Mt. Mitchell State Park,
Black Mountains,
Yancey County,
North Carolina
Hiking Trails:
Summit Path (Paved Path)
Balsam Nature Trail: White blaze
Total Time: 0:50 hour
Estimated Distance: 0.9 Miles
Pros: Highest Mountain in Appalachians
Cons: Easy to get to with paved path
Level of Difficulty: Very easy
I travelled with my family on a camping trip to North Carolina, where we experienced the eclipse. We were in Old Fort, near Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in North Carolina, and the tallest mountain in the Appalachian Mountains and in the eastern United States, at 6684 feet.
There is a road that climbs all the way up the mountain, near the summit. It is a fully paved road off the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a parking lot and short paved path to the very top. There is also a short 3/4 mile trail in the summit area as well traversing a Balsam Fir forest with some interesting geology.
We parked at the parking area at the top, took the paved path to the top, and then took the Balsam Trail loop back to the parking lot. This is a very short and easy hike considering the scope and height of this mountain. The weather at the bottom was very hot, in the low 90's. As we climbed the weather decreased, until at the summit it was a very comfortable and sunny low 70's.
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| Map of the Route |
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| View of Mt. Mitchell from the Blue Ridge Parkway, on the Way |
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| Another View of Mt. Mitchell from Blue Ridge Parkway, Zoomed Out |
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| View from the Picnic Area near the Top of Mt. Mitchell |
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| One of the many Monarch Butterflies at the Mountain |
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| Me at the Summit Sign |
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| Summit Sign at Mt. Mitchell |
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| View Tower on Mt. Mitchell |
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| View from Summit Facing West |
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| View Facing North to Parking Lot and Mt. Craig |
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| View Facing Northeast |
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| Me at the Summit Tower |
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| View Facing East |
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| View Facing South and the Summit Road |
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| View Facing South |
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| View Facing Northwest |
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| Me at the Rock at the Summit |
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| Another View at the Summit Rock |
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| View Facing East |
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| View Facing North, Mt. Crowd |
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| Me at a Cave on the Balsam Nature Trail |
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| Trail Info Sign |
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| View Facing East from the Balsam Summit Trail |
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| Balsam Nature Trail Sign |
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| Bumble Bee on a Flower |
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