The area covers 250 acres. Hiking, picnic area, camping, comfort station, drinking water. 40 minute walk to Crabtree Falls

Crabtree Meadows Picnic Store & Gift Shop: MP 339. Distinctive handmade gifts, regional crafts & camping supplies. Phone: (828) 675-4236 Open from May-Oct

Crabtree Meadows marks the last stretch of the Parkway through the Blue Ridge Mountains before it turns westward into the Blacks, Craggies, Pisgahs and Balsams before entering Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the early summer, the Meadows becomes a showplace of wildflowers, including the hawthorne, beard tongue, mountain laurel, and gentian.

The enterprising visitor can even hike the steep trail down to Crabtree Falls - as long as they are prepared for the quite strenuous climb back up! Campground, Picnic area, restaurant and gift shop, and a number of off-Parkway motels and bed-and-breakfast inns are available.

Highest Peak in Eastern U.S.A., Observation Tower, Tent Camping Area, Trails, Nature Study, Picnic Area, Natural History Museum, Restaurant (May-October).

2388 State Highway 128, Burnsville, NC 28714

Phone: (828) 675-4611

In the crest of the timeworn Black Mountains lies the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. For those who ascend this mighty peak, what looms in the horizon is a feast for the eyes — breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling ridges and fertile valleys.

Forested and forever misty, 1,855-acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil moments you'll ever experience.

June and July are the months to visit this spectacular showplace of Catawba rhododendron and other late-blooming wildflowers. Long after the blooms have been spent on the lower elevations, the violets, blackberry, May-apple, and Turkscap lily come into their own in this high-altitude portion of the Parkway.

This heath bald is only one of many throughout the Southern Appalachian Mountains; the name refers to the bald appearance of the mountaintop, which is in reality covered with grasses or mountain shrubbery.

There is a visitor center, picnic area, and a variety of trails including the Craggy Pinnacle Trail, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding heath bald and rhododendron display.