24 peaks
South Beyond 6000
What is South Beyond 6000?
South Beyond 6000, often called SB6K, is the Carolina Mountain Club's list of 40 Southern Appalachian summits that stand above 6,000 feet. A peak qualifies when it has at least 200 feet of drop to a neighboring saddle, or at least 0.75 miles of separation from a higher neighbor. The list spans western North Carolina and the North Carolina/Tennessee line: the Black Mountains, the Great Craggies, the Great Balsams, the Plott Balsams, the Roan Highlands, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Mount Mitchell is the high point of the list and of the eastern United States. Two peaks already live in other Yak quests: Mount Mitchell and Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome).
South Beyond 6000 list
Mount Mitchell
6,684 ft · North Carolina
Mount Craig
6,646 ft · North Carolina
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome)
6,643 ft · Tennessee
Mount Guyot
6,625 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Balsam Cone
6,596 ft · North Carolina
Mount Le Conte
6,595 ft · Tennessee
Cattail Peak
6,583 ft · North Carolina
Mount Gibbes
6,571 ft · North Carolina
Mount Chapman
6,435 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Richland Balsam
6,411 ft · North Carolina
Old Black
6,360 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Blackstock Knob
6,338 ft · North Carolina
Waterrock Knob
6,291 ft · North Carolina
Roan High Knob
6,282 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Mount Kephart
6,218 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Black Balsam Knob
6,212 ft · North Carolina
Winter Star Mountain
6,208 ft · North Carolina
Grassy Ridge Bald
6,194 ft · North Carolina
Mount Collins
6,191 ft · North Carolina/Tennessee
Sam Knob
6,079 ft · North Carolina
Tennent Mountain
6,070 ft · North Carolina
Craggy Dome
6,062 ft · North Carolina
Cold Mountain
6,027 ft · North Carolina
Shining Rock
5,986 ft · North Carolina
Hiking the South Beyond 6000
Most SB6K summits are Class 1 trail hikes on the Appalachian Trail, the Art Loeb Trail, the Black Mountain Crest, or short Blue Ridge Parkway walks. A handful finish on manways or bushwhacks (Cattail Peak, Mount Gibbes, Craggy Dome, Shining Rock). The club only counts a hike if it covers at least 5 miles and 500 feet of gain, so the short Parkway peaks are usually combined on one outing. Several Plott Balsam summits sit on private land, and Roan High Bluff's true top is fenced: the club accepts the observation platform beside it. The Parkway, NC 128 to Mount Mitchell, and Kuwohi Road close in winter, so most of the list is an April through November project. Yak tracks each peak with its standard route so you can plan the next one and watch the count climb.
Frequently asked questions
How many peaks are on the South Beyond 6000 list?
There are 40. The Carolina Mountain Club maintains the list, with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club as co-sponsor. Cattail Peak replaced Potato Hill in July 2013 after a survey showed Cattail is the higher of the two.
What counts as a qualifying SB6K hike?
Each hike must cover at least 5 miles and 500 feet of gain, on foot and continuous. Several peaks on one outing count as one hike if you stay on foot between them. Short Parkway walks such as Waterrock Knob or Richland Balsam are usually paired with neighbors so the day meets the minimum.
What is the highest peak on the list?
Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountains, 6,684 feet by USGS 3DEP LiDAR. It is also the highest summit in the eastern United States. The standard walk is the summit trail from the state-park parking area; many SB6K hikers continue north on the Black Mountain Crest to Mount Craig, Balsam Cone and Cattail Peak.
Is Clingmans Dome still on the list after the rename to Kuwohi?
Yes. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names restored the Cherokee name Kuwohi in 2024. It is the same summit, still the highest point in Tennessee and in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it remains on the SB6K list.
Are any SB6K peaks on private land?
Yes. In the Plott Balsams, peaks other than Waterrock Knob, including Mount Lyn Lowry and Plott Balsam, are on private land. Access can change; check current permission before you go. Mount Gibbes is the qualifying summit of the Gibbes / Clingmans Peak massif because the tower site on Clingmans Peak is closed.
When is the best time to hike the South Beyond 6000?
April through November, when the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC 128 to Mount Mitchell, and Kuwohi Road are usually open. Newfound Gap Road (US 441) stays open in winter and gives year-round access to Mount Kephart, Mount Collins and the eastern Smokies, but the spruce-fir forests ice over. Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms on the open balds of the Balsams and the Roan.
Track the South Beyond 6000
Log each SB6K summit as you climb it, including Mount Mitchell and Kuwohi if you have already been up them.
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