I love Mount Mitchell and visit it every year. However, in terms of camping options the state park campsite is the worst you can find in the vicinity. We stayed there for one night in May and didn't enjoy the experience. First of all, there's no parking next to the sites. You have to bring all of your stuff from a small parking lot up the stairs to the site, to unpack and then again, to pack. Second, the top of Mount Mitchell has its own micro-climate and is often foggy. The night we spent there was cold, windy and miserable. We were in the cloud, with strong winds and rain through the night, with no trees to protect from the wind. In the morning I couldn't start the stove, so we packed and drove half a mile down to the Blue Ridge Parkway where we found late spring, bright sun light, chirping birds and beautiful views.  If you are looking for camping around Mount Mitchell, check out Black Mountain Family Campground at the base of the mountain.