November 10
Rabbit Creek (From Abrams Creek Ranger Station to Hannah Mountain Trail) – Estimated 65 to 70% of colorful foliage gone but still plenty of nice yellow, orange, gold and bronze foliage along with scattered red foliage.
Hannah Mountain (From Rabbit Creek Trail to Campsite #14) – Estimated 65 to 70% of colorful foliage gone but still nice selection of yellow, orange, gold and bronze foliage along with decent amount of red foliage. One distance ridge top was covered with checkerboard dark green (pines and hemlocks) and red patches. Could not tell what the red foliage was from the distance.
Note: Good number of Scarlet Oak, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Sourwood and Blueberry with colorful foliage with some blackberry, Hickory, Sweet Gum and Sassafras with nice colorful foliage.
November 7
The Last Hurrah for fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains is now unfolding. At the lowest elevations and foothills of the national park, colors are at or near peak. Maples, oaks, sweetgums, birch, and sourwood are putting on an impressive show. Now is not the time to hesitate if you want to catch some great fall colors this year.
Good places to see the colors include the Deep Creek area, Little River Road, Lakeview Drive, and Laurel Creek Road to Cades Cove. Suggested hikes include Old Sugarlands Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail, Gatlinburg Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail, and the Three-waterfalls-loop off of Deep Creek Trail.
Suggested hikes include Oconaluftee River Trail, Mingus Creek Trail, Huskey Gap Trail, Chimney Tops Trail, and Laurel Falls Trail. Little River Road, Tremont Road, Deep Creek Road, and Newfound Gap Road are superb.
Traffic should be lighter this week than last. The elk rut is still going on in North Carolina and a herd has been very visible at Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
October 29
It’s prime time for fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains! This grand finale at the lower and mid-elevations will likely continue into early November as oaks and maples continue to turn. As in years past, peak colors come on quickly and are relatively short-lived. It’s a whole lot better to be a little early to the show than too late.
Good places to see fall color include Newfound Gap Road, Tremont Road, Cades Cove, and Little River Road. Suggested hikes: Little River Trail, Meigs Mountain Trail, the Cove-Hardwood self-guiding nature trail, Smokemont Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Huskey Gap, and Deep Creek Trail.
Parting rain showers Wednesday morning should provide favorable light for serious photographers.
October 24
Fall colors are at or near peak this week in several areas of the Great Smoky Mountains. Yellow birch, American beech, pin cherry, American mountain-ash, witch-hobble, and mountain maple are all showing excellent color. A few maples are showing brilliant reds, yet some foliage is still green below elevations of 2,000’. A grand finale of colors at the lower and mid-elevations will likely begin this week and continue into early November. As in years past, peak colors come on quickly and are relatively short-lived. It’s a whole lot better to be a little early to the show than too late.
Good places to see fall color include Newfound Gap Road, Tremont Road, and Balsam Mountain Road off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Suggested hikes: Thomas Divide Trail, Sweat Heifer Trail, the Cove-Hardwood self-guiding nature trail, Gregory Bald Trail, Smokemont Loop, and Mt. Cammerer.
At the lower elevations, sunny days and cool nights are moving fall colors along. Parting rain showers Wednesday morning should provide favorable light for serious photographers. Black gum, dogwood, sumacs, and sourwood trees continue to show vivid reds. Golds are coming along on tuliptree, black walnut, birch, beech, and hickories. A few scattered maples are beginning to show fall colors. Suggested hikes: Rich Mountain Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Huskey Gap, and Deep Creek Trail.
Traffic should be lighter this week than last. The elk rut is still going on in North Carolina.
Good places to see fall color include Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Heintooga Ridge Road to Balsam Mountain Campground. Suggested hikes: Thomas Divide Trail, the Appalachian Trail to Charlies Bunion, Sweat Heifer Trail, the spruce-fir self-guiding nature trail, Gregory Bald Trail, and Mt. Cammerer.
At the lower elevations, sunny days and cool nights are moving fall colors along. Black gum, dogwood, sumacs, and sourwood trees continue to show vivid reds. Golds are coming along on tuliptree, black walnut, birch, beech, and hickories. A few scattered maples are beginning to show fall colors. The peak of color at the lowest elevations is several days away. Suggested hikes: Rich Mountain Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Smokemont Loop, and Deep Creek Trail.
Traffic will be very heavy on Newfound Gap Road and Cades Cove Loop Road over the next week. Allow extra time for your travels, or visit less-busy areas of the park such as Deep Creek, Big Creek, Twentymile, Cosby, Fontana, and the Foothills Parkway.
October 15
One thing’s for certain, there is no threat of drought ruining the fall color show this year! Yesterday over 5.5” of rain inundated Mt. Le Conte and the Smoky Mountain high country, causing Clingmans Dome Road to temporarily close and a brief evacuation of Elkmont Campground. If you have ever wanted to photograph a raging waterfall surrounded by fall colors, your time is now.
Fall colors have come on strong this week. They are now at peak at many higher and mid-elevation locations. Yet this year’s color display is especially nonsynchronous—there are areas of rich color all over the park, contrasted by other areas that remain mostly green. At the lower elevations, sunny and drier locations are being lit up by sourwoods, dogwoods, birches, beeches, and sumac. They are stunning, especially in the evening and under clouds.
Little River and Laurel Creek roads have excellent color right now. Cades Cove is surrounded by mountains that are at peak. If you want to beat the crowds and enjoy fall splendor, try the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Foothills Parkway East and West, Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain roads, and the Deep Creek and Greenbrier areas of the park. Suggested hikes include Little River Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Abrams Falls, and Hen Wallow Falls.
Over the next 2-3 weeks, various areas of the park will have excellent color displays.
October 13
Bote Mountain (From Lead Cove Tr. to Finely Cane Tr.) – Brilliant red sourwood foliage on the upper end of the trail. Red maples, beautiful sassafras leaves, blueberry, very colorful sugar maples, Tulip Poplar, Greenbrier, Beech and Scarlet Oak. Note: The slopes coming down from Thunderhead Mountain appear to be at peak display. “I do not recall seeing more beautiful foliage in the park in a number of years.” – Tom Harrington
October 10
Fall color season is continuing its slow progression in the Great Smoky Mountains. The very highest elevations are showing some impressive golds from yellow birch and American beech trees and a few nice pockets of reds from maples. Overall though, it looks like the peak of color in the Smokies will be on the late side this year. At the higher elevations (above 4,000’), this is predicted to be October 12-20.
Along Little River Road, and elsewhere at the lower elevations, early-changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, sumac, black walnut, buckeye, poison ivy, and Virginia creeper are showing nice color.
This is a great time to take a drive on Clingmans Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or Balsam Mountain Road. Little River, Laurel Creek and Lake View roads also offer pleasant fall scenery. A hike to Andrews Bald on Forney Ridge Trail or along the Appalachian Trail toward Silers Bald would be time well spent. Although there are some cloudy days in the forecast, the moody light often enhances the quality of colors to both the eye and camera.
Look for peak color at the lower and mid-elevations at the very end of October and into early November. The warmer, wet weather over the weekend should keep the pace of change on the slow side. Remember, though, it’s much better to be early for the peak of colors in the Smokies, than late.
October 4
At long last, it’s fall color time in the Great Smoky Mountains! The highest elevations are now showing impressive golds from yellow birch and American beech trees and nice reds from maples. The peak of fall colors at the higher elevations should be October 4-10.
Along Little River Road, and elsewhere at the lower elevations, early-changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, sumac, black walnut, buckeye, and Virginia creeper are showing better and better color.
This is a great time to take a drive on Clingmans Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or Balsam Mountain Road. Little River and Laurel Creek roads also offer pleasant fall scenery. A hike to Andrews Bald on Forney Ridge Trail or along Thomas Divide Trail would be time well spent.
Look for peak color at the lower and mid-elevations in late October and early November. The strong cold front dipping down into the Smokies this weekend is rapidly advancing the pace of color change.
September 26
Ploddingly, grudgingly, fall colors are starting to change in the Great Smoky Mountains. Though the pace of change has quickened, the advance of leaf colors is later than average. This means we likely have four to five more weeks to enjoy the transition before leaf colors peak and trees begin dropping leaves.
At the very highest elevations, leaves are progressing more rapidly after a light frost earlier this week. Still, only about 20%-30% of deciduous leaves have changed thus far.
Lower down, several species of trees have started to brighten. Sycamore, sassafras, witch hazel, walnut, tuliptree, black gum, sourwood, Virginia creeper, sumacs, and buckeye are all showing color. Migrating birds are flocking to the dogwoods’ red berries. Fall wildflowers are also conspicuous, including jewelweed, asters, goldenrod, and white snakeroot.
Good places for a drive include Clingmans Dome Road and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a great time to hike Mt. Le Conte! Upper Deep Creek Trail is also gorgeous this time of year.
The peak of fall colors at the higher elevations is likely a week or so away. At the lower and mid-elevations, colors are trending toward a very late October or early November peak.
September 23
The progress of fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains may be about to shift from neutral and into gear. The last two weeks have been unusually warm and damp, and colors have not progressed much. But with nighttime lows now hitting the lower 40s and upper 30s, that should rapidly change.
Lower down, several species of trees have just started to change. Sycamore, sassafras, witch hazel, buckeye, tuliptree, black gum, sourwood, Virginia creeper, sumacs and black walnut are all showing hints of color. Migrating birds are flocking to the dogwoods’ red berries. Fall wildflowers are also conspicuous, including jewelweed, asters, goldenrod and white snakeroot.
Good places for a drive include Clingmans Dome Road and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a great time to hike Mt. Le Conte! Upper Deep Creek Trail is also gorgeous this time of year.
The peak of fall colors at the higher elevations is likely to be at least 10 days away. At the lower and mid-elevations, colors traditionally peak in late October or early November. At this time, we predict colors will be on the later side.
Park officials are happy to see a bumper crop of oak acorns, which should help black bears gain the weight they need to make through the winter.
September 15
With sunny days and cool nights in the forecast, the march of fall colors should be picking up the pace very shortly. Reports from New England portend that the timing of this year’s colors may be normal to a tad late across the Appalachians.
Sourwood trees on the drier slopes are showing nice reds now. Witch-hobble leaves at the higher elevations are burgundy. A smattering of dogwood trees have begun the change. Blackgum trees will soon be blushing red. Fruits, such as the fuchsia seedpods of magnolia trees and oak acorns are now conspicuous.
By late September look for more color at the higher elevations as American beech and yellow birch trees transition to gold. Early changers at the lower elevations like sourwood, blackgum, dogwood, yellow buckeye, Virginia creeper, sumacs, and tuliptree should then be near peak. Parkwide, the peak of fall colors generally occurs between late October and early November.
The elk rut is now in full swing in both Cataloochee Valley and at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center area; and bears are busy gobbling acorns in Cades Cove.
September 12
Witch Hobble, Sourwood, Dogwood, Red Maple and Blueberries on Sugarland Mountain.
September 7
This week’s warm, wet weather has slowed the march of fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains. Still, sourwood trees on the drier slopes are showing some early pink and crimson colors. Witch-hobble leaves at the higher elevations are mostly burgundy now. Blackgum trees are just beginning to blush red. Fruits, such as the fuchsia seed pods of magnolia trees and oak acorns are now conspicuous.
By late September look for more color at the higher elevations as American beech and yellow birch trees transition to gold. Early changers at the lower elevations like sourwood, blackgum, dogwood, yellow buckeye, Virginia creeper, sumacs, and tuliptree should then be near peak. Parkwide, the peak of fall colors generally occurs between late October and early November. When the next cold snap arrives in a couple of days, we should have a better read on whether autumn will be early this year or not.
September 2
Hello September! Witch hobble has turned a rich crimson hue at the higher elevations. Its bright red berries are also quite conspicuous. The very earliest yellow birch trees are also beginning to change, as are some pin cherry leaves (all at the highest elevations). In the valleys, a few dogwood and sourwood trees are reddening, as is poison ivy and Virginia creeper. Spicebush is sporting red berries. If the forecast of warm, wet weather proves true, there likely won’t be any significant change of fall color this week.Late summer wildflowers continue to be spectacular with jewelweed, goldenrod, New York ironweed, cardinal flower, white snakeroot, gentian, and grass-of-Parnassus, putting on spectacular shows.
The Great Smokies Welcome Center is located on U.S. 321 in Townsend, TN, 2 miles from the west entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors can get information about things to see and do in and around the national park and shop from a wide selection of books, gifts, and other Smokies merchandise. Daily, weekly, and annual parking tags for the national park are also available.
