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Mount Mitchell State Park

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⛰️ Mountains

Mount Mitchell State Park

Burnsville, NC · Blue Ridge Mountains

About

Mount Mitchell crowns the Black Mountains at 6,684 feet, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, and a paved road carries you nearly to the top. A short walk reaches the summit observation deck, where on a clear day the view stretches across waves of blue ridges, while a fragrant Fraser fir forest gives the air a cool, almost Canadian feel. As the first state park in North Carolina, it pairs that easy summit access with serious trails, a seasonal restaurant, and a small natural history museum.

Highlights

Summit observation deck at 6,684 feetPanoramic views of the Black MountainsFraser fir spruce forestMount Mitchell summit trailNatural history museum and exhibit hallSeasonal restaurant and concession stand

Getting there

2388 NC-128, Burnsville, NC 28714

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The Blue Ridge Mountains26 places

The Blue Ridge Mountains

The ancient, blue-hazed peaks of the southern Appalachians, threaded by the Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah to the Smokies. Mile-high summits and the highest peak east of the Mississippi, waterfalls you can walk behind, long-range overlooks, and mountain towns like Asheville with the Biltmore at their heart. Go in October for the color, but the haze is blue year-round.