Mountain · 1 route

The Chimneys

3,534 ft · North Carolina

Summit
3,534 ft
Routes
1 way up
Season
Year-round

Route up The Chimneys

  1. ShortoffHardabout 5,257 ft of climbing14.9 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up The Chimneys, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
ShortoffMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About The Chimneys

The Chimneys is a summit of 3,534 feet in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, part of the Grandfather Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. The nearest town is Crossnore, about 10 miles away. Late spring and early fall tend to be the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 74°F, and the summit sits higher than that station, so temperatures on top run a little cooler. The climbing areas Camel, The and North Carolina Wall are both within a quarter mile. Table Rock Summit and Shortoff are each about 0.7 miles away.

Forecast on The Chimneys

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 The Chimneys

How tall is The Chimneys?

3,534 ft (1,077 m).

How many routes go to the summit of The Chimneys?

One: Shortoff.

When is the best time to climb The Chimneys?

Year-round.

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 64–81°F and lows of 39–60°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC weather station, 7.4 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan45° high24° low
  2. Feb47° high26° low
  3. Mar55° high32° low
  4. Apr64° high39° low
  5. May71° high48° low
  6. Jun78° high57° low
  7. Jul81° high60° low
  8. Aug80° high59° low
  9. Sep74° high53° low
  10. Oct65° high42° low
  11. Nov56° high31° low
  12. Dec48° high27° low

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

Where it is

Nearest town
Crossnore, North Carolina · 10 mi

Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

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

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

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

Is The Chimneys open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name The Chimneys, 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 The Chimneys

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.

  1. Jan

    45° / 24°

  2. Feb

    47° / 26°

  3. Mar

    55° / 32°

  4. Apr

    64° / 39°

  5. May

    71° / 48°

  6. Jun

    78° / 57°

  7. Jul

    81° / 60°

  8. Aug

    80° / 59°

  9. Sep

    74° / 53°

  10. Oct

    65° / 42°

  11. Nov

    56° / 31°

  12. Dec

    48° / 27°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spruce Pine 2 Ne, NC, 7.4 mi away at 2,850 ft. The station sits about 700 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.