If you love getting high above the surrounding terrain so you can see those famous layers in the North Carolina mountains, then you’re in luck when you pay a visit to the Summit Trail at Mt. Mitchell State Park in North Carolina. Most people who’ve lived here all their life have been to Mt. Mitchell at least once. When was the last time you paid a visit to the state’s highest mountain peak?

If you're like most, then from the moment you pull off the Parkway and begin the ascent to the top of Mt. Mitchell, the adventure in on and your senses are aroused at the prospect of standing so high in the atmosphere.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Take a slow and steady drive almost all the way to the top, stopping four-tenths of a mile from the tippy peak where the obsevation tower is found.
Google Maps/Tino Medina
From the parking area, it's a mere 0.4-miles on a steadily climbing path to reach the top. And every step of the way...
MargaretW / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

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You'll have unparalleled views of the mountains below.
Flickr/steviep187
Plus, the path to the top is paved all the way up, making this peak as accessible to everyone as possible.
Flickr/-ted
When you reach the tower at the top, soak in the 360-degree views of your kingdom below. Some days it may be cloudy, foggy, or you'll get a patchwork of cloud shadows on the terrain below.
Flickr/steviep187
And other times, you'll see nothing by those dreamy mountain layers!
Flickr/-ted

So when WAS the last time you visited Mt. Mitchell State Park and hiked the Summit Trail? Isn’t it about time you went again?

Mt. Mitchell State Park opens at 7 a.m. year round, barring any weather-related closures in the winter. The closing time varies by season and/or month. You can see a complete list of current hours and learn more about the park and its facilities by visiting the official website for North Carolina State Parks. Find out a wealth of information about the Summit Trail from our friends at AllTrails.com.

Did you know North Carolina is one of only two states in the South that don’t charge admission to most of their state parks? Can you guess the other state? (Hint: It’s immediately to our west.)

For another state park that’s a must-visit this year, read: Hike Through A Rain Forest Filled With Waterfalls At Gorges State Park In North Carolina.

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Featured Addresses
Mount Mitchell State Park, 2388 NC-128, Burnsville, NC 28714, USA