COVID-19 information for parks (Updated 3/26/2021)
Posted on: Friday, March 26, 2021 - 1:54pm |
Trails
Current status of park facilities
The summit observation tower is now open every day.
Picnic Shelters are available on a first come first serve basis, and are not reservable this time of year.
The following facilities are closed for the season:
- Restrooms at the Summit
- Campground
- Restaurant
- Gift shop and Snack Bar
- Museum
The park office lobby area is open for self-service information from 9:00am to 5:00pm daily.
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 parking lot. 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: Saturday, April 3, 2021
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:
9:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays; closed on weekends
- April to October:
9:00am 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 5:00pm
►
- 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:
