming at you from October 2016 when Kris and I went to Virginia to hike a 7-mile loop to Devils Bathtub. Keep in mind that at this time in my life, I had an iPhone 6 Plus, a hot-off-the-shelf Fitbit, and had no idea I’d be blogging one day… so take these poor quality photos with a grain of salt and give me some grace. These photos are all raw with no editing. The quality is so bad I just didn’t even bother. Despite the poor quality photos, this hike is just too good not to share and the place is so beautiful there’s no way to ruin its beauty with bad photos.

At the time in our lives, we lived in Tennessee and to get there took 2.5 hours. I got my first taste of getting my photo with a state welcome sign on this trip! We started early and were there by 9AM.

So at almost seven years ago, I was still the girl I am today… looking for the next adventure and seeking out the next big hike. This one had been on my bucket list for a while and although it was quite dry when I finally got this completed, it was still an awesome hike! I truly believe this needs to be repeated during the summer after a good rainfall.

First things first, let me tell you a bit about this magical place! You’ll be marching through George Washington Jefferson National Forest, which at 1.8 million acres, is one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. Its actually a combination of two national forests that were merged together in 1995. It’s located in Stony Creek Park in Duffield, VA. This is within Scott County and they are quite proud of this place as they’ve dedicated a page on their website to it that includes these helpful directions. They claim the water is so cold that it can “quench old Lucifer, himself”. I highly recommend taking Devils Fork Loop. There’s a shorter out and back trail, but you’re going to miss beautiful scenery and just an all around amazing hike. I tend to always choose the longest route, but you do you.

We parked at the trailhead located at 331 High Knob SC, Dugannon, VA 24225. There’s space for about 60 cars, but like I said, we were the only ones there so this wasn’t a concern. I can imagine this place is packed in the summer though.

I honestly love a hike that’s well marked and this one gets two thumbs up from me. Signs pointed along the way and I think it would be quite difficult to get lost. We didn’t use a map or any device to navigate… just the markers on the trail.

I recall this being a diverse hike. What I mean by that is even though it was well traveled, there was still some wild brushy areas to climb through. Most of the 7-mile loop is mostly clear, but for those who like a more challenging route, you won’t be disappointed as I also recall some rock scrambling. I’m having to go back seven years in my brain to remember this hike, so take my description with a grain of salt.

As you can see, it was dry. If you go when the water is up, be prepared to get your feet wet. You will cross the creek and do some water hiking. I’d recommend some water hiking shoes such as these. I personally did not find this hike difficult but I’ve read multiple places online that it’s strenuous and not recommended for kids under 10. Dogs are allowed and can be off leash on some areas.

As you get close to Devils Bathtub, you’ll notice more rock walls and somewhat of a gorge. This is where you are going to want to stop and hang out for about an hour or so! It’s beautiful!

And here it is, the star of the show. This is honestly the most impressive natural water hole I’ve ever seen. It’s about 20 feet wide and about 12 feet deep. Plenty big enough for a group to enjoy!

I really hope to find something like this at Bankhead, my local national forest, so I can visit often. It’s painfully obvious in these photos how low the water is but honestly, I’m not mad at it. I really like seeing the rock formations and all the leaves plastered about where water should have been. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have plans to go back to see it when the water is high, but look at it! Isn’t it cool like this? I don’t regret going at this time. As a bonus, we had the whole place to ourselves since it was off season… I’m pretty sure I have the clicker in my hand here and we hung my iPhone from a branch or balanced it on a rock or something.

And here you can see where there are supposed to be waterfalls galore. I’m just hanging out where a waterfall is supposed to be…. no big deal.

All in all, this is my favorite type of hike as it checks all the boxes:

Loop
Over 5 miles
Clearly marked
Rugged
Waterfalls
Swimming hole

I’d honestly like to stay the night here and I’d be tempted to lug in my Canon, especially if the water is up. It’s beautiful. All in all, this was a great day trip and I’m so glad I did it!