I've driven, hiked, and biked to summit parking lot. This range and Grandfather rank as my all time favorites. Been to summit in shorts and t-shirts, been to summit in blizzard. Have seen the growth, death, and regrowth of the spruce forest over the last 23 years. The views after a winter cold front has passed are almost without comparison. Everyone should read History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains: Exploration, Development, and Preservation (Paperback) by S. Kent Schwarzkopf or Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains : An Environmental History of the Highest Peaks in Eastern America (Hardcover)by Timothy Silver. Facinating place.
Route Climbed: Mitchell trail from campground Date Climbed: December 1996
Highest point in eastern North America! Earned it from the bottom instead of the road to the top. Black mountain crest is really beautiful and rugged. Good views and very windy.
Route Climbed: Old Mount Mitchell Trail Date Climbed: October 2004
I did this one first as a drive-up with my girlfriend. Later, I did it with my brother and we decided to walk up. The Blue Ridge Parkway was closed after the summit road due to trees felled by one of the many Hurricanes that year. (Ivan?) We had intended on going to Blackrock, but it was too late and I didn't have a good enough map to navigate around. We decided ultimately to do a shorter hike up, on the Old Mount Mitchell trail (see park map) which runs parralell to the road but which feels islolated at times. The total hike was two miles through sometimes lush forest. I'd recommend this trail to anyone who wants to hike up the summit but is constrained by time or other factors.
Route Climbed: From parking lot Date Climbed: September 16, 2003
Highpoint #23. Got here a little while before the gate opened, caught a few ZZZs before driving up. Third stop in our effort to bag GA-SC-NC-TN-VA-KY in 24 hours. Went up around sunrise once the gate opened. Definitely want to come back & hike around here.
Mt. Mitchell appears to be just at the height where a treeline would form if it were any higher. The trees are having some trouble staying alive at the summit. You can actually tell the difference in the air, as well, even if it is only 6600 feet up. Nice view from the lookout tower.
Started at the Black Mountain Campground and hiked to the top on a great, clear day. The hike itself was shorter and easier than expected, but to our surprise, the Black Mountain Campground and access was closed due to construction. Had to walk an extra few miles to get to trailhead, i suggest you check the Park Service website first.
Route Climbed: Old Mitchell Trail Date Climbed: October 29, 2005
Not a cloud in the sky all day. In the low 30s on top; it had just snowed a day or two before, so much of the trail and trees were covered. Great day. Also took in Hallback, Gibbes and Potato Knob.
Route Climbed: Colbert Ridge/Deep Gap trail Date Climbed: Apr 03 2005
Did a day-hike to Mt Mitchell. Round trip 16-17 miles. started from the Carolina Hemlocks campground on NC-80 and went up the Colbert Ridge trail. The followed the Deep Gap trail via Cattail Peak, Big Tom and Mt Craig to Mt Mitchell. Got lost on the way down and finished somewhere on Locust Drive.
I did this hike twice last year in Sep and Oct 2004. A lot of bush-whacking was required then. While going down Colbert Ridge, watch-out for a fork (if you take the left you would have a long walk down a mountain road which eventually becomes Locust Drive).
Route Climbed: Drive-up Date Climbed: June 21, 2003
An easy drive up....Too bad..place was crawling with tourists, couldn't even get any good pictures. This was first stop on a 4 state highpoint loop and my 7th overall.
We arrived at Mt. Mitchell early in the morning and had the summit to ourselves.
It was very foggy/cloudy. There were no views. We climbed up the obnoxious tower structure that the park has for some reason built at the summit and gazed into the clouds from higher up.
Mt Mitchell is a disappointing Southern 6er. The tower, the road and enormous paved parking lot, the snack shops and the throngs of pale, fat lazy Americans that flock to the mountain during the fall and summer months all detract from the scenic splendor of the highest point on the East coast.
Route Climbed: 19 mile loop, from the Black Mountain Campground up the Mt. Mitchell trail to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, then Deep Gap Trail to Summits of Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Balsams Cone, Cattails Peak, Potato Hill then, down Colbert Ridge Trail
This was a long and tiring trip. It took 11 hours and covered almost 20 miles. To hear more on my trip read my Mt. Mitchell trip report.
Route Climbed: Black Mountain Campground Date Climbed: March 2005
Moderately long day. Weather changes near the top. The whole trail was covered in ice. Bring water with you. Would like to do the traverse. Road was still closed at this time. Had to hike in to campground a couple of miles.
vanman798 - Apr 28, 2005 4:41 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2019
2nd time - can't believe it's been 18 years!
May 19, 2001 (?) - assault on Mitchell was going on, so it was a bad day to drive up the summit. I've read that hiking the 1/4 mile from the parking lot is called "Route Climbed: North Face from parking lot" doesn't seem like a "North Face".
