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The Devil Made Me Climb It: Exploring Transylvania County's Devils Courthouse
Deep within the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, rising high above the French Road River, a rocky promontory juts into the clouds like a defiant fist challenging the very heavens. At least that's how it must have looked to the eyes of the ancient Cherokee, whose legends told that the devil himself, a slant-eyed, seven-fingered giant named Tsul-ka-lu lived deep within in the heart of the towering rock. Tsul-ka-lu, later called Judaculla by the Europeans, was the Great Lord of the Hunt, a powerful being who owned all game. He could leap from mountaintop to mountaintop and control the weather. His voice was like thunder, and his arrows were bolts of lightning. Deep within the earth, the Cherokee believed there was a vast cavern where Judaculla danced and held court, passing diabolical judgment on those devoid courage or virtue. Some Cherokee also tell that the Devils Courthouse was once a place where prisoners or enemies were bound hand and foot, then hurled from the summit to their doom.
Fortunately, a visit to Devil's Courthouse is far less sinister than its name and history suggest — although some would say the steep half-mile climb to its 5,270 foot summit takes a great deal of both courage and virtue. No special equipment is required but you should be in reasonably good shape. The trail is rated as strenuous and it's definitely not for those afraid of heights.
As you hike, be sure to notice the scores of dead fir trees, like silent, skeletal sentinels standing guard over Judaculla’s shadowy domain, The area’s fir population has been decimated by wooly aphids, accidentally introduced in the 1950s, which continue to wreak havoc on the forest to this day.
Once you reach the summit, you’ll find the view well worth the effort. Enjoy a 360-degree view of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The Pisgah National Forest. The headwaters of the Chattooga River and the watersheds of the French Broad, Tuckaseegee, and Pigeon Rivers.
You may see hawks, ravens, vultures, even eagles soaring on currents rising from the valley below. If luck is with you, you may even get a rare glimpse of two endangered species, the northern flying squirrel and the peregrine falcon, both of which call the Courthouse's highest elevations home.
The Courthouse's rare species aren't limited to animals alone, however. It is also home to several rare and delicate plants including rock gnome lichen and spreading avens left behind after the last Ice Age, so please stick to the trail for their protection.
During your visit, don't miss Courthouse Falls, a 45-foot waterfall that flows from the Courthouse’s western face. A moderately easy trail takes you the 1/3 of a mile trail to the falls at the base of the Courthouse, a must-see attraction as impressive as the famed peak towering above it.
So next time you want to take a quick hike that rewards you with one hell of a view, give in to the irresistible temptations of Devils Courthouse and Courthouse Falls. And if you accidentally stumble upon a deep dark cave where a tall dude with seven fingers is dancing? Do yourself a favor and remember your manners!
Directions to Devil's Courthouse:
• Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 422
• Drive .04 miles past the milepost
• Park in the lot west of the Devil's Courthouse peak
• Follow the paved trail that runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Just before the tunnel, turn onto a paved trail into the woods
• As the trail ascends, it becomes an unblazed trail of
rock and forest floor as you climb
• 0.8 miles round trip to and from the summit
To Courthouse Falls:
• Take NC 215 north 10.2 miles
• Turn right onto Forest Service Road 140 (Courthouse Creek Road)
• Follow it 3 miles to a pull-off on the right, just across a stream
• Take the Summey Cove Trail starting to the left for .2 miles
• Take the .1 mile switchback to the left down to the base of the falls
• .6 miles round trip to and from the falls
by Burt Dellinger
