COVID-19 information for parks under phase 3
Posted on: Monday, October 5, 2020 - 2:12pm |
Trails
Current status of park facilities
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 to 1:00pm, 2:00pm to 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 as of 10/20/20. 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 website calls them walk-in, but they are same day reservations*
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: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 Campground OPEN
The 9 site campground at Mount Mitchell State Park will be open as of as of 10/20/20 for reservations.
You must have a reservation to camp. In-person transactions are not performed at the park.
Reservations Phone Number: 877-722-6762
Website: https://northcarolinastateparks.reserveamerica.com/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NC&parkId=552858
Last updated on: Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Park at capacity by 10 a.m. on weekend days
Mount Mitchell State Park reaches parking capacity most good weather weekend days during the fall season. When all parking spaces are full, incoming traffic will be turned away. Weekdays are the best time to visit. If you plan on visiting on a weekend, visit early in the day or in the late afternoon, and be prepared for alternate plans if the park is full when you arrive.
Last updated on: Wednesday, September 30, 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 22:
Friday to Tuesday:
10:00am to 1:00pm, 2:00pm 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.
List of trails
Choose between a short stroll or a more extensive hike into the woods. Either choice will be rewarding as the beauty of the park is best seen from one of its many trails.
Please read the information about hiking safety at the park.
Old Mitchell Trail
Location: Park office
Description:
The Old Mitchell Trail, used by explorers as early as the 1840s, was the primary trail for reaching Mount Mitchell during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. This preserved trail originated along the North Fork of the Swannanoa River, extended along the crests of the Black Mountains and ended at the summit of Mount Mitchell. Today, this trail is mainly hiked 2.2 miles from the park office to the summit. Hikers are frequently rewarded for walking this 1.5-hour-long, strenuous distance with observing deer in their natural habitat.
ALERT: Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and carry proper gear, as the high altitude makes the climate of Mount Mitchell chilly, even in summer. Beware of ice on trails.
Surface: natural surface
Length:
2.20 miles
one way
2.20 miles
one way
Difficulty:
strenuous hike
strenuous hike
Blaze:
yellow circle
yellow circle
Summit Trail
Location: Upper summit parking lot
Description:
This 280-yard paved road begins at the upper summit parking lot and leads to the summit observation platform. On a clear day, visitors can see as far as 85 miles and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the Pisgah National Forest.
ALERT: This short, paved trail is fairly steep. Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and carry proper gear, as the high altitude makes the climate of Mount Mitchell chilly, even in the summer. Beware of ice on trails.
Surface: paved
Length:
0.15 miles
one way
0.15 miles
one way
Difficulty:
easy hike
easy hike
Blaze:
Park Maps and Brochures:
