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Summit

Piney Ridge Knob

North Carolina

About

Piney Ridge Knob is a summit of 4,712 feet in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 5.5 miles from the town of Cullowhee. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Highlands show July highs around 78°F and September highs near 71°F, with the summit's higher elevation running a little cooler than that station. Several trails start close by. Locust Gap Trail is about a mile away, and Mysterious Cabin Loop and Sawmill Bottoms Trail are each within about a mile and a half. For time on the water, Scott Creek offers canoeing about 4.6 miles off.

Summit Facts

Summit elevation

4,712 ft

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

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Location

Piney Ridge Knob

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 62–78°F and lows of 39–58°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Highlands, NC weather station, 22 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
Cullowhee, North Carolina · 5.5 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)

    Piney Ridge Knob — Summit in North Carolina | Roamze