Mountain · 1 route

Jones Knob

4,623 ft · North Carolina

Summit
4,623 ft
Routes
1 way up

Route up Jones Knob

  1. Jones Gap TrailModerateabout 298 ft of climbing0.7 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up Jones Knob, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Jones Gap TrailMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About Jones Knob

Jones Knob is a summit of 4,623 feet in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 6 miles from the town of Highlands. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically September and October, when typical averages from a nearby weather station in Highlands run from highs around 71°F with lows near 51°F in September to highs around 63°F in October. That station sits roughly 770 feet below the summit, so temperatures up top run cooler. Jones Gap Trail starts just 0.3 miles away, and Vanhook Trail is about 2.8 miles off. Van Hook Glade Campground, about 3 miles away, offers a place to stay, and Skitty Creek Trail is about 3.2 miles away.

Forecast on Jones Knob

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Questions about Jones Knob

How tall is Jones Knob?

4,623 ft (1,409 m).

How many routes go to the summit of Jones Knob?

One: Jones Gap Trail.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in North Carolina

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–78°F and lows of 39–58°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Highlands, NC weather station, 5.7 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan42° high24° low
  2. Feb46° high26° low
  3. Mar54° high32° low
  4. Apr62° high39° low
  5. May69° high47° low
  6. Jun75° high54° low
  7. Jul78° high58° low
  8. Aug76° high57° low
  9. Sep71° high51° low
  10. Oct63° high41° low
  11. Nov53° high32° low
  12. Dec45° high27° low

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

Where it is

Nearest town
Highlands, North Carolina · 5.8 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Nantahala Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

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

Is Jones Knob open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Jones Knob, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Jones Knob

Best months: September–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.

  1. Jan

    42° / 24°

    14 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 26°

    13 wet

  3. Mar

    54° / 32°

    14 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 39°

    13 wet

  5. May

    69° / 47°

    14 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 54°

    15 wet

  7. Jul

    78° / 58°

    17 wet

  8. Aug

    76° / 57°

    16 wet

  9. Sep

    71° / 51°

    12 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 41°

    11 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 32°

    11 wet

  12. Dec

    45° / 27°

    14 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Highlands, NC, 5.7 mi away at 3,850 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.