Black Mountain Crest Trail
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Trail Overview
One of the toughest trails in the Southeast. A rugged ridgeline hike that is a roller coaster of elevation changes which require lots of scrambling with hands, feet and sometimes ropes. The ridge is above 6000 feet in elevation the entire way except for the big drop at Deep Gap. Your reward is spectacular views the whole way with some of views (especially the northern part) being the best in all of North Carolina (IMHO).
No matter how experienced a hiker you are, be prepared for a slower pace than what your used to.
How to get there
Northern Trailhead (Mount Mitchell State Park)
Trailhead is at the bottom of the Mount Mitchell summit parking lot by the picnic area. (35.7667944123, -82.2649348322). It is called "Deep Gap Trail".
Nice large parking area. Note that access is during park hours only and if the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed, you can't get to it. If you leave your car here overnight, you will need to notify a park ranger.
Southern Trailhead (Bowlens Creek)
The Bowlens Creek trailhead is just south of Burnsville NC just off of Bolens Creek Road (1109). Parking at this trailhead is limited and a little bit confusing.
Turn down Watershed Road from Bolens Creek Road and to your right is a small parking area (35.8764675286, -82.2837911661) that has room for a grand total of one car. If it's taken, there is a small cemetery just past that on Bolens Creek Road that has room to park (35.8776865469, -82.2862008209). You can just walk back to Watershed Road until you reach the trailhead.
The Crest Trail goes over or near 10 mountains that are over 6,000 feet in elevation. Six of those peaks are on the South Beyond 6000 (SB6K) challenge list can be bagged along this route.
In order of encounter from the Mount Mitchell Parking Lot
Mt. Craig (6,647 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail goes over the summit
- Has benchmark and plaque to mark summit
- Has views
Big Tom (6,579 feet)
- Crest Trail goes over the summit
- Has benchmark and plaque to mark summit
- No views
Balsam Cone (6,611 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail goes over the summit
- No benchmark or summit markings
- Has views
Cattail Peak (6,580 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail does not go over summit and requires a .2 mile bushwhack
- Has benchmark to mark summit
- Has views
- A false Cattail Peak summit sign is directly on the Crest Trail about .5 miles from the true summit for some reason. For years this has been fooling peak baggers into thinking they made the summit.
- After the sign, right before the trail drops below the ridgeline towards Potato Hill is a small yellow survey marker on the ground. Start your bushwhack here to the obvious high point that is the true summit.
Potato Hill (6,475 feet)
- NOTE Potato Hill used to be the peak you had to bag for the SB6K list but it was changed to Cattail Peak recently.
- Crest Trail is right off summit
- No benchmark but has wooden sign to mark summit
- Has views
Deer Mountain (6,110 feet)
- Crest Trail does not go over summit and requires a bushwhack
- No benchmark or markings to indicate summit
- No views
Winter Star Mountain (6,212 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail passes by just off of the summit
- Has benchmark and a nice camping site
- Has views
Gibbs Mountain (6,224 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail does not go over summit and requires a short bushwhack
- No benchmark to mark summit
- No views
Percy’s Peak (6,331 feet)
- Crest Trail does not go over summit and requires a short bushwhack
- No benchmark to mark summit
- No views
Celo Knob (6,327 feet)
- SB6k Peak
- Crest Trail does not go over the summit
- You must a take a steep, rugged side path to the top.
- No benchmark but summit marked with orange ribbons
- No views
Route Description
The southern half of the trail from Mount Mitchell to Deep Gap is in Mount Mitchell State Park and maintained by the park maintenance crew. This part is very rugged, rocky with lots of roots on the trail. A few parts require the use of ropes due to the steepness.
http://nchighpeaks.org/ maintains the northern part of the trail from Deep Gap to Bowlens Creek. They have done a few reroutes around some of the more treacherous sections in recent times plus they did a major clean-up in 2014. It is well maintained but much of this trail's tough reputation resides in this section, especially the part between Winter Star Mountain and Gibbs Mountain so be prepared for a tough slow pace. Beyond Gibbs, the trail becomes a little more "normal" i.e. no technical sections.
While in the state park, the trail is referred to as the Deep Gap Trail and is blazed with orange triangles. Camping is not allowed except at the Deep Gap campsite.
The northern part outside the state park is referred to as the Crest Trail and blazes are orange, yellow and/or white. No restrictions on camping.
| Miles | Black Mountain Crest Trail | Miles | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Mount Mitchell Trailhead | 10.8 | 6582 |
| 0.8 | Mount Craig | 10.0 | 6652 |
| 1.0 | Big Tom | 9.8 | 6579 |
| 1.4 | Junction with Big Tom Gap Trail | 9.4 | 6268 |
| 1.7 | Balsam Cone | 9.1 | 6601 |
| 2.2 | Cattail Peak False Summit Sign | 8.6 | 6530 |
| 2.3 | Yellow Marker for Cattail bushwhack | 8.5 | 6535 |
| 2.7 | Potato Hill | 8.1 | 6472 |
| 3.5 | Deep Gap | 7.3 | 5743 |
| 3.6 | Junction with Colbert Ridge Trail | 7.2 | 5747 |
| 4.1 | Winter Star Mountain | 6.7 | 6211 |
| 5.9 | Gibbs Mountain | 4.9 | 6108 |
| 6.3 | Junction with Woody Ridge Trail | 4.5 | 6141 |
| 6.4 | Percy’s Peak | 4.4 | 6150 |
| 6.6 | Junction with Graces Ladder | 4.2 | 6110 |
| 6.7 | Junction with Celo Knob Trail | 4.1 | 6153 |
| 8.6 | Campsite 1 | 2.2 | 4846 |
| 10.0 | Dam | 0.8 | 3521 |
| 10.8 | Bowlens Creek Trailhead | 0.0 | 3058 |
Typical Conditions
A difficult high elevation ridgeline hike. Be prepared to have a slower pace than what your used to. Take lots of water due to being more exposed to sun and wind. Weather can change rapidly. The Black Mountains are notorious for being cloud covered most of the time and thunderstorms in the afternoon all summer. Be prepared!
Fees, Permits, etc.
No fees or permits required. No bikes, ATV, or horses allowed on this trail.
After the Hike
Misc. Information
If you hike this trail as a shuttle, the drive time between the Bowlens Creek trailhead and the Mount Mitchell parking lot is about an hour via State Route 80 and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
A good day hike that I recommend is starting at the Bowlens Creek trailhead and hike to the top of Celo Knob and back. It's about 9 miles round trip. The trail up from Bowens Creek is a "normal" trail with no technical areas or rock scrambles but it is about 4 miles of unrelenting uphill the entire way. Your reward is the stunning views from the meadow below the summit of Celo Knob which are IMHO some of the best views in the entire state. The trailhead is only about 1.5 hours from Kingsport.