Mount Mitchell viewed from Mount Mitchell State Park Restaurant, Oct 2016.jpg
Thomson200 · CC0

Commissary Hill & Mount Mitchell Trail is a 9.2-mile out-and-back in Mount Mitchell State Park near Eskota, NC. The route reaches Commissary Hill. It climbs 3,167 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 51/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi4,242 – 6,637 ft · steepest grade: 21%9.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Old Mitchell Trail 35.75226, -82.27354
Nearest town Eskota, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Commissary Hill & Mount Mitchell Trail

9.2 mi · ▲ 3,167 ft · 4 hr 39 min

Elevation 4,243–6,636 ft

Out & Back · Mount Mitchell State Park

Trailhead: Old Mitchell Trail · 35.75226, -82.27354

Weather Sep 4: Light drizzle, high 71°F / low 57° · precip 21% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Mitchell Trail, heading N.
  3. 1 miTurn right onto Mount Mitchell Summit Trail, heading NE.
  4. 100 ftContinue straight onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading NE.
  5. 1.4 miTurn left onto Buncombe Horse Range Trail, heading E.
  6. 50 ftPass Commissary Hill.
  7. 250 ftContinue straight onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading E.
  8. 50 ftBear left onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading E.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading E.
  10. 2.1 miReach Commissary Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 2 miContinue straight onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftBear right onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Buncombe Horse Range Trail, heading NE.
  14. 250 ftTurn right onto Mount Mitchell Trail, heading W.
  15. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Mount Mitchell Summit Trail, heading NW.
  16. 100 ftTurn left onto Old Mitchell Trail, heading NW.
  17. 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

98% dirt1% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Light drizzleTemperature 71°F57°
Precip21%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity84%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
75°55° 12 AM: 1% rain1 AM: 1% rain12 PM: 1% rain1 PM: 4% rain2 PM: 16% rain3 PM: 19% rain4 PM: 21% rain5 PM: 15% rain6 PM: 12% rain7 PM: 5% rain8 PM: 2% rain9 PM: 1% rain11 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat 72°57° 17%
Sun 74°55° 63%
Mon 60°52° 53%
Tue 64°46°
Wed 70°49°
Thu 72°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:34 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:54 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:20 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Old Mitchell Trail Trailhead