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.