View Full Version : Has anyone hiled the Mt. Mitchel NCl St. Park Area ?
misterfloyd
08-03-2013, 17:35
Hello to all,
I'm itching to do some hiking, and got the Nat. Geo map of Linville gorge, Mt Mitchell Area since I live a couple hours away.
Has anyone hiked in the Mt. Mitchell, NC area? (I have narrowed it down to that) I was looking to hike for a couple of days.
Does anyone have a favorite loop they would like to share? Can you give me any details about the area. I called the park, and they were not very helpful, maybe I did not ask the right questions.
The MST runs right by there, how well is it marked ( hope Taba is lurking)
Any thought pertaining to this is greatly appreciated and very welcome.
Best,
Floyd.
Ground Control
08-03-2013, 17:51
Nearby Table Rock (and that side of the Linville Gorge) is fantastic for hiking and camping. There are many great views of Brown Mountain and Mt. Mitchell from various vantage points of the Linville Gorge. I've spent many a night waiting for the Brown Mountain Lights to illuminate the WNC sky.
Note that the road to parking lot is closed during winter at the gate (just up the road from the NC Outward Bound School); it is quite a climb from one of the lower trails to get up there. Once in the parking lot, the summit of Table Rock is about a mile along a well maintained trail. You can see Mt Mitchell pretty well from up there; looks like a nose poking straight up into the sky above the other mountains.
From back down in the parking lot you can follow a well marked trail towards an area known as "the chimneys" - some good rappelling options there.
Camping in the actual Linville Gorge used to require a permit for overnighters - not sure if it still does. IIRC, it was easily obtainable online. Holiday weekends are best reserved in advance, as they (at least used to) run out often.
There are miles and miles of trails in this area - one of my favorite places in the world to hike and camp.
misterfloyd
08-03-2013, 18:02
I love the gorge as well and have spent many miles and nights there. Due to time limitations I wanted to stick to MT. Mitchell. Plus the are many 6k peaks in the area I waould like to bag and I have never been there. If I had a week I would take the MST fro the Gorge to Mt. Mitchell.
Floyd
Black Mountain Crest Trail, the highest in the east and only 10 miles, is awesome. Not a loop you'd have to do an out and back. MST is the area is well marked and excellent.
grizzlyadam
08-03-2013, 19:17
As Sly said, the Black Mountain Crest Trail is awesome. From the Bolen Creek Trailhead to the summit of Mount Mitchell is 12 miles. It's some of the toughest hiking I've ever done. First hiked it last October at the peak of fall color. Hiked it again this March through 2 1/2 of snow while doing the South Beyond 6000.
An out and back from the Mt Mitchell summit to Celo Knob is a good hike. Camping at Deep Gap. Water is scarce up on the ridge. You could do a loop hike with a couple of trails including the Crest Trail. I don't have my map for the other names.
The MST is well marked through that area.
The trails in the Gorge are great. And rugged. Endless possibilities for loops in there. PM me if you'd like suggestions.
misterfloyd
08-03-2013, 19:37
Thanks guys for the suggestions. I was looking at the crest trail as well. Too good to pass up. I wanted to do Mt. Mitchell since I lack warm clothes for the fall. Looked at the temps at this time of the year and can do it with what I have now. With the map that I have now I don't see any loops, at least all trail ones.
Will do the Gorge in either Oct or Nov. I've been there before and did a few loops. Always a great place to go.
Never been on the MST, glad to know it is well marked!!
Thanks
Floyd
Biggie Master
08-03-2013, 20:09
The Babel Tower trail in the Linville gorge has some amazing views. Haven't been there in years, but used to ramble all though the gorge in my younger days.
Just for information: There is no access to Mt. Mitchell from the south since that section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed due to "The Crack". You can reach Mt. Mitchell from the north via the NC 80 connection to the Parkway.
Just for information: There is no access to Mt. Mitchell from the south since that section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed due to "The Crack".
First I've heard of that, pretty wild.
HikerMom58
08-03-2013, 21:36
Just for information: There is no access to Mt. Mitchell from the south since that section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed due to "The Crack". You can reach Mt. Mitchell from the north via the NC 80 connection to the Parkway.
Yes Sir... good point.
http://www.digtriad.com/news/article/292827/57/Blue-Ridge-Parkway-Crack-Closed-To-Viewing
Emerson Bigills
08-03-2013, 21:43
You can start at the Black Mtn Campground and do the Mt Mitchell trail to the top. Six miles and then turn around and go back down. Clearly a sizable ascent, but not the most difficult hike I have done. Seems like it takes forever to get back down.
