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Mount Mitchell State Park Family camping (camping near Charlotte)
The nine-site family campground is open from May 1 to October 31 with full facilities. Each site is equipped with a grill and picnic table. Restrooms for use during warm seasons are located nearby. Showers and hot water are not provided.
Pack-in camping
Campers may leave vehicles in the park overnight to backpack into the Pisgah National Forest. Visitors who leave their vehicles in the park must register on the forms provided at the trailheads near the parking area or at the park office. Leave the form on the dashboard of your car. Mount Mitchell offers a choice of trails from which to enjoy the nearby alpine woodlands.
Ready to Reserve
It's not uncommon to encounter black bears at Mount Mitchell State Park, particularly in warm weather months.
Mount Mitchell State Park is located in Yancey County, 33 miles north of Asheville off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker #355.
From the West
From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to mile marker #355 and turn left onto NC 128, which leads to the park. Winter conditions may cause delays or closures on the parkway.
To access the park from Asheville when the Parkway is closed from that side, take I-40 East to exit 72, which is the Old Fort Hwy 70 exit. You will go east (through Old Fort) for about 10 miles until you come to NC 80. You will turn left (north) on NC 80 and stay on it for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the signs from there.
From the East
From I-40 West, take exit 86, NC 226 to Marion/Shelby. NC 226 merges with US 221 and US 70 in Marion. Veer left on US 70. After about two miles, turn north on NC 80. Follow NC 80 north/northeast for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway to mile marker #355 and turn right onto NC 128, which leads to the park.
From Highway 19, travel south on Highway 80 and turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway south to mile marker #355 and turn onto NC 128, which leads to the park.
An absolutely wonderful place for an easy hike. Driving the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway to get there was lovely in and of itself, and when you enter the state park (which is FREE), you drive most of the way to the top. They have a nice gift shop, small museum, clean restrooms, and a food area for snacks and drinks. The walking path to the top observation deck is paved, with a moderate incline. We went during a foggy/cloudy day, with low visibility. But it only added to the beauty and mystery. The trails looked like something out of a gothic fairy tale. If I hadn't known I was in North Carolina, I would've thought I was in the Pacific Northwest. A must-see, in any weather.
Beautiful park. I recommend spending as much time there as you can. If you love to hike, I cannot suggest a better place. There are so many different trails to explore. The drive into the park offers quite a few stops or 'overlooks' for views of these breathtaking mountains. I highly recommend the walk up to the Observation Point. The view from here, the highest point, offers a 360° view of the mountains!
It was very foggy at the peak when I visited back in October! Although, I really enjoyed the hike through the fog. I’d love to go back on a clear visibility day. My dog loved the hike as well 🐾🥾🌲
Absolutely gorgeous. The short path up to the observation deck is fairly easy but also steep. It is paved. The observation deck is wheelchair friendly but again, the path up is fairly steep. It was pretty busy when we went but there was a lot of parking. There was a small museum, a gift shop, and bathrooms. There were park rangers to assist.
Mount Mitchell is a beautiful place where you can hike and enjoy enchanted forest. This place is truly beautiful and I enjoyed hiking here with my husband. It's not a difficult hike but in a few places you will have to climb over big boulders. We were able to see some beautiful birds there.
