When researching hikes near our cabin in Pisgah National Forest, I kept coming across Devil’s Courthouse along the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, what we didn’t realize was that the Blue Ridge Parkway closes every winter. Due to the high elevation, the Parkway can get so much snow and ice that driving on it becomes treacherous. We were initially disappointed, but we soon found out that we could still park anywhere the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects another road and just walk along the parkway. While it’s an annoyance to motorists looking to do some scenic driving, it’s a pure heaven for folks that want to stroll or bike on the parkway itself. So that is exactly what we did.

They have these giant gates blocking vehicle traffic on the Parkway but pedestrian and bicycle traffic is fully permitted and even encouraged. How cool!

Even though it was late December, there was barely any snow on the ground. The sky was a perfect blue, and the air had a chilly crisp mountain freshness to it. It was the perfect day for a stroll.

After a short and easy walk, we came upon the Devil’s Courthouse Overlook. If we were driving, this was where we would have parked. But even though we weren’t driving, we still stopped and admired the sweeping views.

You could see miles of smoky air over endless mountain ranges. The smoke effect is caused due to the natural vapor release from all the trees and vegetation covering the mountains. We couldn’t stop taking in the spectacular views and the serenity around us. From time to time, we would see an eagle or a hawk flying way off in the distance. It was inspiring to just watch it fly with such ease and finesse while gliding across what seemed like one peak to the other.

But enough of the overlook. We were ready for the actual Devil’s Courthouse! We came across the Devil’s courthouse trailhead just a bit further down the parkway. This short 0.9 mile round-trip hike goes through a path between thick forest of balsam trees. It started out pretty easy. There was definitely an incline, but the path was paved, and there were benches here and there to rest. But then we turned a corner and we were suddenly faced with a new challenge. The trail path itself was covered with frozen ice that looked like a waterfall frozen in time. This made hiking up even more fun as we had to hop on and off rocks that were peeking just a tad bit above the ice pack.

When we finally got to the top, we were greeted with sweeping panoramic views of mountains and valleys as far as the eye could see. The air felt crisp, clean, and extremely refreshing. We found a nice quiet spot on top of a rock and enjoyed some snacks while taking in the views and soaking in the glorious sunshine.

It was neat to use the large metal plates that the National Park Service had placed which helped us not only discover the names of some of the peaks but also get a sense of how far they were. The visibility was so good that day that we could see mountain peaks as far as 25 miles away. Legend has it that the devil holds a court in a cave deep in one of the mountains that gives this hike the flagship name.

After making our way down the Devil’s Courthouse hike, we wanted to do some more exploring. There was a tunnel entrance right next to the trailhead so we headed that way. When else do you get to just walk through a tunnel?!? It was exhilarating to feel the chill inside the tunnel and be able to hear our echo.

The tunnel opened up to more sweeping views of the mountains, and there was barely anyone else around. We were giddy to be able to have the parkway and nature all to ourselves.

After walking another couple of miles, we decided to take a break and relax on a blanket on the side of the road. We had some drinks and tasty snacks and enjoyed the  sweet sunshine hitting our faces. And even though we were next to a road, it felt like we were worlds away from civilization.

I imagine driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway is amazing. But, I highly recommend checking it out in the winter when it is closed to vehicles. There is just something so unique and cool about walking the parkway.