Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
About
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is a 1,176-acre park in North Carolina, about 1.3 miles from the town of Jefferson. It serves as a base for a cluster of short trails, several of which start within a quarter mile of the park's center. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Jefferson show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 75°F, with October bringing the fewest wet days of the year. The closest trails are the Rhododendron Trail, Summit Trail and Lost Province Trail, all about 0.2 miles away. A little farther out, the Shagbark Hickory Loop lies about 2.1 miles away.
Park size
1,176 acres
Location
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
North Carolina
Data source: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (Protected Areas Database, public domain)
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–81°F and lows of 36–58°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Jefferson 2 E, NC weather station, 2.2 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan43° high22° low
- Feb47° high24° low
- Mar53° high29° low
- Apr63° high36° low
- May71° high45° low
- Jun78° high53° low
- Jul81° high58° low
- Aug80° high57° low
- Sep75° high50° low
- Oct65° high39° low
- Nov55° high29° low
- Dec47° high24° low
Nearby
Rhododendron TrailHikingPhoto: bobistraveling, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi- Summit TrailHikingPhoto: bobistraveling, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi
- Lost Province TrailHikingPhoto: bobistraveling, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi
- Shagbark Hickory LoopHiking2.1 mi
- Cohosh LoopHiking2.2 mi
- Mission TrailHiking3.9 mi
- Running Cedar TrailHiking4.3 mi
- South Fork New RiverRiver fishing9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
Best months: April–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
43° / 22°
8 wet
Feb
47° / 24°
7 wet
Mar
53° / 29°
8 wet
Apr
63° / 36°
8 wet
May
71° / 45°
10 wet
Jun
78° / 53°
10 wet
Jul
81° / 58°
10 wet
Aug
80° / 57°
9 wet
Sep
75° / 50°
7 wet
Oct
65° / 39°
6 wet
Nov
55° / 29°
6 wet
Dec
47° / 24°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Jefferson 2 E, NC, 2.2 mi away at 2,759 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
