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Summit

Balsam High Top

North Carolina

About

Balsam High Top is a summit of 5,709 feet in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, about 10 miles from Cosby, Tennessee. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Newfound Gap weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower, show July highs around 74°F with lows near 57°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s. Gunter Fork Trail is about 2.4 miles away, and Spruce Mountain Trail is about 3.6 miles away. For an overnight base, Round Bottom Horse Camp is about 3.4 miles off and Cosby Campground is about 6.4 miles away.

Summit Facts

Summit elevation

5,709 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Balsam High Top

North Carolina

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: May–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 66–74°F and lows of 47–57°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Newfound Gap, TN weather station, 14 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan39° high22° low
  2. Feb42° high25° low
  3. Mar49° high30° low
  4. Apr58° high38° low
  5. May66° high47° low
  6. Jun71° high54° low
  7. Jul74° high57° low
  8. Aug72° high56° low
  9. Sep68° high51° low
  10. Oct59° high41° low
  11. Nov50° high32° low
  12. Dec43° high27° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Cosby, Tennessee · 9.7 mi

Source: NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Great Smoky Mountains National Park as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: NPS Alerts API

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

    Balsam High Top — Summit in North Carolina | Roamze