The Lehigh River slices through Blue Mountain just south of Palmerton, leaving crumbling, boulder-strewn expanses of exposed rock on either side. Devil's Pulpit -- named both for its resemblance to a church pulpit and the tendency of early settlers to associate barren, rocky landscapes with the devil -- is clearly visible from the river and from the opposite rim of the gap. Composed of weathered quartzite, Devil's Pulpit is accessible from the Appalachian Trail by a short side-trail, and the valley-spanning views from the pulpit make it a popular stopping point for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers.
Blue Ridge Campground, situated less than 15 minutes from Devil's Pulpit near the base of Blue Mountain, offers accommodations that range from primitive tent campsites to full-hookup RV sites with electric, sewer, water and cable TV hookups. Formerly known as Bake Oven Campground -- a name derived from Bake Oven Knob, another nearby rock formation -- this campground also features modern restrooms, hot showers, an outdoor pool, playgrounds, laundry facilities and a recreation room.
Located less than 2 miles from Blue Ridge Campground, StoneyBrook Campground offers many of the same features. Non-electric campsites are not available, and standard sites come with water, sewer, electricity, Wi-Fi and cable hookups. Daily, weekly, monthly and year-round rates are available, the campground is less than 10 miles from the Appalachian Trail's Bake Oven Road trailhead. From this trailhead, the hike to Devil's Pulpit is a little more than 15 miles, round-trip.
Devil's Pulpit is accessible only on foot, and you can approach it from two directions. The longer route begins at the Bake Oven Road trailhead, while the shorter route -- about 4 miles, round-trip -- begins at the small parking area just off Route 873 near the west end of the Lehigh River bridge. Both routes utilize the Appalachian Trail, and backcountry camping is permitted along most of the trail.
Numerous three-sided lean-to shelters are also spaced roughly 10 miles apart along the Appalachian Trail, and you can stay overnight at any of these shelters free of charge. The closest trail shelter to Devil's Pulpit is the George W. Outerbridge Shelter, which sits near the Appalachian Trail junction with the Devil's Pulpit Trail. The Bake Oven Knob shelter is about 7 miles farther west, and the Leroy A. Smith is about 15 miles east of Lehigh Gap.
Camping reservations at Blue Ridge and StoneyBrook campgrounds are available through their respective websites, but reservations are neither required nor accepted at Appalachian Trail shelters. These shelters are strictly first-come, first-served, and can generally accommodate six to eight people. If you arrive at a shelter and find it full, you can pitch a tent near the shelter. All three shelters in the vicinity of Devil's Pulpit have privies and drinking water nearby. Water is available only from springs and streams -- signs near the shelter point the way to the nearest water source -- and this water must be treated or filtered before drinking.
