Mount Mitchell State Park Photo: Ken Thomas / Public domain
United States › North Carolina

Mount Mitchell State Park

ByWilderness Experts

Fast facts

  • Established: 1915, the first park in North Carolina’s state park system
  • Highest point: Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet (2,037 m), the highest point east of the Mississippi River
  • Trail links: the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the Black Mountain Crest Trail
  • Gateway: Asheville and Burnsville
  • Managed by: NC State Parks

The landscape

Mount Mitchell crowns the Black Mountains, a high ridge covered in dark spruce-fir forest more like Canada than the South. Weather here is often cold, windy and foggy, and snow can fall in any month outside summer. Views from the summit deck stretch across the Blue Ridge on clear days. Black bears, red squirrels and northern birds live here.

Best time to go

Summer is the main season, with cool temperatures. Fall colour comes early here, in late September and early October. Winter brings ice and road closures.

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Getting there and around

The park is reached from the Blue Ridge Parkway on NC 128, which climbs to a parking area near the summit. Sections of the Parkway close for weather and repairs, and there are no gas stations near the park.

Things to do

A short trail leads from the parking area to the summit observation deck. Longer trails descend into the surrounding wilderness, and the Black Mountain Crest Trail runs north over Mount Craig and the other peaks of the range. Backpackers use the park’s backpacking tent sites or park overnight to head into Pisgah National Forest.

Staying safe

Weather on the summit can be dramatically colder and windier than in Asheville; carry layers and rain gear. Trails off the summit are steep and rocky. Store food from bears. Check the Parkway status before you drive, and fill your tank in Asheville.

Know before you go

This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm road access and trail status with NC State Parks before you go.

Navigation
Coordinates
35.8040, -82.2944
Magnetic declination
7.2° W (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

21 places in Mount Mitchell State Park

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

Getting there 1

Park entrance

On the trail 3

Route

Campground

Picnic site

Sights 17

Viewpoints

Waterfall

Heritage site

Peaks 9

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Day hikeWeekend backpackingScenic drive

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
MountainsAlpineForest
Key hazards
Coldwind and fog at high elevationIce and snow (roads close in winter)Steeprocky trailsBlack bears
Best seasons
Summer, Fall (foliage)
Difficulty
Easy to strenuous
Access / trailheads
The Blue Ridge Parkway and NC 128, about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Asheville. Parkway sections close for weather and repairs, and there is no gas near the park.
Water
Streams; treat all water.
Cell / satellite coverage
Fair at the summit, patchy on trails.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Emergencies: 911.
Permits & regulations
Tent sites are for backpackers only. Overnight parking is available for backpackers heading into Pisgah National Forest.
Leave No Trace
Stay on trails through the fragile spruce-fir forest, camp only at designated sites, and pack out all waste.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high54°F(12°C)12°C(54°F)
Average low37°F(3°C)3°C(37°F)
Rainfall6.2 in(158 mm)158 mm(6.2 in)
Daylight, mid-month11 h 20 minSunrise 7:34 a.m., sunset 6:55 p.m.

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

Plan a trip here →

Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Mount Mitchell station, 3 miles (6 km)6 km (3 miles) away at 6,240 feet (1,902 m)1,902 m (6,240 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-09-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

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