Black Mountain Crest Trail to Mt. Mitchell

[TMax]

Just wondering if anyone has used this trail to hike to North Carolina's high point? I'm heading down there this weekend and the trail guide I have lists this trail as "unmarked." Anyone ever been on this trail that can offer their experience with it? I do know the book description (i.e. 14.4 miles, 5900', etc...) but just curious about people's actual sense of it.

 

[daxs]

let me know how your hike goes and what the trail is like, etc. I am doing Mt Mitchell in July.

 

[Rik]

I hiked Mt. Mitchell from the Blackwoods Campground (i think that's the name) last summer. I don't think this is the trail you are referring to unless your mileage is for round trip distance. I don't remember the trail name off the top of my head. Anyhow, if this happens to be the trail you are referring to then it was a real nice trail and easy to follow. I will check my notes when I'm at home tonight.

 

[Gris]

Yup, it's an ass kicker, very long and has a ton of gain, but the footing is mucho easy compared to NH. Black Mt. campground is really nice too. Be sure to do the 1.0 RT mile (no gain) or so from Mitchell to the next little more open less civilized peak. We did it two years ago late Oct./early Nov.

 

[rhihn]

I hiked Mt. Mitchell from the Blackwoods Campground (i think that's the name) last summer. I don't think this is the trail you are referring to unless your mileage is for round trip distance. I don't remember the trail name off the top of my head. Anyhow, if this happens to be the trail you are referring to then it was a real nice trail and easy to follow. I will check my notes when I'm at home tonight.

We did it last summer as well. I also can't remember names (we went with the North Carolina hiking club equivalent of ADK), but what Rik did sounds familiar. I don't think it was 14.4 even round trip, and it was very easy to hike and easy to follow. Lots of obvious recent trail maintenance. Unfortunately the views were as foggy as my memory!

 

[Gris]

i went back and looked at our trip notes. HaHa! we whacked from the campground, got lost, ended up on a bridle path, then hooked up with the path proper from the campground at about where it starts (after two or three miles), but it still seemed liked a long hike even from the proper start of trail at campground...