Devil’s Marbleyard Trail is a strenuous hike in the Natural Bridge area of Virginia. The trail is about 3 miles long but that is not the difficult part. The difficult part is to not look down when you are climbing the rocks up a large mountain. This hike is dangerous and should never be attempted alone.
Devil’s Marbleyard Location
The Devil’s Marbleyard is located outside of Natural Bridge Station. Google will lead you to parking off of 781 and you will continue on a peaceful trail. Make sure you have some stable hiking boots.
Starting the Trail
The beginning of the trail is a gorgeous walk through the trees on a well maintained path. As you go along, however, there are some streams and some elevation increases. This part of the hike is great for anyone wanting to enjoy nature.
Devil’s Marbleyard Boy Scout Camp
As you start the trail, hikers will find the remnants of an old Boy Scout Camp. Camp Powhatan was operational from 1921 through 1949 and it could accommodate 200 people at peak operation. Roanoke and surrounding areas used this camp for their scouts but it is now just a small marker.
The Devil’s Marbleyard
After hikers travel about a mile or more, they will encounter the Marbleyard. This is a stunning sight and a frightening one.
This first glimpse a person has is only HALF of the way up the mountain. Once a hiker gets higher, they will realize they are maybe halfway up if they are lucky. These rocks seems to go on forever into the sky. It is an awe inspiring sight.
Climbing the Marbleyard
Setting off to climb the Devil’s Marbleyard takes some willpower. The wall of rocks are intimidating and you cannot go alone. Make sure to go slowly and look a few rocks ahead for a path.
As you climb higher, you will notice the “second shelf” of rocks to get all the way up. Initially, the climb looks big, but its even bigger as a hiker goes up higher. Be ready for that!
There are many great places to take pictures since you are climbing a mountain of rocks. Eventually, the other mountains come into view and it is breathtaking.
Hikers should make sure to take breaks and make sure their footing is secure. Also, they should be on the lookout for snakes that live in the rocks and large spiders. Unfortunately, these creatures LOVE to live in these large rocks.
Coming back down
Once hikers make it up to the top, they have two ways to get back down after they enjoy the view. First, guests can attempt to climb back down the rocks. I do no recommend this and I don’t think anyone would want to as it gets very steep.
The safer, better option is the trail to the right of the mountain. When looking at the rocks, as you go up, this trail is to the right. Unfortunately, this trail is incredibly steep so hikers need to make sure to be very careful and watch their footing. Take as long as you need to scale back down this tall climb.
Final thoughts on Devil’s Marbleyard
Personally, I prefer a hike that is more traditional and less of rock climbing. We have done many hikes in the past, but I found that this one was not my favorite. As we were climbing, I found myself trying to continue to push myself but I refused to look up very much as the footing is not stable.
In conclusion, this hike is a great challenge and is unique. However, don’t be surprised if you get halfway up and feel intimidated. Hikers should never go alone, wear appropriate footwear and bring snacks. Be ready for a challenge, but never be ashamed to turn around if you feel unable to finish.