Choose Your Base Camp
Hiking Near Black Mountain, NC
Black Mountain is 15 minutes east of Asheville at the foot of the Black Mountains — the highest range in the eastern US, topped by Mount Mitchell.
Black Mountain is the closest thing to a trailhead town for the Blacks. Mount Mitchell State Park and the Black Mountain Crest Trail are half an hour up the Parkway, Catawba Falls is 10 minutes east off I-40, and the Montreat valley just north has a tight network of steep, quiet trails like Lookout Mountain and Graybeard.
The town itself is small and pleasant — a few blocks of shops, coffee, and a brewery — and rooms run cheaper than in Asheville while keeping you close to the city.
Trails near Black Mountain
Where to camp
Mount Mitchell State Park Campground
Nine tent sites at 6,300 feet near the summit, the highest campground in the eastern US, seasonal, cold at night even in summer.
Black Mountain Campground (Pisgah)
Forest Service sites on the South Toe River at the base of the Mount Mitchell Trail, the classic start for the climb to the summit on foot.
Old Fort & Ridgecrest
Small private campgrounds east of town for full hookups close to Catawba Falls.
Getting there & when to go
Getting there
I-40 exit 64, 15 minutes east of Asheville and about two hours from Charlotte. Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is 30 minutes west.
Best season
Summer is prime: the high trails in the Blacks stay cool when the lowlands bake. Fall color moves down from the summits through October. Winter closes the Mount Mitchell road at times and the Crest Trail gets genuinely alpine — check conditions.
Want the full picture before you drive?
Browse every WNC trail