Cold Mountain (North Carolina)

Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain as seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway
Highest point
Elevation	6,030 ft (1,840 m)
Prominence	990 ft (300 m)
Coordinates	35°24′34″N 82°51′22″W / 35.40944°N 82.85611°W / 35.40944; -82.85611
Geography
Location	Haywood County, North Carolina, U.S.
Parent range	Great Balsam Mountains
Topo map	USGS Cruso
Climbing
Easiest route	Hike

Cold Mountain falls in the mountain region of western North Carolina, United States.^[1] The mountain is one of the Great Balsam Mountains which are a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains within the Appalachian Mountains. Cold Mountain and the Shining Rock Wilderness surrounding it are part of Pisgah National Forest.

Cold Mountain is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Waynesville and 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Asheville. It rises to 6,030 feet (1,840 m) above sea level and is the 40th tallest mountain in the eastern United States.^{[2][dubious – discuss]} The peak is accessible only via an extremely strenuous branch of the Art Loeb Trail with a 10.6 miles (17.1 km) round trip and an elevation change of 2,800 feet (850 m).^[3]

The vast majority of Cold Mountain falls within federal lands of the Shining Rock Wilderness of the Pisgah National Forest. However portions of the mountain, including approximately 800 acres (324 ha) of northwestern Cold Mountain in Panther Branch, are privately owned. There are about 15 residences on the northwest side of the mountain, and maintenance of access roads is funded by property owners.

In 2016 the Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy purchased the 162 acres (66 ha) Dix Creek tract from private owners.^[4] The land was transferred to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in late October 2016 and will increase the adjoining Cold Mountain Game Lands to 3,500 acres (1,416 ha) in 2017.