Mount Mitchell State Park
- Status
- Status not posted
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed6-ft leash
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- ncparks.gov(828) 867-4000
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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In Yancey County, about 11 miles north of Black Mountain, Mount Mitchell State Park covers about 1,996 acres.
The park supports hiking and picnicking. Overnight options include 2 camping areas, with tent sites and primitive or hike-in sites.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other — January | Daily | 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. | — |
| Other — March | Daily | 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. | — |
| Other — May | Daily | 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
| Other — September | Daily | 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | — |
| Park | Note: Due to the high elevation, the park may have frequent and prolonged closures during the winter. The primary access to the park is the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is managed by the National Park Service, and they close sections of the parkway when the road is icy. The status of the park is updated regularly on this page; please check here prior to your visit if you are visiting during the winter months. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays. | ||
| Office | Mon, Fri | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Nov 1 – Mar 31 |
| Daily | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Apr 1 – Oct 31 | |
| Store — Gift Shop | Thu–Mon | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
| Tue, Wed | Closed | — | |
| Store — Concession Stand | Daily | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
| Store — Restaurant | Thu–Sun | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
| Mon–Wed | Closed | — | |
Official wording
January: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
February: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
April: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
May: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
June: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
July: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
August: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
September: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
October: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
December: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Note: Due to the high elevation, the park may have frequent and prolonged closures during the winter. The primary access to the park is the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is managed by the National Park Service, and they close sections of the parkway when the road is icy. The status of the park is updated regularly on this page; please check here prior to your visit if you are visiting during the winter months. The park is closed on Christmas Day. The park is open during all other holidays.
Park Office: From November to March, open Mondays to Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From April to October, open daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gift Shop: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Thursday through Monday Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Concession Stand: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 7 days a week
Restaurant: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday Closed Monday through Wednesday
From November to March, open Mondays to Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From April to October, open daily, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Concession Stand: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 7 days a week
Restaurant: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday Closed Monday through Wednesday
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Fees and passes
Free entry at most parks ('Most state parks are free to enter'); per-vehicle day-use fees at the reservoir SRAs (Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, Kerr Lake) and fees for swimming, boat launches, rentals, ferries and camping.
Statewide fee rule from North Carolina's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
North Carolina park passes
- Annual Pass for Reservoirs — $70 Details
- Annual Pass — $100 Details
- Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access — $200. Annual Pass benefits plus four-wheel-drive beach access Details
From the North Carolina state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (northcarolinastateparks.reserveamerica.com)
- Phone
- 1-877-722-6762
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed · leash up to 6 feet
Pets are allowed at the park and at campsites. Pets must be on an attended leash of no longer than 6 feet at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tent Camping – Walk-In Campsites There are nine campsites located inside Mount Mitchell State Park. These campsites are open from May 1 through October 31. Each site can accommodate up to 6 people only.
These are walk-in backpack campsites, and all equipment and supplies must be carried a short distance from the parking area.
Each campsite has a tent pad that measures 10 feet by 10 feet. There is a grill and picnic table at each site.
Potable water faucets and restrooms are located at the camping area. There are no hot showers or a bathhouse.
All tent campsites inside Mount Mitchell State Park require advanced reservations. | — | Showers | — |
| Access to Backpack Camping in the Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest; Appalachian Ranger District; Pisgah Camping and Day-Use Guide | — | — |
Camping details from the park
Camping
- Tent sites (backpacking only)
- Firewood
The park also offers access and overnight parking for campers who are backpacking into the Pisgah National Forest. Please note that the backpacking sites are not within Mount Mitchell State Park property.
Tent Camping – Walk-In Campsites
There are nine campsites located inside Mount Mitchell State Park. These campsites are open from May 1 through October 31. Each site can accommodate up to 6 people only.
These are walk-in backpack campsites, and all equipment and supplies must be carried a short distance from the parking area.
Each campsite has a tent pad that measures 10 feet by 10 feet. There is a grill and picnic table at each site.
Potable water faucets and restrooms are located at the camping area. There are no hot showers or a bathhouse.
All tent campsites inside Mount Mitchell State Park require advanced reservations.
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Access to Backpack Camping in the Pisgah National Forest
U.S. Forest Service links
- Pisgah National Forest
- Appalachian Ranger District
- Pisgah Camping and Day-Use Guide
Backpack campers who want to hike to backcountry tent campsites in the Pisgah National Forest may leave their vehicles overnight at the park.
If you would like to park your vehicle inside Mount Mitchell State Park overnight, please register using the forms provided at the trailheads near the parking area or at the park office. The forms must be left on the dashboard of your car.
Please note that Pisgah National Forest is not managed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. It is managed by the federal U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Once you leave state parkland, rules and regulations set by the U.S. Forest Service apply.
For information about camping in Pisgah, please visit the links provided. The area surrounding Mount Mitchell State Park is part of the Appalachian Ranger District, and that page has current alerts and status of facilities.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingPicnickingCamping
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Mitchell Trail | 5.6 mi | Strenuous | 5.6-mile one way; Blaze: blue diamondsHiking only |
| Black Mountain Crest Trail | 11.3 mi | Strenuous | 11.3-mile one way; Blaze: orange trianglesHiking only |
| Old Mitchell Trail | 2 mi | Moderate | 2-mile one way; Blaze: yellow circlesHiking only |
| Commissary Trail | 2 mi | Easy | 2-mile one way; Blaze: orange diamondsHiking only |
| Camp Alice Trail | 0.5 mi | Strenuous | 0.5-mile one way; Blaze: blue squaresHiking only |
| Balsam Nature Loop / K.I.P. Track Trail | 0.7 mi | Moderate | 0.7-mile loop; Blaze: white trianglesHiking only |
| Campground Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy | 0.4-mile one way; Blaze: red squaresHiking only |
| Mountains-to-Sea State Trail in the Black Mountains | 22.9 mi | Strenuous | 22.9-mile one way; Blaze: white circlesHiking only |
Trail descriptions from the park
Hiking Trails: Mostly Open. Old Mitchell Trail is partially closed.
Mount Mitchell Trail (5.6-mile one way; Blaze: blue diamonds), Strenuous, Hiking only
Black Mountain Crest Trail (11.3-mile one way; Blaze: orange triangles), Strenuous, Hiking only
Old Mitchell Trail (2-mile one way; Blaze: yellow circles), Moderate, Hiking only
Commissary Trail (2-mile one way; Blaze: orange diamonds), Easy, Hiking only
Camp Alice Trail (0.5-mile one way; Blaze: blue squares), Strenuous, Hiking only
Balsam Nature Loop / K.I.P. Track Trail (0.7-mile loop; Blaze: white triangles), Moderate, Hiking only
Campground Trail (0.4-mile one way; Blaze: red squares), Easy, Hiking only
Mountains-to-Sea State Trail in the Black Mountains (22.9-mile one way; Blaze: white circles), Strenuous, Hiking only
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Nature center or museum
- Park or camp store
- Restaurant or food service
Camping
- Tent camping
- Primitive or backcountry camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Getting there
- Address
- 2388 N.C. 128
Burnsville, NC 28714 - Nearest town
- Black Mountain — about 11 mi north (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 35.7703, -82.2633 (from Wikidata)
- Phone
- (828) 867-4000
- mount.mitchell@ncparks.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- North Carolina State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- NC State Parks 'Catalog: Find a State Park Access' (paged Drupal view, ?page=0..6)
- Wikidata
- Photo: Balsam Nature Trail (March 2023).jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), DiscoA340
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology