Blue Ridge Parkway Closure Affects Travel/Summit Observation Deck Closed for Construction/Bring water to campsites ... details ±

The Blue Ridge Parkway is open to Mount Mitchell from the northern access only via highway 80. All southern Parkway access (from Asheville) will be closed into the summer season due to a retaining wall failure. To reach the park from Asheville, take I-40 E. to 70-E at Old Fort. Take 70 to 80-N to the Parkway. Head south on the Parkway to state highway 128 (Mount Mitchell State Park road).

A new observation deck at the summit of Mount Mitchell is under construction, closing the summit area and detouring trails to the summit parking area. The new observation deck is projected for completion in the fall of 2008.

Due to drought conditions, no potable water is available at the Deep Gap and Commissary Ridge backpacking areas. Campers are advised to bring water and adjust schedules to ensure adequate drinking water supplies.

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Camping	Picnicking
Education and Events	Visitor Facilities
Education Center	Concession Stand / Gift Shop
Exhibit Hall	Restaurant
Hiking

All Activities

Camping: Family camping: The nine-site family campground is open throughout the year. Only tent camping is allowed. Each site is equipped with a grill and picnic table. Modern restrooms for use during warm seasons are located nearby. Showers and hot water are not provided. In the winter, campers have access to pit toilets, and no running water is available. Campsites are available on a first-come basis for a modest fee.

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. Mount Mitchell offers a choice of trails from which to enjoy the nearby alpine woodlands.

Education and Events: Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Mount Mitchell State Park. Click the Events link on the Park Menu to the left to search our database of park events. To arrange a special exploration of Mount Mitchell State Park for your group or class, contact the park office.

Education Center: A fully equipped classroom is available for groups. Contact the park office for reservation information.

Educational materials about Mount Mitchell State Park have been developed for grades 4-6 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Mount Mitchell program introduces students to the forest types of the Blue Ridge Mountains, focusing on the potential causes for forest decline in the mountains and at Mount Mitchell. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators. To learn more about environmental education or to search our database of upcoming workshops, click the Education tab, above.

Exhibit Hall: Want to know how Mount Mitchell measures up? Check out the park's exhibit hall, and you'll find out how the east coast's highest peak stacks up against its neighbors as soon as you walk in the door. The 1,385-square-foot exhibit hall, located near the mountain's summit, is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., May through October. It offers visitors insight into the mountain's natural, cultural and historical faces.

Exhibits include:

• An interactive weather station that displays both current conditions and contains a historical weather database. It allows visitors to punch in a date from the past, such as the visitor's birthday, to find out the weather conditions on Mount Mitchell's summit on that date.
• A life-size wood carving of "Big" Tom Wilson, the mountain guide who led a search for the person who first calculated Mount Mitchell to be the highest peak on the east coast. The statue was created by local award-winning carver David Boone.
• A replica of "Big" Tom's cabin with historical artifacts and buttons that allow visitors to listen to four different stories about his life.
• A three-dimensional topographic map of the Black Mountains with interactive buttons.
• A geology section with a hands-on demonstration of a rock fault and four samples of the different rock types in the state park. Magnifying glasses are available for visitors who want a closer inspection.
• Four dioramas that depict animal life in the state park.

Hiking: Choose between a short stroll or a more extensive hike into the woods. Either choice will be rewarding as the beauty of the park is best seen from one of its many trails. Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and carry proper gear as the high altitude makes the climate of Mount Mitchell chilly, even in summer.

A short trail beginning at the summit parking lot leads to the stone observation platform. On a clear day, visitors can see as far as 85 miles and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the Pisgah National Forest. The body of Dr. Elisha Mitchell is buried next to the platform where a stone marker recounts his work in the Black Mountains.

Picnicking: Try a mile-high picnic at Mount Mitchell. The shady picnic area, open year-round, is located at the north end of the summit parking lot. Forty picnic tables, stone grills and drinking water supply all the essentials. Two picnic shelters with fireplaces are perfect for group picnics. Each shelter accommodates up to 16 people. Use of the shelters is free of charge unless reservations are requested.

Visitor Facilities: Interpretive center: Near the summit parking lot is an interpretive center where exhibits offer interesting information about the park's history and depict mountain forests, geology and wildlife.

Concession Stand / Gift Shop: A concession stand and gift shop, adjacent to the summit parking lot, is open daily from May through October from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Light snacks, crafts and books may be purchased here. Restrooms are also available.

Restaurant: Enjoy a relaxing meal in the restaurant located approximately a half mile from the park office. Open May through October, hungry hikers and tourists will enjoy the restaurant's food as well as its scenic views. Open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. until one hour before park closing May through October.

N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation • 1615 MSC • Raleigh N.C. 27699-1615 (919) 733-4181