The Best Time to Visit Highlands, NC, Month by Month

There is no bad month in Highlands, only different trips. Summer is the busiest season, October is the most famous, and winter is quiet enough that you can get a table anywhere that is open. Temperatures below are NOAA 1991-2020 averages for Highlands. Event dates move year to year, so confirm them on the Highlands Chamber events calendar before you book.

The short answer

Highlands by month

January

The coldest month, with average highs near 42°F and lows near 24°F. Snow and ice are possible, and shaded curves on US 64 and NC 106 can stay slick. Some restaurants take an annual winter break and others shorten their hours, so call ahead. The town ice rink at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park (Thursday through Sunday) and snow activities at Highlands Outpost are the winter draws. This is the cheapest and quietest time to visit.

February

Highs average about 46°F. Still quiet and still prone to the odd snowfall. Waterfalls can show ice formations after a hard freeze. Treat trails with care, because rock at Dry Falls and on summits ices over. The Performing Arts Center’s broadcast season continues through the winter.

March

Highs climb to about 54°F, and nights still drop near freezing. Businesses begin reopening from their winter breaks late in the month. Spring wildflowers start at lower elevations first, then work up the mountain. The town ice rink’s 2026-27 season ends February 28.

April

Highs average about 62°F. Waterfalls run strong with spring rain, and the leaves fill in from the valleys upward. Cliffside Lake’s developed day-use area opens April 1. Crowds are light, and it is a good month for hiking before summer humidity.

May

Highs near 69°F and the start of the season. The Highlands Historic Village opens for the year. In 2026 the Bear Shadow Music Festival returned over the last weekend of May. Check whether it is scheduled again before you plan around it. Book Memorial Day weekend early.

June

Highs average about 75°F with cool nights in the mid 50s. Everything is open. The Highlands Motoring Festival brings classic cars, driving tours and a Main Street parade in mid-June, and the Mountaintop Art & Craft Show holds its first weekend at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. Afternoon thunderstorms become common.

July

The warmest month, with highs near 78°F, which is why Highlands has drawn summer visitors for more than a century. The town celebrates Independence Day with fireworks, and the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival runs concerts at the Performing Arts Center and in Cashiers from early July into August (July 5 to August 9 in 2026). Expect full restaurants and busy trailheads on weekends. Reserve dinners well ahead.

August

Highs average about 76°F. Summer crowds continue, and the Mountaintop Art & Craft Show returns for a second weekend late in the month. The Highlands Twilight 5K runs through downtown in August. Rain and pop-up storms are frequent, so plan hikes for the morning.

September

Highs drop to about 71°F and the summer crowds thin after Labor Day. Days are often clear and dry. This is one of the best months for hiking and for getting into restaurants without a long wait. Color begins to show at the highest elevations late in the month.

October

The busiest month for leaf watchers. Fall color around Highlands usually peaks around October 11 to 20, though weather shifts it each year. Highs average about 63°F with frosty mornings. In late October, watch for the bear shadow from Rhodes Big View Overlook around 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Lodging, dinners and parking all fill on weekends, so plan months ahead. The Historic Village closes for the season at the end of the month, and Cliffside Lake’s day-use season ends October 31. See fall foliage in Highlands.

November

Highs fall to about 53°F. Late color can linger into early November at lower elevations. The Bascom’s holiday market opens early in the month. The Highlands Food & Wine festival, long a November fixture, ended after its 2025 edition. The town ice rink at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park opens November 19 in 2026, running Thursday through Sunday through February 28. Thanksgiving weekend kicks off the holidays with a Main Street stroll on Small Business Saturday and Light Up the Park that evening, November 28 in 2026.

December

Highs average about 45°F. The Highlands Christmas Parade runs down Main Street on an early December Saturday (December 5 in 2026, at 10 am), Santa visits Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on December Saturdays, and the shops stay decorated through the month. Holiday weeks book up, so reserve early. See Christmas in Highlands.

What closes in winter

Highlands is a year-round town, but the off-season is real. From roughly January into March:

• Several restaurants close for an annual winter break, and others cut back to a few nights a week. Hotel restaurants tend to stay open.
• The Highlands Historic Village is closed from November until May.
• Cliffside Lake’s developed season runs April 1 through October 31. Outside it, the water is shut off and facilities are limited.
• Some shops keep shorter or weekend-only hours.

The Bascom, the Hudson Library, the Botanical Garden and the town pool stay open. Read winter in Highlands for what to do.

For a full list of festivals, see Highlands events by month, and for the first-timer basics read everything to know before you go.