Oct 6, 2019 - Was in the neighborhood so I camped in spot #9 of the Mt. Mitchell campground. What a great campground, small with lots of space between you and the 8 other campspots. Clean bathroom too. It rained all night. Morning of Oct 7, 2019 I wandered up to the peak - 0.35 miles from the campground to join the Summit to Sea trail for the last 0.25 miles. Just me and one other on the peak. I caught the last bit of the sunrise.
Route Climbed: Mt Mitchell trail from Black Mt Camp ground Date Climbed: April 15 2005
Left Black Mountain Campground at 2:00pm reached summit at 4:50pm or so. Returned by same route by 7:30pm. Passed two hikers headed downward while I was heading up. Temp approx 60F at Black Mountain CG and probably high 40's at summit (snow nearly ankle deep on shaded parts of the trail near top.) Overall a fairly steep and rocky-rooty hike the entire way. Took the Higgins Bald option returning, path hard to follow just after the bald itself (heading downward) although it looks as though it's being worked on.
Note: there's a map at the Black Mountain Campground building which is misleading. It shows a retired entrance to the trail. Take the first left just after the bridge into the campground (which is right behind you if you're looking at the map board I'm referring to) and follow the white dots to the newer trail route.
Rode mountain bike from Montreat NC up old Mitchell Toll Road to summit on March 5, 2005. Took about 4 hours going up and 1.5 returning. Snow drifts about knee deep near tower, and gale force winds that day.
GMowry - Apr 7, 2006 8:42 pm Date Climbed: Apr 4, 2006
Mount MitchellAbsolutely beautiful scenery. Third in our "highpoint quest".
e-doc - Mar 19, 2006 1:08 am
routes: every trail Dates: TNTCI've driven, hiked, and biked to summit parking lot. This range and Grandfather rank as my all time favorites. Been to summit in shorts and t-shirts, been to summit in blizzard. Have seen the growth, death, and regrowth of the spruce forest over the last 23 years. The views after a winter cold front has passed are almost without comparison. Everyone should read History of Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains: Exploration, Development, and Preservation (Paperback) by S. Kent Schwarzkopf or Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains : An Environmental History of the Highest Peaks in Eastern America (Hardcover)by Timothy Silver. Facinating place.
sprosseda - Jan 27, 2006 12:14 pm
Route Climbed: Mitchell trail from campground Date Climbed: December 1996Highest point in eastern North America! Earned it from the bottom instead of the road to the top. Black mountain crest is really beautiful and rugged. Good views and very windy.
Joseph Claghorn - Jan 24, 2006 11:11 pm
Route Climbed: Old Mount Mitchell Trail Date Climbed: October 2004I did this one first as a drive-up with my girlfriend. Later, I did it with my brother and we decided to walk up. The Blue Ridge Parkway was closed after the summit road due to trees felled by one of the many Hurricanes that year. (Ivan?) We had intended on going to Blackrock, but it was too late and I didn't have a good enough map to navigate around. We decided ultimately to do a shorter hike up, on the Old Mount Mitchell trail (see park map) which runs parralell to the road but which feels islolated at times. The total hike was two miles through sometimes lush forest. I'd recommend this trail to anyone who wants to hike up the summit but is constrained by time or other factors.
fourty2 - Jan 6, 2006 4:20 pm
Route Climbed: Summit Road Date Climbed: March 2004Biked to the summit from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
koz - Jan 3, 2006 12:26 am
Route Climbed: From parking lot Date Climbed: September 16, 2003Highpoint #23. Got here a little while before the gate opened, caught a few ZZZs before driving up. Third stop in our effort to bag GA-SC-NC-TN-VA-KY in 24 hours. Went up around sunrise once the gate opened. Definitely want to come back & hike around here.
hitec100 - Nov 22, 2005 11:26 pm
Date Climbed: May 27, 2002Mt. Mitchell appears to be just at the height where a treeline would form if it were any higher. The trees are having some trouble staying alive at the summit. You can actually tell the difference in the air, as well, even if it is only 6600 feet up. Nice view from the lookout tower.
thljr922 - Nov 2, 2005 11:23 am
Date Climbed: May, 2005Started at the Black Mountain Campground and hiked to the top on a great, clear day. The hike itself was shorter and easier than expected, but to our surprise, the Black Mountain Campground and access was closed due to construction. Had to walk an extra few miles to get to trailhead, i suggest you check the Park Service website first.
WoundedKnee - Oct 30, 2005 1:36 pm
Route Climbed: Old Mitchell Trail Date Climbed: October 29, 2005Not a cloud in the sky all day. In the low 30s on top; it had just snowed a day or two before, so much of the trail and trees were covered. Great day. Also took in Hallback, Gibbes and Potato Knob.
