North Carolina · Rock climbing · Brevard

The Cave

Cave, The in North Carolina has 16 climbing routes across 8 difficulty grades.

16 routes

5.9+ – 5.12+

Trad · Sport · Mixed

Is Cave, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Cave, 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 Cave

Best months: March–May and September–November. 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
49° / 25°
10 wet · 1 snow
Feb
53° / 27°
10 wet · 1 snow
Mar
60° / 33°
12 wet
Apr
69° / 41°
11 wet
May
75° / 50°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 58°
14 wet
Jul
83° / 62°
15 wet
Aug
82° / 62°
14 wet
Sep
77° / 55°
10 wet
Oct
69° / 43°
9 wet
Nov
59° / 32°
8 wet
Dec
51° / 28°
10 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Brevard, NC, 3.8 mi away at 2,175 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Cave is a climbing area in the Pisgah Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of climbing and paddling spots, with Cathey's Creek Crag just 0.1 mile away and Catheys Creek about 0.6 mile off. The area has 16 routes, with 11 in trad, 3 in sport and 2 in mixed. The YDS grades run from 5.9+ to 5.12+, with Jack the Ripper at 5.11 and Black Snake at 5.12 among the standouts. Lumberjack (extension) is a sport route at 5.11+. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Brevard show May highs around 75°F and October highs around 69°F, while July and August average in the low 80s with the most wet days of the year. Cedar Rock, a climbing area about 1.7 miles away, and the Cedar Rock Mountain Trail, about 2 miles off, round out the options for a longer outing.