I have hiked the Deep Gap trail from the parking lot at the top. It is some ridgeline hiking over Mt. Craig, Big Tom and Cattail Peak. All of these are over 6500 ft, but not very much up and down between them as they are very close. I did not go all the way to Deep Gap. Not a lot of notable views as I recall on the ridge.
If you go up from Black Mtn Campground there are some good views in some spots and an interesting diversity of forest as you move through several different types of trees. It is kind of a bummer when you pop out of the Fraser Firs at the top and suddenly are surrounded by auto tourists and throngs of folks that have made the arduous quarter mile trek from the parking lot to the tallest summit in the East.
I enjoyed the Mt. Mitchell trail hike up and will likely do it again this year or next.
WorldPeaceAndStuff
08-03-2013, 22:18
Table Rock is good. MST trail is well marked from Blowing Rock area through Linville, not sure about further down. Grandfather Mountain trails may be a backup option.
Hill Ape
08-03-2013, 22:19
i hile myself!
sorry, its the first thing i thought of... what that says about me is up for debate
23120 Get the US Forest Service map South Toe River Mount Mitchell Big ivy it is more detailed than the National Geo map. You can do a loop hike by parking at the Colbert Ridge trailhead (accessed from hwy 80) and going up to deep gap and exploring the crest trail and following it south take the Big Tom connector trail down to the Buncombe Horse trail and following it back down to state rd 1158 and a short road walk back to the Colbert Ridge Trail head. Watch your water very limited water except from Colbert Ridge near deep gap and Buncombe Horse Trail. Bear activity is common so hang your food or bear canister. You can also base camp at Black Mtn. campground and day hike the area trails. The Green Knob trail up to the old fire tower has some great views from the tower. 23122 Expect wild swings in temps and weather as it has snowed there in every month. Sunrises and sunsets from the crest trail are amazing. 23123
I will be doing the crest hike in sept. Starting at the campground and hiking to deep gap. The next day finishing up at Bolen creek.
Ground Control
08-04-2013, 08:07
Floyd, I must say you have piqued my interest.
You may have seen this before, but this link had helpful information and interesting comments from recent hikers who hit the summit:
http://www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/appalachian-ranger-district/mount-mitchell
Floyd, I must say you have piqued my interest.
You may have seen this before, but this link had helpful information and interesting comments from recent hikers who hit the summit:
http://www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/appalachian-ranger-district/mount-mitchell That is the Mitchell trail and part of the Mountains to sea trail. I found this trip report of the Crest Trail and it is very good except I noted that the elevation profile had a long flat line which does not seem to take into account the numerous ups and downs along the way. :eek: 2312923130231312313223133
That is the Mitchell trail and part of the Mountains to sea trail. I found this trip report of the Crest Trail and it is very good except I noted that the elevation profile had a long flat line which does not seem to take into account the numerous ups and downs along the way. :eek: 2312923130231312313223133 Helps to put the link in :-? http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/902535
misterfloyd
08-04-2013, 18:43
Hey to all,
Thanks for all the good informationa and other websites I can refer to.
I will start at bolens creek and do a thru and back of the crest trail.
Hope my boots are up to it, was having problems with the tread on the AT this summer!!!
Will call Appalachian ranger station to get direction to the trailhead at Bolins creeek and to make certain I can camp there overnight. Start in the morning, get to the end, camp at the park, leave next day morning, and return to car.
Boots don't fail me now!!!
Thanks for all the good info.
Best,
Floyd
LoneRidgeRunner
08-05-2013, 19:03
I love the hiking from MT. Mitchell over Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Cattail Peak, down into Deep Gap. And the hike up from Black Mountain campground is a nice hike. Another good one in the area is from the end of Wolf Pit Road near Linville Access on Lake James up Shortoff Mountain, through Chimney Gap and up through the Chimneys to Table Rock, Hawksbill Mountain, Sitting Bear mountain and beyond. the climb out of Chimney Gap at 2509 feet up to the Chimneys at about 3400 feet in just a mile or two is a real calf stretcher and lung buster. The hike up from Wolf Pit road intersects with the MST in about a mile or so.
LoneRidgeRunner
08-05-2013, 19:07
Oh..and if you are there at the right time of year there is a huge wild blackberry patch at Cat tail Peak just out of the state park boundary so it is legal to pick and eat. Be sure to share some berries with the bears though. Actually I have never seen ripe berries there but usually bear **** around the patch. Maybe that's the reason for the lack of ripe berries?