Hike Mount Mitchell via Old Mitchell Trail

Mount Mitchell is a great hike for all levels. If you are a beginner there are beginner trails and if you are a frequent hiker looking for a longer hike there are trails for you there too! We planned on taking the full 6 mile in, 6 mile out trail but the parking for that one is harder to locate. Because we struggled with finding the parking for our original hike, we ended up doing a nice 5-mile hike.

Drive into the state park and on up to the park office. There you will park your car. Facing the office on the left you will see the trail head for Old Mitchell Trail. This trail has a lot of uphill for two miles.

At the start of the hike you will go through what used to be a forest but is now just lifeless grey trees that are actually quite stunning. You will soon summit this first peak and have a decent view in the late fall and winter. As you descend you will come to gap where the park restaurant is. This gap has a fantastic view. Continue to hike past the restaurant across its lawn and you will see a post directing you towards the summit of Mount Mitchell.

After you are back on the trail you will begin to ascend to another peak. This one is not too high. You will pass a water tank on this summit. You will quickly descend again to another gap and stand of firs. At this gap you will be able to see the road that may be taken by car to the summit of Mount Mitchell. You will begin to do a few easy up and downs.

Soon you will begin to notice that you are now going downhill quite quickly. This portion will need careful foot placing as it is very rocky and wet due to stream crossings. This area of the forest is very mossy and reminds me of an enchanted forest.

After the steep descent you will begin to head back up the mountain. There will be rock stairs and some wooden ones. This uphill can be steep in places as well.

When you get to a fork in the path, take a left path leading to the summit. This portion of the trail is out and back. You will complete a few switchbacks before reaching a small clearing near the park road again and another fork. The path to the left will take you to the campground so you will need to stay right and continue to the summit.

You will emerge from the forest onto a wide paved path. Head right on this and you will see a museum on your left and the lookout at the top of the mountain. This part of the mountain is busy because people do have the option to drive almost to the top.

After taking in the view and giving yourself a pat on the back you will continue back down the paved path and taking a left back onto the trail that you came from.

Continue back down the same trail until you reach the fork in the road. You may want to take Old Mitchell back. We decided to see something new and took Camp Alice which is 0.5 miles (the trail to the left when descending from the summit). This trail is all downhill but will lead you by a few beautiful streams. When you get to the bottom of Camp Alice you will see a quaint waterfall. Here at the waterfall you will also dead end into the Commissary Trail. This is a wide gravel path that looks as if it used by park rangers vehicles. You will take a right (there is also a sign that will point you back toward the park office). This portion of the trail has a very slight incline but is easy and refreshing after the downhill hike. After about 2 miles you will end your trail back at the park office.