Mount Mitchell State Park is simply stunning. This park was the first State Park in North Carolina – earning that honor in 1915. Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet. That might not seem too high for our friends out west, but on the east coast that is massive!

Mount Mitchell is named after Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. It was named after him because of his work in determining that this was indeed the highest peak. There was a ton of controversy and back and forth with this, but Mitchell was able to calculate within 12 feet the height that modern equipment came up with – most impressive. In his honor, the mountain was named after him and his grave is actually at the summit. This park is truly unique and has a ton to offer its visitors.

We recently visited during our trip to Hendersonville. Here is what you need to know!

Where Is Mount Mitchell State Park

Mount Mitchell is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 355 at Highway 128. It is about 30 miles north of Asheville. On this most recent trip we were coming from Hendersonville and spent some time at the Folk Arts Center at mile marker 380. Because the Parkway is run by the National Parks System we were able to pick up another stamp in our National Park Passport Book.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a trip in itself. It runs between the Great Smokey Mountains and Shenandoah Valley National Parks. This is the most visited location run by the National Park Service and it is simply amazing. The Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives you will ever go on. Every time of the year is great, but you can’t beat the colors of the fall. This is a cruisin’ road, don’t expect to be getting anywhere fast. The goal is to relax, enjoy the various visitors centers and overlooks, and take in all that these beautiful mountains have to offer.

What To Do At Mount Mitchell State Park

There is surprisingly a lot to do at this park. It is more than a high point with a view. We started our time here by checking out the visitors center. This really is one of the oldest and least impressive visitors centers in the State. It isn’t bad, pretty much just an office. There is a nice area towards the peak though with a gift shop, snack area, and some information. Definitely check that out. We got our Passport Book stamp at the visitors center. We do not know if it is available at the summit. Let us know in the comments if you have gotten a stamp up there.

The Summit

The summit of Mount Mitchell is the (get ready for it) high point of a trip to Mount Mitchell. You can drive your car all the way to the top and only have a short 280-yard walk to the top. This walk is pretty steep, but it is paved and pretty easy. At the top there is a great observation deck with 360-degree views. You can see for 85 miles from this deck on a clear day.

That brings us to an important bit of information. If you are going to Mount Mitchell get there early in the day. The reason for this is because of the elevation, clouds form later in the day. If you want a clear view, come in the morning for your best opportunity. We have been up there on both clear and cloudy days. They are both pretty fun. Cloudy days you are literally in the middle of the cloud. Silas definitely loved it. Also, because of the elevation it is cold! We went this last time in July and it was in the high 50’s/low 60’s.

The observation deck is really cool. There are four signs in each direction that point out the mountains that you are looking at. It is so cool to see so many mountains we know and have hiked from that angle. Don’t miss the marker on the ground either, a nice little touch.

Hiking

One of the reasons why the summit is so cool is because one of the most interesting trails in the whole State Park System is up there. The Balsam Nature Trail is a short .75 mile trail that has an average temperature of 36 degrees and receives more rainfall than anywhere else in the state (139 inches in 2018). Because of this, this State Park has more rare plant and animal species than any other in the state. The Balsam Nature Trail is where you can see it. When you are hiking on this trail it is almost like you are transported to the Pacific Northwest. It is amazing. There are more shades of green here than I have ever seen before at one place. It is really unique for our state.

We didn’t have time to hike any other trails on this trip, but there are plenty more here. These trails can take you from the visitors center at the park entrance all the way to the top. These trails vary in level from easy too difficult. The easy ones do not take you all the way to the top.

What’s Around Mount Mitchell

There is so much to do around Mount Mitchell State Park. You have the Parkway with all of the views and stops, but you are also near so many great little towns and cities. On this trip we headed north for a visit to Little Switzerland for lunch. There is a restaurant on Mount Mitchell, but we heard about The Switzerland Cafe on the NC BBQ Trail so we had to check that out.

Little Switzerland is about a 45 minute drive north on the Parkway. It is a beautiful drive and well worth it. Little Switzerland is located at mile marker 334 and is such a cool little village. There are plenty of little shops and restaurants and even a couple of hotels.

The food at The Switzerland Cafe was fantastic. This might have been the best BBQ we have had since we started visiting different stops along the BBQ Trail. It was really smoky and the sauce was great. Their soup of the day was tomato basil so we split a bowl. We thought it would be creamy but it was what it said it was – soup. We thought we wouldn’t like it but it was so good. They told us we had to try one of their daily homemade cakes. It didn’t take too much convincing on their end. They all looked so yummy. We went with a lemon blueberry mascarpone cake. It was ridiculously good. This was a great late lunch stop.

Takeaways From Mount Mitchell

We loved our time and will be back. Here is what we learned!

• Go early, this will give you the best chance for a clear view. If it is sunny at lower elevations, it doesn’t mean there won’t be clouds at the top. If you are in the area multiple days, check the weather for the best days.
• Pack a jacket, it is cold up at the top.
• Remember mountain travel takes longer. A 20-mile trip can take close to an hour.
• Take your time on the Parkway. The journey is part of the adventure. Make stops and experience as much as you can.
• Take the Balsam Nature Trail down (not up). It is super awesome.
• There is a restaurant at the top – we have heard mixed reviews but you have quite a view.
• If you have time check out Little Switzerland, especially the cafe.

Pin it for Later!

Have you ever been to Mount Mitchell? What is the biggest mountain you have been on? Hope you can check this out someday and enjoy going the adventure way!

PS! Don’t miss our complete rankings of all of the NC State Parks 41-1!