Established Camping
Mount Mitchell State Park Campground
About
State Park
Mount Mitchell State Park Family camping (camping near Charlotte)
The nine-site family campground is open from May 1 to October 31 with full facilities. Each site is equipped with a grill and picnic table. Restrooms for use during warm seasons are located nearby. Showers and hot water are not provided.
Pack-in camping
Campers may leave vehicles in the park overnight to backpack into the Pisgah National Forest. Visitors who leave their vehicles in the park must register on the forms provided at the trailheads near the parking area or at the park office. Leave the form on the dashboard of your car. Mount Mitchell offers a choice of trails from which to enjoy the nearby alpine woodlands.
Ready to Reserve
It's not uncommon to encounter black bears at Mount Mitchell State Park, particularly in warm weather months.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
Stay Connected
- WiFiGood
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TAvailable
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Market
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
LegendAbsolutely stunning
First of all... it is very hard to reserve a campsite for the weekend. And I completely understand why. It is simply beautiful.
The campground has just 9 walk in sites.
We stayed at site number 1 which is the closest to the parking lot. It was very private ( I think the most private of all) but number 5 and 6 have the best views.
All campsites come with a firepit, picnic table, and a lantern pole.
The bathhouse is very clean but had no showers or hot water.
A very nice ranger sold us some firewood which was available in the parking lot.
There are several ways to go up to the summit. You can hike 0.6 miles, which starts on top of the campground, or you drive up.
On top of the mountain is a observation tower, a gift shop, a little museum, and a drink and snack bar.
The fact I loved the most, was the the nice cool temperature. It was in the lower 70's during the day and about 50 at night.
Be careful with the weather. It can change very quickly. A ranger came by and warned us about a coming thunderstorm. We found shelter on the porch of the bathhouse. It was very nice to watch the rain and the wind.
We would camp here anytime again. It is really worth it.
- (5) View All
GuideMount Mitchell NCSP: Site 8
Mount Mitchell is perfect, despite its imperfections.
Book early. Like next year. If you think you want to go in six months, get in line. The rest of us want to go, too, and we’ll fight you for it. Going midweek and being flexible solves a lot of the limited availability issues. The autumn is a rough time to get in, but worth the extra planning.
You have to hump your gear up to the sites, yes, so pack light. Or use it for a backpacking gear shakedown. Or pull a Nike. You know? However you decide to embrace or minimize the suck, it’s WORTH IT.
Site 8 is the top site on the right, and one of the two farthest from the parking lot, making it the humpiest of humpy campsites. The view is worth it with a vantage of both sunrise and sunset, plus you can see the cold sink empty in the morning and watch the clouds rise up the mountainsides.
The bathrooms are surprisingly nice, compared to what I was expecting. (Pit privy. I was expecting a pit privy.) Cold water only, which can be a bit of a bummer when it’s chilly, but hey.
Speaking of cold… Take note that it gets c-c-c-cold up on Mt. Mitchell. Surprisingly so, at times. Bring a hat and an extra layer. If you’re wondering which sleeping bag to bring, bring the lower temp one. Cooking things can be a pain because of the elevation and how much isobutane hates both that and the cold. Bring propane or your patience pants. Expect wind. Like…WIND. This is no place for a bargain tent, sh!tty pegs, or a bad pitch. Given the wrong night, the gusts will blow your gear right off the mountain. Use all your points and guy everything out, and you’ll be fine.
Be bear aware and use the boxes available on each site. There have been times when the grounds have had to be closed completely because of careless campers habituating bears.
The viewing tower on Mt. Mitchell proper can be seen from the upper sites of the campground, and vice versa which is kinda cool. Check out one of my pics to see that our tent—affectionately known as The Pumpkin—is fully visible from the overlook.
The trail that continues past the top of the campground passes through Middle Earth and eventually tops out on the peak. If you hike nothing else, hike this. The MST crosses this little trail to the top, if you’re into bagging some miles on that, or there are plenty of other nearby trails to play on, some wonderfully technical and adventurous.
The drive is scenic and the cell reception is slim.
- (5) View All
GuideHike-to sites on top of a mountain
We stayed in site #1, which is the shortest walk from the parking lot and feels really private and compact with vegetation on 3 sides. Includes an elevated tent pad, bear box, picnic table, and fire pit.
Everything from this site is up, up, up - water, toilets, all of the other sites. It doesn't have the incredible view of sites 4-6 but you can still see plenty of sky for stargazing.
Sunrise and sunset are not to be missed!
Arrived at sunset and left at sunrise so no pictures of the actual site!
Location
Mount Mitchell State Park Campground is located in North Carolina
Directions
Mount Mitchell State Park is located in Yancey County, 33 miles north of Asheville off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker #355. From the West From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to mile marker #355 and turn left onto NC 128, which leads to the park. Winter conditions may cause delays or closures on the parkway. To access the park from Asheville when the Parkway is closed from that side, take I-40 East to exit 72, which is the Old Fort Hwy 70 exit. You will go east (through Old Fort) for about 10 miles until you come to NC 80. You will turn left (north) on NC 80 and stay on it for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the signs from there. From the East From I-40 West, take exit 86, NC 226 to Marion/Shelby. NC 226 merges with US 221 and US 70 in Marion. Veer left on US 70. After about two miles, turn north on NC 80. Follow NC 80 north/northeast for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway to mile marker #355 and turn right onto NC 128, which leads to the park. From Highway 19, travel south on Highway 80 and turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway south to mile marker #355 and turn onto NC 128, which leads to the park.
Address
2388 State Highway 128
Burnsville, NC 28714
Coordinates
35.75983421 N
82.27126428 W