Maple Camp Bald–Picnic, 3 summits is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Mitchell State Park near Eskota, NC. The route passes Picnic before reaching Maple Camp Bald at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 1,734 ft, with sections as steep as 40% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 53/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi5,574 – 6,644 ft · steepest grade: 40%5.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Mount Mitchell Summit Trail 35.76641, -82.26526
Nearest town Eskota, NC
Directions
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Maple Camp Bald–Picnic, 3 summits
4.7 mi · ▲ 1,734 ft · 2 hr 26 min
Elevation 5,576–6,643 ft
Out & Back · Mount Mitchell State Park
Trailhead: Mount Mitchell Summit Trail · 35.76641, -82.26526
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 70°F / low 58° · precip 19% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:04 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Mountain Mountain Crest, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Picnic.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Mountain Crest, heading NW.
- 1.4 miSharp right onto Big Tom Gap Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miReach Maple Camp Bald, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Big Tom Gap Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Black Mountain Crest, heading NW.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Mountain Mountain Crest, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
73% dirt2% paved1% boardwalk24% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 70°F58°
Precip19%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity81%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°55°
Sunrise 7:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sat
72°60°
19%
Sun
73°54°
62%
Mon
59°51°
53%
Tue
63°45°
Wed
69°48°
Thu
71°53°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:33 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:11 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Mount Mitchell Summit Trail Trailhead
- Commissary Hill–Balsam Nature Trail, 3 sights 3.2 mi · ▲ 887 ft
- Camp Alice Trail–Commissary Trail, 3 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,109 ft
- Camp Alice Trail via Buncombe Horse Range Trail 8.3 mi · ▲ 1,237 ft
- Commissary Hill–Balsam Nature Trail, 3 sights 10.4 mi · ▲ 3,609 ft
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Hikes near Eskota, North Carolina