Mount Mitchell State Park
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.
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.
- 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
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).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- 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.
January
- Below-freezing nights
February
- Below-freezing nights
March
- Below-freezing nights
April
- Below-freezing nights
May
June
July
August
September
October This month
November
- Below-freezing nights
December
- Below-freezing nights
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.
Nearby parks
-
South Mountains State Park
A backcountry park in the foothills east of Asheville, with an 80-foot (24 m) waterfall and 50 miles (80 km) of trail.
-
Jones Gap State Park
A deep mountain cove on the Middle Saluda River, with Rainbow Falls and trails into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness.
-
Caesars Head State Park
A granite overlook on the Blue Ridge Escarpment and the trail to 420-foot (128 m) Raven Cliff Falls.
-
Table Rock State Park
A granite dome above the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, with a tough summit climb and the 76-mile (122 km) Foothills Trail.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
Looking for somewhere closer to home?
See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.