North Carolina Mountains Fall Foliage

North Carolina Mountains Fall Foliage 

The North Carolina mountains fall foliage season is a beautiful show each and every year. The fall leaf color changes start in the higher elevations of the Western North Carolina mountains about the first week of October. Color changes will work their way down to the lower elevations of the mountains toward mid-November. Due to the varied elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains, you can always find the best show of color somewhere in the fall months of September, October and November. North Carolina has about 6-8 weeks of fall foliage to view! The biggest factors involved in the changing colors of the foliage are elevation and the weather. The warmer the weather the slower the progression of color. Cooler temperatures and an early frost will speed up the leaf color change show. 

 

To get a vibrant display of fall foliage cool temperatures are needed during September with sunny days and some rain. Too little rain and dry conditions make the trees drop their leaves too early before the colors appear. Too much rain and windy conditions will also have a detrimental effect on the fall foliage show. 

 

 

 

Fall Foliage When and Where Chart

5,000ft and Above	5,000ft- 4,000ft	4,000ft – 3,000ft	3,000ft-2,000ft	Below 2,000ft
First Week of October	Second Week of October	Third Week of October	Fourth Week Of October	Early Nov.
Graveyard Fields BRP MP 518.8 Rough Ridge (BRP MP 302.8) Grandfather Mountain Beech Mountain Kuwohi (GSMNP) Mount Mitchell (BRP MP 355.4)	Blue Ridge Parkway (NC) GSMNP	Skyline Drive (VA) Pisgah National Forest (NC) Boone Banner Elk Maggie Valley Waynesville Dillsboro	Asheville Cataloochee Cherokee Bryson City Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge Cades Cove Chimney Rock State Park Lake Lure Burnsville Hendersonville Saluda	Yadkin Valley Wilkesboro Stone Mountain State Park

Government Shutdown 2025 Info:

You can check the NPS Blue Ridge Parkway Road Status and Closure website page. You can also check the NPS Great Smoky Mountains National Park closures and alerts site. 

Updated 10/18/2025

The extension will now keep it open through Nov. 2, 2025.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will remain open despite the 2025 government shutdown. The park will remain fully operational starting on Oct. 4, 2025. This is possible through a collaborative funding effort between local and state partners. This is possible due to the cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Pittman Center, along with Blount County, Cocke County, the State of Tennessee, Friends of the Smokies, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and the State of North Carolina.

Fall Foliage Reports 2025

10/27/2025: In the mountains of NC,  peak fall foliage is visible below 3000′ elevation. Peak fall foliage is this week in locations such as Doughton Park, West Jefferson, and Ashe County. Also, Sylva, Dillsboro, DuPont Forest, Highlands, and Cashiers have a lot of color. The highest elevations (Waterrock Knob, Devil’s Courthouse, and Graveyard Fields are well past peak. The High Country is well past peak. But long-range views from the pullovers of the lower elevations and valleys still have a lot of color. This week, Chimney Rock and Asheville should be at or near peak. There are clouds and rain for much of NC this week. Temperatures will be quite chilly.

In the GSMNP, the lower elevations (below 3000 ft) are also at or near peak this week. Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley are great places to see fall foliage. A ride through the GSMNP on Newfound Gap Rd would result in great long-range views. Many people comment about seeing more color on the NC side of the Smokies (as compared to the TN side). Viewing elk in Cherokee at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is always fun this time of year! 

10/18/2025:  Peak fall foliage is happening now in these areas of the NC mountains: The High Country, Boone, Linn Cove Viaduct, Banner Elk, Valle Crucis, Grandfather Mountain, Price Lake, Avery County and Watauga County. Also, peak color is in Cashiers, Dillsboro and Sylva. Along the BRP, peak color is taking place between Cherokee and Asheville (the southern section) through Nantahala National Forest. Peak is this weekend and into next week. Peak color is expected in the mid elevations below 3000ft in the next 5-8 days. Chimney Rock State Park is reporting color progression with peak in late October. Ashe County (Jefferson and West Jefferson) are reporting great color. Mid-October is a very busy time for fall foliage viewing. The roads are crowded. Please take your time and be patient!

10/11/2025:  Peak fall foliage in the areas with the highest elevations are now at or near peak. Peak color is reported in the High Country of NC. Places to travel this week include Boone, Banner Elk, Linn Cove, Grandfather Mountain, and Mt. Mitchell. This area has had cool nights and sunny days, perfect for fall foliage development. Later this coming week, colder temperatures are forecast with the possibility of frost.

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in NC, the highest elevations are at peak also. Areas include Rough Ridge, Waterrock Knob, Craggy Gardens, Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam Knob. In the GSMNP a ride through the park on 441 would be great. Other rides include US 28, US 215 and US 129. 

