Mt. Mitchell, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina Trike Ride

We decided that on our way down to Florida, we would stop and do a couple of trike rides in the Carolina's.  We are planning to add on to our home so that Kathy's Mom can spend time with us during the winter,  We stayed at Jaymar RV Park in Hendersonville NC. It looked like a typical mobile home park but we were pleasantly surprised by the length of our RV site.  We had plenty of room in front and at the rear of our motorhome. 

 Here is the photo of the route to the top of Mt Mitchell.   Mount Mitchell’s dramatic summit is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet and was the inspiration for one of the nation’s first state parks. 

We stopped at Lake Lure which is along our route to Mt Mitchell.  The lake is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Its beach is a popular attraction for both locals and tourists.   

 The  Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. We stopped at the Haw Valley Overlook.  

The Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park, near Waynesboro, VA (Milepost 0) with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Cherokee, NC (Milepost 469) Although we drove only a small portion of the route during our 2-day stay. The parkway views are                                                                               awesome! 

Here is a short one minute plus video of our ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway to include driving through one of the many tunnels along the route.  We are traveling about 40 mph.  Recommend you turn off your volume. The only noise is from our Harley exhaust. 

At one of the overlooks, artists were painting the mountains surrounding the parkway.  You cannot be in a hurry when you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The road is curvy, hilly, and narrow, and you can find slow-moving vehicles and bicycles along the road.

Here's Kathy at 6,578 feet elevation.  Mt. Mitchell State Park is only accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway by taking NC 128 at Milepost 355.4 to the summit.

We arrive at the parking and are headed to the observation deck with 360-degree views of the summit.   This plaque is dedicated to Elisha Mitchell, Scientist, and Professor who died in his attempt to prove this mountain was the highest elevation in the eastern U.S.

The observation deck is beyond the Mt Mitchell sign   In good weather, visitors standing on this platform can see more than 80 miles.

The U.S. surveyor mark verifying this is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. 

The gravesite of Elisha Mitchell.  

Views from the top of the mountain.  

                   Always watch the weather to ensure you get a good day for viewing. 

   

 

       On a clear day, the Charlotte skyline is visible from the summit of Mount Mitchell.