This 12-mile trek from Bowlens Creek to the summit of Mt. Mitchell is one of the burliest and most rewarding hikes in western North Carolina. If you’re out of shape, it’s PAINFULLY beautiful, especially that initial 4,000, 4-mile ascent up to Celo Knob. Train for it, and bring enough water.
This is a bucket list trek for hikers in the southeastern United States. I’m sure it would be a nice one- or two-nighter. The campsites were plentiful and in beautiful locations. We bypassed those on this particular adventure to hike almost an entire mountain range in a day. It was…fun… Definitely going back after I’ve trained some.
ONE WAY. 12+ Miles
DIFFICULTY. Mostly Very Strenuous
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS. Bring plenty of food, water and chutzpah. You also should probably bring some minimal survival gear (emergency blanket, fire starter, paracord, etc.), rain gear, and an extra layer just in case.
ONLINE GUIDES. THE HIKING PROJECT | ALL TRAILS | HIKING UPWARD