North Carolina · Rock climbing · Balsam Grove

South Side

South Side in North Carolina has 28 climbing routes with mixed and trad styles.

Photo: jasonferrell, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

28 routes

5.5 – 5.12c

Trad · Mixed

Is South Side open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name South Side, 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 26, 10:25 am EDT · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit South Side

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, 5.9 mi away at 2,175 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

South Side 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 hiking destinations, with Sun Wall about 0.2 miles away and Looking Glass Boulders about 0.3 miles away. The area has 28 routes, all but one of which are traditional, with grades ranging from 5.5 to 5.12c. Among the named routes are Lichen or Not at 5.5, Second Coming at 5.7, and Mettle Detector at 5.12c. The hardest climb here is Mettle Detector, and the easiest is Lichen or Not. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Brevard show May highs around 75°F and September highs around 77°F, with October highs near 69°F. That station sits about 1,100 feet lower than the climbing area, so temperatures up high run cooler. Slick Rock Falls is about 0.6 miles away, and the Davidson River offers paddling about 1.4 miles off. Upper Cove Creek Roadside Campsites are about 1.3 miles away, and Headwater Road, a mountain biking route, is about 0.7 miles away.