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. 

Linn Cove Viaduct on Blue Ridge Parkway In Autumn

Linn Cove Viaduct on Blue Ridge Parkway In Autumn

 

To get a vibrant display of fall foliage cool temperatures are needed during the month of 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 Report 2023 And Weekly Updates:

11/1/2023: The lower elevations, those at or below 2000′ are peak in the NC mountains. The High Country is way past peak, as are the mid and higher elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Lower locations near peak or just past peak include Chimney Rock State Park, Lake Lure, Pilot Mountain, and  Lake James. Other lower-elevation areas to visit are DuPont State Forest, Lake Junaluska, and South Mountain State Park.  The Asheville area including Biltmore Estate is reported to be very beautiful now. Cashiers.  A ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway this week will still offer some pretty views of the fall foliage. The overlooks that have a long-range view will be a great place to stop and get some pictures. Enjoy the last few days of the fall foliage season before the holiday season arrives! The 35-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree on the grounds of Biltmore Estate in Asheville arrives on November 1, 2023.  Christmas at Biltmore starts November 3 this year!

10/24/2023:  It is a very busy time of year in the North Carolina mountains with lots of people visiting to see the fall foliage. The BRP near Blowing Rock and Banner Elk was extremely busy this past weekend! There is still plenty to see in the mid and lower elevations till the end of October. Visit Chimney Rock State Park, Pisgah National Forest, Asheville, Biltmore Estate, Brevard, Sylva, Burnsville, Waynesville, and Maggie Valley.

10/18/23:  Peak color this week in the areas of Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and Linville. Reports from Grandfather Mountain are there is great color in the mid-levels. There was snow in the highest elevations along the BRP. Graveyard Feilds was quite the winter wonderland a few days ago! Cashiers and Highlands have great color. Price Lake reports lots of color. There is great color along the Cherohala Skyway south of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Peak in the areas of Stone Mountain State Park, Pilot Mountain State Park, and Chimney Rock State Park should be happening next week. Rain with a cold front moves in on Thursday and Friday. After that, it should be nice for several days. There is still a lot of time to take a trip to view the fall foliage in the NC mountains and along the BRP. The Asheville area also peaks next week.

10/11/2023: This year’s fall foliage is behind schedule by about 5 days. There is another cold front coming this weekend. The front
brings rain but also colder temperatures to the GSMNP and the North Carolina mountains. Most of the highest elevations in the GSM and NC mountains have had frost or freezing nighttime temperatures. Leaves in the highest elevations are dropping and turning brown. In the 3000ft- 4,500 ft elevations, color is developing nicely. Peak color in these elevations is expected this weekend and early next week. A visit to The High Country (Linville, Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk) next week should reward you with peak color taking place. Grandfather Mountain had not peaked yet. Some experts report this season’s colors will probably be muted as compared to last year. The lower elevation ( below 2000ft) is predicted to peak in the last week of October. This would include Asheville, Franklin, and Dupont Forest

In the Great Smoky Mountains, there is still a lot of green.  Most of the color you can see is from the sugar maples and dogwood trees. A cold front at the end of this week is bringing rain as well as colder temperatures. The mostly green color of the Smokies should soon rapidly turn to those fall foliage colors of red, orange gold, and yellow. The highest elevations have already had frost and freezing nighttime temperatures. Many trees at elevations over 5,55500 ft have turned brown and are dropping leaves.

10/4/2023: The highest elevations in the North Carolina mountain are showing the most color now (above 5000ft). North of Asheville, Grandfather Mountain and Banner Elk are starting to show a lot of color. Graveyard Fields (MP418.8) on the BRP is reported to have a nice color this year. The colors that are visible now are the red, oranges, and yellows from the dogwood, red maple, sugar maple, and sourwood trees.  Soon more types of trees will start to add to the fall foliage display in the NC mountains. Peak color in the mid-elevations of the NC mountains will peak in about 10-14 days. A cold front passes through Western NC this weekend. At or near freezing nighttime temperatures are predicted for the highest elevations. The cold front will more than likely speed up the progression of color.

Shadow of the Bear

Shadow of the Bear

Don’t forget about the Shadow of the Bear! It only makes an appearance from mid-October until early November. The bear-like shadow is only visible for 30 minutes each sunny day between 5:30-6:15 PM. Watch from the Rhodes Big View Overlook on scenic US Highway 64 a few miles west of Cashiers and five miles east of Highlands. 


9/28/2023:The highest elevations in the North Carolina mountains have begun to show lots of color. The fall foliage show has begun in elevations above 5000 feet. This weekend great places to go are Waterrock Knob (MP 451.2 on BRP), Graveyard Fields (MP 418.8 on BRP) Mount Mitchell (inside the Pisgah National Forest in Yancey County, 30 miles northeast of Asheville) and Craggy Gardens (MP364.4 – 367.6  on the BRP). Below 5000 feet it is still pretty much green. The last few days have been cool and mostly cloudy which helped start the show of color. Next week turns warmer and with sunny days. It’s a great start to an exciting fall foliage season in the NC mountains and along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blowing Rock, Boone and Grandfather Mountain is showing about 30% fall foliage. Remember to go to Grandfather Mountain you have to reserve a ticket online first before showing up. This helps with crowd control. Weekdays are not quite as busy if you go early. Traffic on roads in the NC mountains and on the Blue Ridge Parkway during the fall foliage season can be very busy. Stay safe and be patient.  Peak colors are expected during the second and third week of October for the mid-elevations. 

Fall Foliage Predictions For 2023

This year’s fall foliage prediction is a great one. Long-range weather forecasts point to a slightly warmer than usual fall. Slightly warmer temperatures usually mean a delay to the start of our fall foliage season. A warmer September, October and November will be perfect for a great fall foliage season 2023. The North Carolina mountains have had a good amount of rain this summer. There are no current drought conditions to mute the colors. There have been no hurricane remnants or severe storms to blow the leaves off the trees prematurely. Everything looks good so far for a colorful fall foliage show in the NC Mountains.

Right now (9/16) the experts say there will be a slight delay in the development of color of about 3-5 days. If a significant cold front should pass through then we are back on track for a normal fall foliage season. The way the long-term weather forecast for the mountains of NC stands now, the predictions for fall foliage season 2023 look great! Long-range weather forecasts predict partly to mostly sunny days with daytime temperatures in the 70s and nighttime lows in the 50s. Of course, the higher elevations in the mountains will have much colder temperatures. The fall foliage show begins at the highest of elevations as early as late September! Peak color can be seen first in the highest elevation (above 6000′) including Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Waterrock Knob, and Graveyard Fields.

 

 

 

 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. 

 

Autumn in the North Carolina Mountains

Autumn in the North Carolina Mountains

North Carolina Mountains Fall Foliage Guidelines and Tips For Viewing
NC Fall Foliage Reports

NC Fall Foliage

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.

 

Whiteside Mountain

Whiteside Mountain

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.

 

Fall Foliage in the NC Mountains

Fall Foliage in the NC Mountains


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.


 

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 Updated for 2022
Fall Folliage Peak Times for NC Mountains 2022

Fall Foliage Peak Times For NC Mountains 2022
(by Michael Denslow and Howard Neufeld)

Great places to view North Carolina fall foliage would be:

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

Linn Cove Viaduct on Blue Ridge Parkway

Linn Cove Viaduct on Blue Ridge Parkway

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

Mount Mitchell –  in Yancy 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…