Head for the hills - There is Still Plenty of Fall Color in the Mountains

October 26. 2016
Fall in North Carolina is unlike anywhere else in the world. Every year 1000s of people visit the North Carolina mountains to view nature's glorious display of the changing seasons. North Carolina offers one of the longest periods of color, stretching from late September though mid November thanks to elevations ranging fro 500 feet to nearly 6,000 feet.

Linville Falls Visitor Center courtesy Grandfather Mountain

On Grandfather Mountain autumn colors continue to thrive at elevations near and below 3,000 feet. Oak tree leaves are now changing, including pin, red and scarlet, and some color remains to develop.See current photos of Grandfather Mountain HERE.

Pilot Mountain State Park is starting to get some good gold color and abundant reds and oranges, but has not seen peak change. Peak is expected between the first and second weeks of November. The parking area is small - 150 spaces - so visit on a weekday if possible during peak weekends.


In The Great Smoky Mountain National Park the fall color display usually reaches peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November. This is the park's most spectacular display as it includes such colorful trees as sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and the hickories.

Cataloochee Overlook (Photo by K. Plaas) courtesy GSMNP

Asheville NC is enjoying an even longer, and later, fall color season than normal, giving you an extended opportunity to see the show well into November. The autumn colors remain strong at elevations around 3,000 feet with the lower elevations now beginning to show the strongest colors with downtown areas lighting up with reds, yellows and oranges.

photo by Jason Tarr courtesy of www.exploreAsheville.com