10/1/2025:  The fall foliage season has arrived. Color is beginning to develop in the highest elevations along the Blue Ridge  Parkway in NC. The usual locations already showing color development are Rough Ridge, Craggy Gardens and Graveyard Fields. Grandfather Mountain is also starting to develop color above 5,000 ft. Most areas are still primarily green. There is good early color from the dogwood trees, birches, tulip poplars, sourwoods and maple trees. Peak color is expected in the High Country during the third week of October. The second and the third weekends would be the perfect time to view the fall foliage in the mid elevations of the North Carolina Mountains.  Hendersonville, NC is also reporting nice fall foliage development. There are reports of good color developing on the parkway MP 305 in the area of Linn Cove Viaduct.

In the Great Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove Road is closed currently. Remember, the visitor centers will probably be closed, as well as restrooms. No trash collections at sites and campgrounds. Hiking trails should be open, but there will be limited staff in case of emergencies.

The highest elevations in the Smokies are beginning to develop color. There is a lot of red, orange and golden yellow from the dogwood, sugar maple and sourwood trees. Other fall foliage changes are starting to take place in the highest mountain elevations (those above 5000 feet). This means areas such as Kuwohi , Mount LeConte, Andrews Bald, Balsam Mountain, and Newfound Gap have all started to slowly show color. Roan Mountain is developing some nice color.

Places to travel in early October for viewing fall foliage in the GSMNP  include Foothills Parkway, Newfound Gap Road (US441), Balsam Mountain Road, Cove Creek Road, and Clingmans Dome Road. Peak color is expected October 11-18, 2025. But with all the different elevations in the Great Smokies, a trip during October will result in a nice trip this year. Even late October should have plenty of fall foliage in the lower elevations and surrounding areas like Cades Cove, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Bryson City, and Cherokee.

Fall Foliage 2025 Predictions:

8/29/2025: North Carolina had plenty of rain this summer. This fall foliage season should be a good one. A wet summer, no drought conditions, no high wind or storms so far. The cool weather that moved in recently and the sunny days should be a nice setup for a great fall foliage season for 2025!

 

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BRP Road Alerts For 2025 Fall Foliage Season

Most of the Blue Ridge Parkway is open as of early September 2025. A few areas still remain closed.  Please visit NPS BRP Alerts and Road Closure website for the latest information.

 

Fall Foliage In North Carolina

 

 

 

 Weather And Elevation Is The Key

The key to the start of fall foliage color changes depends on the weather. One of the most important ingredients is cool air. Cool air is needed to promote the formation of colorful pigments. Also important is enough moisture in the weeks and months prior to autumn. A dry summer is not good. Drought conditions stress the trees and the leaves drop early. Next needed is the right weather conditions. A cool, dry, and sunny autumn with warm sunny days and cool but frostless nights. In some years the development of color is better than in other years. It all depends on the weather leading up to autumn and the weather during autumn.

Peak color happens in the highest elevations (over 5000ft) first and spreads down to the lower elevations as the weeks go by.  Color changes usually start in late September in areas that include Clingmans Dome, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Waterrock Knob, and Graveyard Fields.  Color continues to develop and spread well into early November into the lower elevations such as Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. Sunny days and cool nights are ideal weather for the development of vibrant colors in the leaves. 

 

North Carolina Mountains Fall Foliage Guidelines and Tips For Viewing

The North Carolina mountains fall foliage show starts each year in the highest elevations of the North Carolina mountains. That will be in the mountains with elevations at and above 5000 feet. Color in the highest elevations usually appears in early October. Mid-level elevations are 3000-4000 feet and typically peak in mid-October. The lower elevations below 2000 feet will peak last near the end of October and into early November. The southern mountains in North Carolina are in the lower ranges-areas such as Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and the Piedmont area of North Carolina.

 

Typical Peak Color Time Table

Here is a typical schedule for peak colors per elevation for the North Carolina Mountains Fall Foliage

• First week of October (about October 1-10) highest elevations of 4,500’ at peak
• Mid October (about October 10-16) mid-elevations of  4,500’ to 2,500’  at peak
• Last week of October (about October 16-31) in the Asheville area  lower elevations 2,500′ – 2,000’) 
• Late October and early November (about October 24- November 5) areas south of Asheville such as the Chimney Rock area with elevations at or below 1,500′ at peak

Typically the start of the North Carolina mountains fall foliage color change starts to take place in late September in the highest elevations of the NC mountains. Look for the color show to begin in the elevations above 5,000 ft such as  Clingmans Dome,  Mt. LeConte, Cataloochee, and Newfound Gap Road in the Great Smoky Mountains. Grandfather Mountain and the Boone area will start to show color in the highest elevations as well as Mount Mitchell, Craggy Gardens, and Rough Ridge along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 

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The North Carolina Travel webcams page has some nice webcam links to Asheville, Biltmore, and Boone that show some pretty fall foliage views during the fall months.

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Where to go to view NC mountains fall foliage:

• Great Smoky Mountains
• Blue Ridge Mountains
• Grandfather Mountain
• Highlands and Cashiers area
• Asheville area
• Mt. Mitchell
• Boone, Blowing Rock and West Jefferson areas
• Blue Ridge Parkway
• Chimney Rock State Park

A typical North Carolina mountains fall foliage season

Normally, about the very last of September or the first or second week of October, the leaves start changing in the highest elevations (above 5000 feet). Then, the second to third-week elevations above 4000 feet start the change. In mid-October, the show is well underway and includes the 3000-4000 feet elevation areas. By late October and early November, the lower elevations of 1300 feet are changing. By the second week in November, the peak season and the show is all but past for the mountain regions of North Carolina but in the lower elevations across the Piedmont to the coast, the fall foliage show can last through last November.

NC Fall Foliage Map  Showing Typical Peak Times

Great places to view North Carolina fall foliage would be:

Kuwohi is off US 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains (between Cherokee and Gatlinburg) Elevation of 6,643 feet.

The Blue Ridge Parkway – where overlooks offer long-range panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains. Craggy Gardens at Milepost 365.

Mount Mitchell –  in Yancey County, NC. Has an elevation of 6,684 feet and is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.

Grandfather Mountain – near Linville, North Carolina. Has an elevation of 5,946 feet. Just south of Boone.

Asheville and Biltmore Estate – peak colors usually occur in the third and fourth week of October. The elevation in this area is 2000 to 3000 feet. Seeing Biltmore Estate during fall foliage season is a real treat.

Chimney Rock – Save this area for late October and early November to see peak fall foliage. The elevation in the area of 1000 – 2000 ft. But Chimney Rock has great long-range views including the beautiful Lake Lure.

 

Timing Is Everything! When To Plan Your Fall Foliage Viewing Trip

The typical best times to plan a trip to view North Carolina Mountains fall foliage by regions and based on the past years would be:

● Western North Carolina Highest Elevations – Late September to Early October
● Western North Carolina – Early to Mid October
● Western to Central North Carolina – Mid October to Late October
● Central North Carolina – Late October to Early November

If planning a trip to view the NC mountains to view fall foliage here is a general guide and timeline by week:

 

October 4-10

North of Asheville in the highest elevations above 5,000 feet is where the fall foliage show begins and is where the most color typically occurs. These areas include Mount Mitchell, Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Grandfather Mountain and Rough Ridge.

October 8-18

Fall foliage color will then start to appear in elevations greater than 4,000 feet. Areas include the Mount Pisgah, Black Balsam, Devil’s Courthouse, Waterrock Knob and Graveyard Field. Peak color also occurs in this time period for the Highlands area, including Whiteside Mountain and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

October 15-24
In the surrounding mountains of Asheville, there is plenty of color in the 3,000-4,000 foot elevation range. A ride north or south on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville will be a beautiful site this week. A ride through the Pisgah National Forest (Looking Glass Rock or Cradle of Forestry) normally is a great trip. North of Asheville Linville Gorge (Table Rock and Hawksbill Mountain) would be a nice fall foliage hiking trip.

October 20-30
The city of Asheville at the 2,000 feet elevation has the peak colors during this time period, as well as areas around Hendersonville and Brevard. DuPont State Forest or the NC Arboretum are great places to enjoy the fall foliage colors. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville is also at peak leaf color during the latter part of October.

October 24-November 5
The fall foliage color show nears its end in the Chimney Rock area with an elevation of 1,300 feet. Visit Chimney Rock and Lake Lure for a last look at the beautiful fall foliage season in the North Carolina mountains for 2013. In late October and early November, the fall foliage show makes its way across the piedmont region such as  Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, and Raleigh, and then spreads to Eastern North Carolina. The North Carolina coast has few hardwood trees so there isn’t much color change in the coastal region of the state.

 

Why North Carolina is a great place to view fall foliage

North Carolina is lucky to have about 6-8 weeks in the autumn to undergo this fall foliage show. In the mountains of North Carolina, the annual fall foliage show starts in late September and spreads across the state into early November. If traveling in North Carolina in the fall there will always be an opportunity to view peak color somewhere in the state.

 

Fall colors video in the Asheville area…