Hikes in Mount Mitchell State Park

Home > Trailheads > Mount Mitchell State Park > Hikes

Here are suggested routes for hiking at the Mount Mitchell State Park trailhead. Each one is a best hike on this web site and contains all the information you need to take the hike on your next trip!

Camp Alice/CommissaryOld Mitchell Trail

Length:
2.5 mi		Difficulty:
Easy
Climb: (360ft)
Climbs Gently		Tread:
Few Obstacles

An easy hike along an old railroad bed (now a graveled, rarely used park road) to an old logging and tourist camp below the summit and then to a beautiful, popular National Forest campsite. You'll wind around a grassy, open mountain ridge. Examine the high-elevation boreal forest and pick buckets of wild blueberries during the late summer. Cross the crystal-clear Lower Creek and continue on an easy path through spectacular alpine forests and meadows. Hike suitable for children!

More About This Hike:
| Details | Map | Photos

Length:
4 mi		Difficulty:
More Difficult
Climb: (975ft)
Hilly		Tread:
Moderately Rough

Don't be like the rest of the tourists and drive to the top: take a real hike to the summit of Mount Mitchell! This moderate trail climbs from the Park Office roughly 2 miles to the summit along a beautiful and historic, newly-completed trail. The entire trail is above 6000' in elevation, meaning even during the summer you'll stay cool and refreshed. See close-up the changing ecosystem and examples of boreal forest vegetation. You'll pass the park restaurant and campground on the way. Return through historic Camp Alice on an easy old roadbed back up to the park office.

More About This Hike:
| Details | Map | Photos

Mount Mitchell

Length:
11.4 mi		Difficulty:
Most Difficult
Climb: (3689ft)
Climbs Steeply		Tread:
Very Rough

Starting at the Black Mountain Campground on the Toe River, this hike climbs 3600' over 5 1/2 miles, making it one of the toughest climbs in the area. You'll enjoy a varied forest that changes with the elevation and, of course, spectacular views. Much of the forest is old-growth, and you'll pass through stands of Red Spruce that help explain why this tree was such a valued resource. A side loop to a majestic alpine meadow helps provide round-trip variety.

More About This Hike:
Trailhead | Details | Map | Photos

Mount Mitchell State Park