AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Linville Gorge Wilderness

Devil's Hole Trail & Lettered Rock via Linville Gorge Trail

16 mi · ▲ 4,342 ft · 7 hr 30 min

Devil's Hole Trail & Lettered Rock via Linville Gorge Trail is a 16-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Cold Springs, NC. It climbs 4,342 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 58/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,978 – 3,521 ft · steepest grade: 33%16.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Upper Creek Falls Trail 35.96014, -81.86104
Nearest town Cold Springs, NC
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Devil's Hole Trail & Lettered Rock via Linville Gorge Trail

16 mi · ▲ 4,342 ft · 7 hr 30 min

Elevation 1,979–3,522 ft

Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness

Trailhead: Upper Creek Falls Trail · 35.96014, -81.86104

Weather Sep 5: Mostly clear, high 86°F / low 71° · precip 16% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:51 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.8 miBear left, heading SE.
  3. 0.9 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left onto Steels Creek Trail, heading SE.
  5. 1.4 miTurn right onto Lettered Rock, heading S.
  6. 2.2 miBear right, heading W.
  7. 1 miContinue straight onto Devil's Hole Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading W.
  9. 150 ftTurn left onto Devil's Hole Trail, heading W.
  10. 1.1 miTurn left onto Linville Gorge Trail, heading S.
  11. 50 ftReach Lettered Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 50 ftTurn right onto Devil's Hole Trail, heading NW.
  13. 1.1 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading E.
  14. 100 ftTurn left onto Devil's Hole Trail, heading E.
  15. 1.1 miBear left onto Lettered Rock, heading S.
  16. 2.2 miTurn left onto Steels Creek Trail, heading NE.
  17. 1.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
  18. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.9 miBear right, heading NW.
  20. 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/devils-hole-trail-lettered-rock-out-back

Trail surface

67% dirt17% gravel16% unspecified

Weather

Mostly clearTemperature 86°F71°
Precip16%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity69%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°70° 3 AM: 1% rain6 AM: 1% rain7 AM: 1% rain8 AM: 1% rain9 AM: 1% rain10 AM: 1% rain11 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 2% rain1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 10% rain3 PM: 9% rain4 PM: 16% rain5 PM: 10% rain6 PM: 12% rain7 PM: 11% rain8 PM: 12% rain9 PM: 9% rain10 PM: 8% rain11 PM: 10% rain
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:51 PM
Sun 80°64° 82%
Mon 72°61° 75%
Tue 78°55°
Wed 84°59°
Thu 87°64°
Fri 80°63° 31%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Upper Creek Falls Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Cold Springs, North Carolina