Explore the beautiful colors of a Tennessee fall.
Weekly Foliage Reports
A nip in the air, the snap of a football, the sweet taste of a homegrown apple, and the natural beauty of fall color beckon you to travel to Tennessee! Experience the fall grandeur on one of Tennessee's scenic byways or make plans to visit one of Tennessee's award-winning state parks. Autumn in Tennessee features pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides, festivals, fairs, and fabulous food. Weekly foliage reports begin next week so check back here for the latest on fall color in Tennessee.
Color Reports Podcast
11/02/09
Week 4 - Nov 2, 2009
This is the time!!! Autumn peak has come to the Smokies and the Tennessee side of the mountain is in full color. The hillsides and valleys are awash in stunning scenery. This display will continue to give a glimpse of nature's color palette through the weekend, and if weather cooperates, good color will last through the first part of November. The pin oaks are now a deep rust color and many oaks and beeches will hold onto their leaves for some time to come.
Roads providing views of great color include Cades Cove Loop Road, Cherokee Orchard Road, and Foothills Parkway.
Saturday afternoons and evenings often experience traffic congestions, so patience is advised.
Recommended hikes include Baskins Creek Falls, Little River, Old Settlers, and Sutton Ridge Overlook.
In the extreme Northeast corner of Tennessee, colors are also reaching their peak. The brilliance of red, yellow and gold are making some of the most enjoyable sightseeing rides in recent memories.
In the Tennessee Overhill in Southeast Tennessee, the color is changing daily. The higher elevations of the Cherohala Skyway are at peak color now.
Fall foliage will begin peaking in Middle Tennessee next week, with West Tennessee to follow in the next 10 days.
10/19/09
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is brimming with fall colors.
At the highest elevations, the colors are now near peak.
At the lower and middle elevations, tuliptree, birch, and sourwood are creating a patchwork of brilliant red, yellow and orange. The color is expected to peak below 4,000 feet near the end of October.
Bears, chipmunks, and squirrels, are busily gathering acorns, walnuts, and other wild foods.
Suggested scenic drives are: Foothills Parkway East and West, Cataloochee Valley,and Lakeview Drive
Every trail in the park is perfect for hiking right now. Fall foliage and abundant late wildflowers await discovery around every bend.
In Southeast Tennessee, touches of color are beginning show in the valleys and lower elevations. The color changes are moving rapidly on the Cherohala Skyway. This week provided a rare occurrence of ice & snow at 4,000 feet with fall colors peeping through the winter blanket.
Middle and West Tennessee are just beginning to see splashes of color across the landscape with predictions of peak color to occur the first and second weeks of November.
10/13/09
As nights grow longer and cooler, leaves begin to paint the landscape with Mother Nature's autumn palette.
Driving into Northeast Tennessee and through the Cherokee National Forest, travelers will find brilliant red sumacs, bright gold and yellow ash and a variety of oaks showcasing their fall colors.
Ideal conditions are pushing things along in Great Smoky Mountains National Park where nature's spectacle in places like Purchase Knob is progressing. Right now tuliptrees, Virginia creeper, and Dutchman's pipe, are showing yellows and burgundy reds.
Take a drive to Newfound Gap on U.S. 441 and a side trip along Clingmans Dome road or hike on Maddron Bald and Trillium Gap Trails.
In the Southeast, throughout the Tennessee Overhill, dogwoods are burgundy and sassafras are red. Muscadines and persimmons are fully ripe. Take a ride on the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure to enjoy forest color from the train.
10/09/09
Tennessee's ample rainfall this year has set the stage for a robust color season. In the Northeast corner of Tennessee, fall is in the crisp, cool morning air and hints of red, orange and yellow are beginning to show in higher elevations. Northern Middle Tennessee sees dogwood leaves turning burgundy, accented with bright red berries. Goldenrod is scattered over the fields and maples show a hint of color. The right ingredients are emerging, the time when cooler temperatures and sunny days mix with rainfall to bring on a spectacular autumn color display in Great Smoky Mountains. These ideal conditions are pushing things along in the park, particularly in the higher elevations. Check out the Purchase Knob Live Webcam below to see how nature's spectacle is progressing at elevations of around 5,000 feet altitude.
While the typical peak of fall leaf color is at the mid to lower elevations where the greatest diversity of trees live, color displays above 4,000 feet begin the parade of color which then moves down the mountainsides into the valleys. The peak of fall color at elevations above 4,000 feet is predicted to occur between October 11 and 18. At the lower and middle elevations, pockets of color are now visible with some trees fully displayed in color.
Suggested scenic drives include Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Clingmans Dome Road.
Suggested hikes include Sugarland Mountain Trail as well as hikes to Andrews Bald or Mt. LeConte.
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