Mountain · 1 route

The Pinnacle

3,825 ft · Virginia

Summit
3,825 ft
Routes
1 way up
Season
Year-round

Route up The Pinnacle

  1. Bald RidgeHardabout 751 ft of climbing7.7 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up The Pinnacle, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Bald RidgeMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About The Pinnacle

The Pinnacle is a summit of 3,825 feet in Virginia's Ramseys Draft Wilderness, part of the North River Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. The nearest town is McDowell, about 10 miles away. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 80°F and September highs near 73°F with lows around 49°F. That station sits well below the summit, so temperatures up top run cooler. Bald Ridge and the Bald Ridge Trail are both about 1.8 miles away, and Shenandoah Mountain is about 2.2 miles off. For an overnight base, Shaws Fork Horse Camp is about 3.7 miles away.

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?

3,825 ft (1,166 m).

How many routes go to the summit of The Pinnacle?

One: Bald Ridge.

When is the best time to climb The Pinnacle?

Year-round.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in Virginia

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–80°F and lows of 35–57°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Mustoe 1 Sw, VA weather station, 18 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan39° high18° low
  2. Feb42° high20° low
  3. Mar51° high27° low
  4. Apr62° high35° low
  5. May70° high45° low
  6. Jun76° high53° low
  7. Jul80° high57° low
  8. Aug78° high56° low
  9. Sep73° high49° low
  10. Oct63° high37° low
  11. Nov52° high28° low
  12. Dec42° high22° low

The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

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

Where it is

Nearest town
McDowell, Virginia · 10 mi

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

Conditions

Active alerts for George Washington and Jefferson National Forest 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 George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. It doesn't name The Pinnacle, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. 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° / 18°

    13 wet

  2. Feb

    42° / 20°

    12 wet

  3. Mar

    51° / 27°

    13 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 35°

    13 wet

  5. May

    70° / 45°

    16 wet

  6. Jun

    76° / 53°

    14 wet

  7. Jul

    80° / 57°

    13 wet

  8. Aug

    78° / 56°

    13 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 49°

    10 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 37°

    10 wet

  11. Nov

    52° / 28°

    11 wet

  12. Dec

    42° / 22°

    12 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mustoe 1 Sw, VA, 18.4 mi away at 2,367 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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.