Mount Mitchell is the highest mountain peak in the eastern U.S. and the best part is you can camp there.
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We camped on Mount Mitchell, and it was so wonderful that we didn’t want to leave! Who knew sleeping at nearly 6,684 feet would be so tranquil? Continue reading to learn more about this North Carolina State Park, tips for camping, and catching the sunset and sunrise at the peak.
Mount Mitchell State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park paved the way for the North Carolina State Parks system which was the first state park system in the Southeast. After the locals of the area voiced their concerns for keeping the location safe from the destruction of logging, Governor Locke Craig decided to campaign for making Mount Mitchell North Carolina’s first State Park in 1915. For his efforts, the second tallest mountain located next to Mount Mitchell was named Mount Craig in his honor.
Mount Mitchell is named after Dr. Elisha Mitchell who is credited for measuring the height of the mountain back in the early 1800s and claiming that it’s the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. Of course, there were arguments against this and one that I find most interesting is that of Thomas Clingman. If you read about Clingman’s Dome in my previous post, then this name may ring a bell. That’s right, Thomas Clingman is who the tallest mountain in the Smokies is named after. However, he fought to claim the record finding Mount Mitchell to be of his own work as well. And Clingman was a student of Dr. Mitchell’s when he was a professor at the University of North Carolina before this mountain measuring mission began. Small world? Or maybe only a handful of men are crazy enough to scale mountains in hopes of finding the tallest. At the end of the day though, both have their own highest peaks, which is what I find as an interesting ending to the story. And what for? As Timothy Silver who wrote a book regarding this Mount Mitchell drama said, “Elevation is a relative thing. It only means something in regard to something else. I’m not sure anyone actually knows the absolute elevation of Mount Mitchell today.” To learn more about Mount Mitchell’s history, check out Timothy Silver’s book.
Camping on Mount Mitchell
This was one of my favorite camping experiences and I highly suggest camping on Mount Mitchell. It’s important to note, however, that the campsites are walk-up only. This means you park your vehicle in the parking lot at the bottom and walk-up steps to your campsite. There are nine campsites in total with number one being the closest to the parking lot and number nine the furthest.
We stayed at campsite number two and loved it. You have to go up about two flights of stairs to get to it but then it’s only another two flights of stairs to the restrooms. It’s also got the perfect hammock hanging space as it backs up to the forest. All the campsites are pretty secluded from each other with the forest trees and bushes creating somewhat of a privacy barrier.
The restrooms are quite nice as well, however they ask that you don’t wash dishes in the sinks. Since this is bear country, you must be careful to not leave any traces of food out. Each campsite comes equipped with a bear box for locking up such items. However, we didn’t want to attract any to our site, so we just left all our food items in the vehicle parked below.
Hiking on Mount Mitchell
There are a few hiking trails that trace over Mount Mitchell. Some people choose to backpack camp into the Pisgah National Forest from here. If you want to hike from the bottom to the top of the mountain, that is also an option on the Old Mitchell Trail. Or if you want to keep it short, there’s a loop trail about a mile long through the Fraser fir forest.
We hiked the Balsam Nature Trail right before sunset and found it to be quite peaceful. There’s something unique about hiking through a forest that only has one type of tree. This spruce-fir forest feels like another world and sometimes you’ll get a whiff of Christmas from the scent of them. Of course, we were paranoid of seeing a bear the entire time, but we did not. Overall, the trail is fairly easy with just a few gradual inclines and sets of steps. I highly recommend adding this hike to your stay at Mount Mitchell. There aren’t many spruce-fir forests left and this is a wonderful place to experience.
Catching the Sunset on Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell’s summit is the perfect vantage point for watching a Blue Ridge Mountain sunset. Which makes sense considering it’s the highest point in the Eastern United States. It’s a short drive from the camping area to the summit parking lot. From here you can hike the Balsam Nature Trail for a scenic trip. Or you can choose to head directly up to the summit. The walk up to the summit is a concrete path just over a tenth of a mile in length. It’s uphill but not nearly as steep and definitely not as long as the climb to Clingman’s Dome. When you’re planning for this, remember to allow five to eight minutes to walk to the top from the parking lot.
Our sunset views were not the greatest as storm clouds blocked most of the view. But it was still worth the effort. We had fairly clear skies in other directions and could see for miles into the valleys below. And we even saw a rainbow on the way up. Probably thanks to those storm clouds so if you get a choice between rainbow or sunset, I’d be satisfied with either.
Watching the Sunrise on Mount Mitchell
Of course, we had to watch the sunrise on Mount Mitchell too. This was by far my favorite sunrise of the trip. I’m sure I would have enjoyed the sunset the night before a little better had rain clouds not covered it. Since the Mount Mitchell State Park closes at 10pm, there were more spectators for the sunset. However, the park does not open until 7am making it impossible to enjoy the sunrise from the summit unless you’re already inside the park camping from the night prior. It’s an early morning, but I highly recommend doing this if you camp here.
Gift Shop and Museum
The Balsam Gift Shop and Museum are located right at the base of the summit. They are open from 9:30am to 5:00pm. I found the small museum to be quite fascinating despite its size. It elaborates on the history of Mount Mitchell and the birth of the state park very well. There’s visual, audio, and hands-on exhibits to enthrall visitors of all ages. The Balsam Gift Shop is also small but there are lots of gifts and souvenirs to be found here. I was also impressed with the prices and the fact that the sales tax is already included in the total, making paying with cash even easier.
Additional Tips for Mount Mitchell
If you decide to camp here, be sure to make reservations online before arrival. Campsites are known to go quickly here; however, we were able to get our campsite less than a week in advance. But another family there said that they made sure to make their reservations months in advance.
We camped in early August, but at this elevation it got down to the low 50s at night. Be sure you’re prepared for camping in cooler weather, even in the summer. Campsites are available during season which is May through October.
Even though sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway will close during icy conditions, Mount Mitchell State Park is open year-round. If you decide to visit during a snowy season, be sure to check for open routes. You may have to go north of the park just to get on the Parkway from there to access it. And in some cases, the park will not be accessible at all if the entire area of the Parkway is closed. Be sure to check the park status before you head out.
In Closing
Mount Mitchell is one of the most peaceful and almost luxurious camping experiences I’ve had to date. I would love to go back and camp there for a week. Enjoying the tranquility of the campsite and exploring the miles and miles of hiking trails nearby would be amazing to me. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever visited Mount Mitchell or if you plan to now that you know about it.
Don’t miss this week’s video! I share the experience and some humor from our trip which perfectly sums up what Mount Mitchell State Park is like. Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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