TLP - Sep 27, 2005 12:40 pm
Date Climbed: September 25, 2005No views. Cloudy, foggy. At least you can get a meal at the restaraunt.
raj96290 - Sep 7, 2005 4:42 pm
Route Climbed: Colbert Ridge/Deep Gap trail Date Climbed: Apr 03 2005Did a day-hike to Mt Mitchell. Round trip 16-17 miles. started from the Carolina Hemlocks campground on NC-80 and went up the Colbert Ridge trail. The followed the Deep Gap trail via Cattail Peak, Big Tom and Mt Craig to Mt Mitchell. Got lost on the way down and finished somewhere on Locust Drive.
I did this hike twice last year in Sep and Oct 2004. A lot of bush-whacking was required then. While going down Colbert Ridge, watch-out for a fork (if you take the left you would have a long walk down a mountain road which eventually becomes Locust Drive).
chmoore577 - Sep 1, 2005 9:23 am
Route Climbed: Drive-up Date Climbed: June 21, 2003An easy drive up....Too bad..place was crawling with tourists, couldn't even get any good pictures. This was first stop on a 4 state highpoint loop and my 7th overall.
TomSellick - Aug 31, 2005 6:38 pm
Route Climbed: Black Mountain Crast Trail Date Climbed: September 2003One of my favorite trails in North Carolina - watch out for tourists on Mitchell's summit
Cortez - Aug 18, 2005 11:30 am
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Date Climbed: June 4 2005We arrived at Mt. Mitchell early in the morning and had the summit to ourselves.
It was very foggy/cloudy. There were no views. We climbed up the obnoxious tower structure that the park has for some reason built at the summit and gazed into the clouds from higher up.
Mt Mitchell is a disappointing Southern 6er. The tower, the road and enormous paved parking lot, the snack shops and the throngs of pale, fat lazy Americans that flock to the mountain during the fall and summer months all detract from the scenic splendor of the highest point on the East coast.
krudominer - Aug 8, 2005 5:17 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Mitchell Trail from Black Mtn Campground Date Climbed: June 15 2005Made the roundtrip in 7 1/2 hours. Got to the top and had no view, but now I can say I dit it.
starship_jen - Aug 4, 2005 11:38 pm
Date Climbed: August 30, 2003Wonderful views from the top! Very scenic drive to the trailhead.
gwave47 - May 31, 2005 4:56 pm
Route Climbed: 19 mile loop, from the Black Mountain Campground up the Mt. Mitchell trail to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, then Deep Gap Trail to Summits of Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Balsams Cone, Cattails Peak, Potato Hill then, down Colbert Ridge TrailThis was a long and tiring trip. It took 11 hours and covered almost 20 miles. To hear more on my trip read my Mt. Mitchell trip report.
Mike N - May 14, 2005 1:16 pm
Route Climbed: Black Mountain Campground Date Climbed: March 2005Moderately long day. Weather changes near the top. The whole trail was covered in ice. Bring water with you. Would like to do the traverse. Road was still closed at this time. Had to hike in to campground a couple of miles.
vanman798 - Apr 28, 2005 4:41 pm Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2019
2nd time - can't believe it's been 18 years!May 19, 2001 (?) - assault on Mitchell was going on, so it was a bad day to drive up the summit. I've read that hiking the 1/4 mile from the parking lot is called "Route Climbed: North Face from parking lot" doesn't seem like a "North Face".
Oct 6, 2019 - Was in the neighborhood so I camped in spot #9 of the Mt. Mitchell campground. What a great campground, small with lots of space between you and the 8 other campspots. Clean bathroom too. It rained all night. Morning of Oct 7, 2019 I wandered up to the peak - 0.35 miles from the campground to join the Summit to Sea trail for the last 0.25 miles. Just me and one other on the peak. I caught the last bit of the sunrise.
z50 - Apr 15, 2005 11:43 pm
Route Climbed: Mt Mitchell trail from Black Mt Camp ground Date Climbed: April 15 2005Left Black Mountain Campground at 2:00pm reached summit at 4:50pm or so. Returned by same route by 7:30pm. Passed two hikers headed downward while I was heading up. Temp approx 60F at Black Mountain CG and probably high 40's at summit (snow nearly ankle deep on shaded parts of the trail near top.) Overall a fairly steep and rocky-rooty hike the entire way. Took the Higgins Bald option returning, path hard to follow just after the bald itself (heading downward) although it looks as though it's being worked on.
Note: there's a map at the Black Mountain Campground building which is misleading. It shows a retired entrance to the trail. Take the first left just after the bridge into the campground (which is right behind you if you're looking at the map board I'm referring to) and follow the white dots to the newer trail route.
Rode mountain bike from Montreat NC up old Mitchell Toll Road to summit on March 5, 2005. Took about 4 hours going up and 1.5 returning. Snow drifts about knee deep near tower, and gale force winds that day.