Cold Mountain and the Shining Rock Wilderness surrounding it are part of Pisgah National Forest.

[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.

In 2016 the Southern Appalachian Highland Conservancy purchased the 162 acres (66 ha) Dix Creek tract from private owners.

Legends, Tales, & History of Cold Mountain (Volumes I–VI) is a six-volume series of The Pigeon Valley Heritage Collection.