Home >
Trailheads >
Mount Mitchell State Park >
Trail InformationA paved road leads to a summit parking area within just a short stroll of the top of Mount Mitchell. The Summit Trail, 0.1 mile, is graveled and has several sets of stairs and log steps. This is the easiest access to the stone observation tower on the peak. About halfway up the Summit Trail, the Nature Trail bears left and loops through the cool forest of Fraser Firs just below the summit and leads back to the parking area. Starting at the parking area at the Park Office, the Commissary Trail is an easy walk to Camp Alice - a historic logging, and later, tourist camp below the summit. The Old Mitchell Trail leads from the Park Office, past the campground, to the Summit Trail. The Mount Mitchell Trail leads from the Toe River valley 3600' below the summit all the way to the top. Most of this trail is on National Forest property, but its terminus - and highlight - is in Mount Mitchell State Park, so it is included here. Finally, the Deep Gap (or Black Mountains Crest) trail follows the ridgeline from the park's Picnic Area across Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Cattail Peak, and Potato Hill before descending to Deep Gap. Nearly all trails connect with trails on adjacent U.S. Forest Service land, making for excellent backpacking opportunities.
This is a short loop through a dense fir forest at summit. Start from the parking area; proceed up the Summit trail and bear left at the sign onto the Mountains to Sea trail. Bear left again at the next intersection to head back to the parking area. This self-guiding nature trail identifies unique elements of this boreal forest. Some climbing is required and some sections are rocky and/or have steps. A short spur near the end leads to the highest spring east of the Mississippi.
Leads from Camp Alice to the Old Mitchell Trail just above the campground. The Mountains to Sea trail follows this route. Steep and rough, but short and well-built trail that travels through beautiful sections of fraser fir forests.
This is an easy walk on a gently sloping gravel road to a historic logging, and later, tourist camp site below the summit. Starts at Stepps Gap at the Park Office. Provides spectacular views of Mount Mitchell and the mountains below. Passes through grassy fields on Bearwallow and Grassy Knob Ridges; also Spruce-Fir forests. Connects with the Mountains to Sea Trail, the Camp Alice Trail, and the Buncombe Horse Range Trail which continues 0.8 mi beyond Camp Alice to Commissary Ridge, a popular campsite on National Forest property. Crosses Lower Creek just before Camp Alice.
USGS Map Number: 179
Starting from the picnic area, crosses Mt. Craig (2nd highest mountain in the East), Big Tom, Cattail Peak, and Potato Hill (all above 6000') before descending to Deep Gap. Deep gap is a popular National Forest campsite. There are spectacular views in places, with balds on Mt. Craig and dense spruce-fir forests with some mixed high-elevation hardwoods elsewhere. High elevation rugged trail with lots of exposure, with very steep and rough sections. No water along the way. Also called the Black Mountains Crest Trail.
USGS Map Number: 190
This long, strenuous trail leads from the Black Mountain Campground (USFS) to the summit. Most of the trail is on USFS property. Climbs 3600' in 5.5 miles. It's steep and rough in sections, but there are spectacular views. You'll travel through a mixed hardwood forest at lower elevations, dense, old-growth spruce forests in upper elevations and almost pure stands of Fraser Fir at the top. An alternate trail to Higgins Bald adds 0.2 miles to the length. This path is shared with the Mountains to Sea Trail along its entire route.
Leads from the park office to the Summit trail. Travels through a dense spruce-fir forest; though the trees are mostly firs along the ridges. There are some wet, rocky, steep and/or exposed cliff sections. Provides spectacular views of the summit and surrounding mountains as well as close-up examination of the high-elevation flora. Trail passes the restaurant and campground. This path is shared with the Mountains to Sea Trail beyond the intersection with the Camp Alice/Mountains to Sea Trail.
This easy leg stretcher leads from the summit parking area to the observation tower at the summit itself. It is a graveled path through a decimated fir forest; nearly all the large firs are dead but new ones are sprouting everywhere to take their place. The tower provides spectacular views from the highest point east of the Mississippi river. There are log steps and several sets of stairs required to reach the top.
