North Carolina · Rock climbing · Morganton

The Camel

Camel, The in North Carolina has 6 traditional climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades.

6 routes

5.5 – 5.11-

Trad

Is Camel, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Camel, The, 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 Oct 25, 9:15 pm EDT · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Camel

Best months: March–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
45° / 24°
Feb
47° / 26°
Mar
55° / 32°
Apr
64° / 39°
May
71° / 48°
Jun
78° / 57°
Jul
81° / 60°
Aug
80° / 59°
Sep
74° / 53°
Oct
65° / 42°
Nov
56° / 31°
Dec
48° / 27°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC, 7.3 mi away at 2,850 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Camel is a climbing area in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, part of the Grandfather Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. The Forest Service manages the land, and the area sits within designated wilderness, which sets it apart as a backcountry destination rather than a developed recreation site. The climbing here is all trad, with six routes spread across a range of grades from 5.5 to 5.11. Camel Access and Camel Trader are the easiest, both at 5.5, while The North Face and Southeast Arete top out at 5.11. The North Face was first climbed by Steve Pope and Phil Bennett in 1990, and Southeast Arete by Nathan Brown and Wesley Calkins. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Spruce Pine run from highs around 71°F in May to 74°F in September, with July the warmest at about 81°F. North Carolina Wall lies just 0.1 mile away, and Amphitheater is about half a mile off. Table Rock Summit and Shortoff are both roughly 0.7 mile away.