Parking
Park at the Mount Pisgah Parking Area off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Milepost 407.6, at the far end of the access road; the lot is popular and often full on weekends, especially in fall—arrive early NPS, Asheville Trails.
Overview
About Mount Pisgah Trail
Why go
- Summit observation deck gives safe, comfortable viewing even in wind
- Easy access to food, lodging, and a country store steps from the trailhead
Heads up
- Large summit transmission tower intrudes on the otherwise wild feel
- Parking lot fills fast in peak fall color and clear‑sky weekends
A quick but rewarding climb to one of the Parkway’s signature summits, the Mount Pisgah Trail delivers sweeping views for steady effort. Expect a well-used path, plenty of shade in a lush high-elevation forest, and a sturdy wooden observation deck on top. Fog can roll in and erase the panorama, so pick your day if views are your priority NPS.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike itMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation5,010–5,653 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
- ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
- ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Mount Pisgah Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Mount Pisgah Trail: The Classic Summit ClimbListen
“You're approaching the trailhead for the Mount Pisgah hike. This is one of the most classic summit climbs on the whole Parkway.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Buck Springs Gap and Vanderbilt's Lost Lodge
- The Parkway's Stone-Faced Tunnels
- Pisgah Inn: A Lodge Above the Clouds
- Fryingpan Tower Hike: Big Views for a Short Climb
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Mount Pisgah Trail
Route and difficultyThis is an out-and-back hike of about 2.
This is an out-and-back hike of about 2.37 miles total, with roughly 700 feet of elevation gain, typically taking about 1.5–2 hours. The mapped corridor is stored once from the Mount Pisgah trailhead to the summit; the listed distance is the full round trip. The grade is steady with steeper, rocky pitches near the top. Footing is packed dirt, rocks, roots, and constructed steps, with additional stairs on the final approach—nothing technical, but uneven and slick when wet. Difficulty is moderate to strenuous NPS, Asheville Trails.
Scenery and what you’ll seeThe trail climbs through a cool, canopy-covered forest.
The trail climbs through a cool, canopy-covered forest. Near the top, the canopy opens to a wooden observation deck beside the summit’s large transmission tower. On clear days, views reach toward Asheville, Cold Mountain, and the surrounding high country Asheville Trails.
Logistics and tipsTrailhead: Mount Pisgah Parking Area at Milepost 407.
- Trailhead: Mount Pisgah Parking Area at Milepost 407.6, at the far end of the access road off the Blue Ridge Parkway; the route is signed to the summit NPS.
- Dogs are allowed on leash. Bring grippy footwear, water, and a layer, and check the NPS Mount Pisgah trails map before connecting to nearby paths NPS.
Bottom lineShort, steady, and scenic—a quintessential Parkway summit hike with a popular trail and a…
Short, steady, and scenic—a quintessential Parkway summit hike with a popular trail and a memorable panorama.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
