Mountain · 1 route

The Pinnacle

4,838 ft · North Carolina

Summit
4,838 ft
Routes
1 way up

Route up The Pinnacle

  1. Pinnacle TrailModerateabout 1,220 ft of climbing2.7 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up The Pinnacle, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Pinnacle TrailMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About The Pinnacle

The Pinnacle is a summit of 4,838 feet in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 4 miles from the town of Sylva. The land also falls within an NC Land and Water Fund Project. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Newfound Gap, TN weather station, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 74°F with lows near 57°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s. The Pinnacle Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the West Fork Trail and East Fork Trail are both within about a mile. For paddling, Scott Creek is about 3 miles off.

Forecast on The Pinnacle

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 Pinnacle

How tall is The Pinnacle?

4,838 ft (1,475 m).

How many routes go to the summit of The Pinnacle?

One: Pinnacle Trail.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in North Carolina

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, 18 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
Sylva, North Carolina · 3.9 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; NIFC Jurisdictional Units; 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 The Pinnacle open right now?

Closure in the area

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

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

    39° / 22°

    13 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 25°

    12 wet

  3. Mar

    49° / 30°

    13 wet

  4. Apr

    58° / 38°

    13 wet

  5. May

    66° / 47°

    15 wet

  6. Jun

    71° / 54°

    16 wet

  7. Jul

    74° / 57°

    16 wet

  8. Aug

    72° / 56°

    14 wet

  9. Sep

    68° / 51°

    11 wet

  10. Oct

    59° / 41°

    10 wet

  11. Nov

    50° / 32°

    10 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 27°

    12 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Newfound Gap, TN, 17.9 mi away at 5,040 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.