Big Green
Big Green in North Carolina has 29 climbing routes across 16 grades, offering sport and trad options.
- 29 routes
- 5.8 – 5.13a
- Trad · Sport
Is Big Green open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Big Green, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Rainbow Springs Road closed for reconstruction
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Closures in anticipation of Hurricane Isaias
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Siddie Fields Day Use Area closed for improvements
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Pisgah National Forest Driving Safety Alert
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Big Green
Best months: September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
42° / 24°
14 wet
Feb
46° / 26°
13 wet
Mar
54° / 32°
14 wet
Apr
62° / 39°
13 wet
May
69° / 47°
14 wet
Jun
75° / 54°
15 wet
Jul
78° / 58°
17 wet
Aug
76° / 57°
16 wet
Sep
71° / 51°
12 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
11 wet
Nov
53° / 32°
11 wet
Dec
45° / 27°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Highlands, NC, 11.8 mi away at 3,850 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Big Green is a climbing area in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of trails and waterfalls, with the Great Wall hike about 0.4 miles away and Granny Burrell Falls about 0.6 miles off. The area has 29 climbing routes, mostly traditional, with grades ranging from 5.8 to 5.13a. The easiest is Ground Control at 5.8, and the hardest is Live At Leads at 5.13a. The median grade is 5.10. One sport route rounds out the mix. Summer is the warmest stretch, with typical July highs around 78°F and lows near 58°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station in Highlands. September is milder, with typical highs around 71°F and the fewest wet days of the year. Laurel Knob, another climbing area, is about 1.7 miles away. Wolf Creek Lake Dispersed Campsites and the West Fork French Broad River are both within about 7 miles.
Routes (29)
Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Main North Face
~14 min drive
Main North Face in North Carolina has 6 trad routes across 5 difficulty grades.
Photo: Osajus Photography, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Looking Glass Boulders
~28 min drive
Looking Glass Boulders in North Carolina has 4 bouldering routes.
Photo: jasonferrell, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Hidden Wall
~28 min drive
Hidden Wall is a North Carolina climbing crag with 11 routes.
Photo: Osajus Photography, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Sun Wall
~28 min drive
Sun Wall in North Carolina has 22 climbing routes across 13 grades.
Photo: jasonferrell, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)South Side
~29 min drive
South Side in North Carolina has 28 climbing routes with mixed and trad styles.
Photo: ninepennies, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Nose Area
~29 min drive
Nose Area in North Carolina has 12 climbing routes across 11 grades, offering sport and trad climbing.
Photo: ninepennies, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Northside Boulders
~29 min drive
Northside Boulders in North Carolina has 18 bouldering routes.
Photo: ninepennies, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)North Side
~29 min drive
North Side in North Carolina has 40 climbing routes across 24 grades, offering mixed and traditional styles.
Photo: Dallas Epperson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Pumpkintown
~34 min drive
Pumpkintown in South Carolina has 4 sport climbing routes with 3 difficulty grades.
Photo: jasonferrell, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)East Face/Guides Wall (Right Side)
~28 min drive
6 traditional climbing routes on East Face/Guides Wall right side, North Carolina.
Also worth it near here
Deep Gap
~1 min drive
Photo: willyk, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Return Trail
~5 min drive
Sapphire Valley Ski Resort
~5 min drive
Photo: Honeybadgerhiking, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Tanasee Lake Dispersed Campsites
~7 min drive
Photo: Jordan Mitchell, CC BY-SA 2.5 (via Wikimedia Commons)Rainbow Falls
~10 min drive
