South Toe, NC, USA - panoramio (4).jpg
Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0

Maple Camp Bald–Picnic, 4 sights is a 5.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Mitchell State Park near Eskota, NC. The route passes Picnic before reaching Maple Camp Bald at the turnaround, 2.9 miles in. It climbs 2,127 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 44/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi5,574 – 6,644 ft · steepest grade: 32%6.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Campground Trail 35.76083, -82.27085
Nearest town Eskota, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Maple Camp Bald–Picnic, 4 sights

5.7 mi · ▲ 2,127 ft · 2 hr 58 min

Elevation 5,576–6,643 ft

Out & Back · Mount Mitchell State Park

Trailhead: Campground Trail · 35.76083, -82.27085

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 · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Campground Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.3 miBear right onto Old Mitchell Trail, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left onto Mount Mitchell Summit Trail, heading NW.
  4. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftPass Picnic.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  7. 50 ftBear right onto Mountain Mountain Crest, heading N.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Black Mountain Crest, heading NE.
  9. 1.4 miSharp right onto Big Tom Gap Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.3 miTurn left onto Buncombe Horse Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.6 miReach Maple Camp Bald, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.6 miTurn right onto Big Tom Gap Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.3 miSharp left onto Black Mountain Crest, heading NW.
  14. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Mountain Mountain Crest, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  17. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  18. 200 ftContinue straight onto Mount Mitchell Summit Trail, heading S.
  19. 250 ftTurn right onto Old Mitchell Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.2 miBear left onto Campground Trail, heading SW.
  21. 0.3 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

76% dirt3% paved1% boardwalk20% 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 71°56° 17%
Sun 74°54° 63%
Mon 60°52° 53%
Tue 64°46°
Wed 70°48°
Thu 72°53°

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
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Campground Trail Trailhead