Loose Mountain
About
Loose Mountain is a summit of 2,225 feet in the Grandfather Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 10 miles from the town of Gamewell. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Spruce Pine show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 74°F, with July the warmest month at about 81°F. Two trails start close by: Adams Mountain Trail is about half a mile away and Reids Creek Trail is under a mile off. For an overnight base, Mortimer Campground sits about 3 miles away, and paddlers can reach the Johns River within about 5 miles.
Summit Facts
Summit elevation
2,225 ft
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Loose Mountain
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: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 64–81°F and lows of 39–60°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC weather station, 15 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan45° high24° low
- Feb47° high26° low
- Mar55° high32° low
- Apr64° high39° low
- May71° high48° low
- Jun78° high57° low
- Jul81° high60° low
- Aug80° high59° low
- Sep74° high53° low
- Oct65° high42° low
- Nov56° high31° low
- Dec48° high27° low
Where it is
- Grandfather Ranger District · Ranger district
- National Forests in North Carolina · National forest
- Nearest town
- Gamewell, North Carolina · 9.8 mi
Conditions
Active alerts for Grandfather Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
Brown Mountain Alcohol Restrictions- Grandfather Ranger District
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Curtis Creek and Wiseman's View Alcohol Restrictions - Grandfather Ranger District
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
Adams Mountain TrailHikingPhoto: chascow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.6 mi- Reids Creek TrailHiking0.8 mi
- Mortimer CampgroundCamping3.3 mi
- Brown Mountain Cua Roadside CampsitesCamping3.7 mi
- Johns RiverCanoeing4.6 mi
Wilson CreekCanoeingPhoto: Ken Thomas, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)5.4 mi- Route 181 Rock faceRock climbing6.7 mi
- ET WallRock climbing6.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Is Loose Mountain open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Loose Mountain, 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 · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Loose Mountain
Best months: March–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
45° / 24°
Feb
47° / 26°
Mar
55° / 32°
Apr
64° / 39°
May
71° / 48°
Jun
78° / 57°
Jul
81° / 60°
Aug
80° / 59°
Sep
74° / 53°
Oct
65° / 42°
Nov
56° / 31°
Dec
48° / 27°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC, 14.7 mi away at 2,850 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
