New COVID-19 information for parks under phase 2.5
Posted on: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 5:00pm |
Activities
Restrooms are open.
The summit observation tower is now open every day.
The gift shop and concessions are now open. It will be operating under reduced hours and will be debit/credit sales only. Face masks and social distancing required.
- Friday - Tuesday
- 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
The park office lobby area is open for self-service information from 8:00am to 5:00pm daily.
The campground inside the park is open. Reservations required; no walk-ins permitted. Reserve online or by calling 1-877-722-6762. There is no check-in at the office. Please go straight to your campsite. No firewood is available for sale. Please bring your own kiln-dried firewood, available at most supermarkets and gas stations. The Campground is fully booked through the end of the Season (Oct. 15th), unless someone cancels.
The following facilities remain closed:
- Restaurant
- Museum
Overnight parking is permitted for people backcountry camping in the surrounding National Forest. Please fill out a parking pass and leave it on the dashboard of your car. Passes are located in the boxes where the overnight parking signs are at the summit, and the restaurant parking lots. There is no charge for this. The US Forest Service is not permitting camping at Commissary Hill at the moment. There is no overnight parking permitted at the park office.
Please check the weather forecast and prepare accordingly.
To check Blue Ridge Parkway road closures, please visit their website.
Please note that this alert is updated only when something changes.
Last updated on: Thursday, September 10, 2020
Contact the park
828-675-4611
mount.mitchell@ncparks.gov
Restaurant
828-675-1888
Address
Park office
2388 N.C. 128
Burnsville, NC 28714
GPS: 35.7528, -82.2737
Hours
►
- November to February:
7:00am to 6:00pm
- March to April:
7:00am to 8:00pm
- May to August:
7:00am to 10:00pm
- September to October:
7:00am to 9:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- November to March:
8:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays; closed on weekends
- April to October:
8:00am to 5:00pm daily
- Closed Christmas Day
►
- The museum is currently closed until further notice.
- May to October:
10:00am to 6:00pm
►
- The restaurant is currently closed all year for renovations.
- May 3 to August 31:
11:00am to 7:00pm
- September 1 to October 31:
11:00am to 7:00pm
►
- May 24 to November 30:
Friday to Tuesday:
10:00am to 5:30pm
►
- This service is temporarily unavailable until further notice.
- July 1 to October 31:
Friday to Sunday:
10:00am to 6:00pm
- At any other time:
Please call the park office several days ahead of your visit to schedule this assistance.
Things to do
Hiking
The park is a great place for a hike! See the Trails page for more information.
Picnicking
Try a mile-high picnic at Mount Mitchell. The shady picnic area, open year-round, is located at the north end of the summit parking lot. Forty picnic tables, stone grills and drinking water supply all the essentials. Two picnic shelters with fireplaces are perfect for group picnics. Each shelter accommodates up to 16 people. Use of the shelters is free of charge unless reservations are requested.
Concession Stand / Gift Shop
A concession stand and gift shop, adjacent to the summit parking lot, is open daily from May through October from 10am until 6pm. Light snacks, crafts and books may be purchased here. Restrooms are also available.
Restaurant
Enjoy a relaxing meal in the restaurant located approximately a half mile from the park office. Open May through October, hungry hikers and tourists will enjoy the restaurant's food as well as its scenic views. Open 7 days a week from 10am until one hour before park closing May through October.
Park Maps and Brochures:
