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The Devil’s Bathtub? Yep, it’s an actual place in Scott County, Virginia! Basically, The Devil’s Bathtub is a small, rock, swimming hole with crystal clear water located along The Devil’s Fork Loop Trail. It’s a little over a 3-mile roundtrip hike through the woods to get to it so a lot of hikers, adventurers, and curious people visit from all over the country (and probably the world) to see this “bathtub”. There is also a longer, 7-mile hike to go on as well. I opted for the shorter one because I just wanted to see the bathtub and I’m definitely not a hiker!
Now that you know what the “Devil’s Bathtub” is, let’s get to some important things you need to know if you plan on visiting it.
1. The Devil’s Bathtub is in the middle of nowhere.
And this is coming from someone who grew up “in the middle of nowhere”. My sister put in the address for The Devil’s Bathtub that she found online. You can find the address and directions here. It takes some time to get to the destination so it may feel like you’re lost, but that probably means that you are going the right way!
2. Parking sucks.
There’s just no other way to say it. The parking is very limited and you don’t HAVE to have a four-wheel drive vehicle to park in the, so-called, “parking lot” but it is recommended simply because it’s just a tiny dirt road and it looks like it could become muddy pretty quickly.
We took a small car and were fine but ideally, a small four-wheel drive vehicle like a car or jeep may be best. But DO NOT park along the road leading up to the parking area. There are signs everywhere saying that you cannot park along the road and they will tow or fine you.
3. Get there early.
Besides the parking being very limited, if you don’t get there early, you won’t find a spot and you may end up walking a very long way if you have to park half a mile down the road. We got to the parking area around noon and barely found a spot to park. If we would have known, we would have gotten there very early that morning.
4. Come prepared for a very “primitive” hike.
There are no facilities around. There are no places to buy food or water and there are no trashcans. When you hike to The Devil’s Bathtub, you need to keep in mind that there are no amenities and you must pack everything you will need for the hike.
Check out this blog post I wrote for a detailed packing list for The Devil’s Bathtub!
We brought a cooler stocked with bread and sandwich stuff and kept it in the trunk of the car. We ate sandwiches before we hiked and packed a few snacks and water to take with us. I carry a water bottle similar to these because they keep liquids cold (or hot) and the bottle doesn’t leak.
The hike takes a few hours depending on your speed and how long you stay at the swimming area but just take anything that you may need with you and put it in a small backpack. Here is what I usually have in my “adventure pack”. You most likely won’t need a full hiking backpack, unless you’re taking the whole family and need lots of supplies. However, it is good to have something to carry a few of your belongings in and to put trash in!
Please, if you go to The Devil’s Bathtub, pick up your trash! As I mentioned before, there are no trashcans and therefore some feel that it’s okay to just throw trash along the trail. It was disgusting. Just keep your trash and throw it in a trashcan once you leave.
5. You’re going to get wet.
This hiking trail takes you over lots of streams and creeks so wear a shoe that is comfortable to hike in and that is ok to get wet. I wore some old sneakers that I didn’t mind getting dirty or wet. I also wore a swim suit under my clothes because I knew that I would be swimming but that’s completely optional.
A small waterproof bag for my cell phone is something else I brought along with me. I didn’t want to chance dropping my phone in the water and ruining it. Most are affordable and work well!
6. It may be called, “The Devil’s Bathtub” but the water is cold!
And I don’t mean the type of cold water that you experience when you first jump into a pool during the summer. I mean, this is probably the coldest water I have ever swam in. You don’t get used the water at The Devil’s Bathtub! Even though it is extremely cold, you really need to get in.
There was no way that I was hiking all the way up there just to look at the bathtub. I was jumping in. Okay, I sort of slid in while freaking out about how cold it was, but still, now I can say that I have been in The Devil’s Bathtub.
If you’re done with the freezing water of the bathtub, just go several feet from the bathtub and jump into a bigger swimming hole that is slightly less freezing. We swam in both and had a great time!
My dad, sister, and I had a great day hiking up to The Devil’s Bathtub and it was a great way to spend time together and have fun. We had to rely on each other to get through some rough spots along the trail and we got to experience the gorgeous scenery as well. None of us are “hikers”, well, maybe my 67-year-old dad, but we all did the hike and experienced it together.
I definitely recommend checking out The Devil’s Bathtub, the next time you’re in Southwest Virginia and I hope this information and these tips help to make your experience amazing and unforgettable!
Let me know if you’ve ever been to The Devil’s Bathtub or are planning to go. I want to hear from you!
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I have been there last year. I am getting ready to go back this week with a friend. You are so right about the parking, I got there early last time at was able to park way up that small road. I did not have a 4 wheel drive, I had a small van, so I could not even turn around when I left. I had to back out until I reached an area to turn, which was about a 10 point turn. I did make it and so enjoyed the hike, it was a beautiful site to see the bathtub. Thanks for sharing.
The bathtub is so pretty and is a must see! But I do wish there was better parking. I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time hiking!Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read the blog post!