Overlooking the Depths of Hell

Trail Thoughts and Musings

The end of the ascent is so abrupt that this vista of Bumpass Hell comes as a surprise. The first hint is detected by your nose and not your eyes. The unmistakable odor of "rotten eggs" can be detected long before you see the geothermal area. Bumpass Hell was named after Kendall Vanhook Bumpass who discovered it and lost his leg as a result of burns suffered when stepping into a thermal pool.