Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The fall foliage season is a beautiful show each year along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The fall foliage changes start in the higher elevations typically about the first week of October and will work its way down to the lower elevations in mid-November. Due to the varied elevations of the mountain ranges along the Blue Ridge Parkway you can always find the best show of color somewhere in the fall months of October and November. The biggest factors involved in the changing colors of the foliage are elevation and the weather. The warmer the weather the slower the progression but an early frost will speed up the color change show as well as cold nights.

 

Fall Foliage Report 2023 And Weekly Updates:

11/1/23:  Fall foliage has spread into the lowest elevations and into the valleys along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The highest elevations have dropped their leaves by now. But the mid and lower elevations still have color. A ride to Asheville, the North Carolina Arboretum, and Biltmore Estate  Many of the overlooks located on the parkway offer long-range views.  Chimney Rock State Park, Lake Lure, Lake James, South Mountain and Pilot Mountain are good places to go this time of year for some fall foliage views.

In Virginia, the fall colors have also progressed into the mid and lower elevations. Red maples and sugar maples have turned orange and red. The hickory trees are full of gold and yellows. The lower elevations and valleys have lots of fall foliage still to see. In the Shenandoah National Park, the hickories and maples are orange, yellow,
gold, deep red, and purple. A good place to go is Stony Man Overlook at mile 38.6 on Skyline Drive. Nice fall foliage color has been reported at South River Overlook. Mabry Mill still has lots of color.

This week will be the final days of this year’s fall foliage show. This last cold front brought below-freezing nighttime temperatures to most of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Leaves have and will continue to drop from the trees now. Enjoy the last few days of the fall foliage season before the holiday season arrives! The Christmas Tree on the grounds of Biltmore Estate in Asheville was put up on November 1, 2023. Christmas at Biltmore starts Nov. 3, 2023!

10/24/23: This past weekend the BRP was extremely crowded. Peak color was in the High County in the area of the Viaduct, Boone, Banner Elk, and Blowing Rock. The lower elevations, those at or below 2000′ are now at peak in the NC mountains. Good places to visit this week include Chimney Rock State Park, Lake Lure, Lake James, and US 64 between Highland and Franklin (Highland Rd) through the Cullasaja Gorge. Other lower-elevation areas to visit are Brevard, DuPont State Forest, Lake Junaluska, and South Mountain State Park. 

The Asheville area including Biltmore Estate is reported to be very beautiful now. Cashiers, Sylva and Dillsboro are reporting a lot of color. 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. 

Fall Foliage on the BRP in Virginia is also showing some nice fall foliage. Mabry Mill at Milepost 176 is a great destination. Shenandoah National Park is showing nice color. Several overlooks on the BRP have beautiful fall foliage such as Rocky Mount Overlook, Gimlet Ridge Overlook, and Stony Man Overlook. 

10/18/23:  Peak fall foliage is now in the High Country. Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and Linville are all having peak color. The views at Linn Cove Viaduct and Rough Ridge are especially beautiful. Doughton Park has spotty color. Both Grandfather Mountain, Rough Ridge, and Graveyard Fields had snow a few days ago. Cashiers and Highlands have reports of nice fall foliage this week. Price Lake and Jefferson have a lot of color. Rain with a cold front is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday. Then there will be several days of sunny skies with mild daytime temperatures. 

In Virginia along the parkway fall foliage is developing nicely in the Allegheny Mountains. In the Blue Ridge Mountain, there is about 60% fall foliage coverage. In the Shenandoah National Park, there is patchy foliage in the valley. Higher elevations in SNP have more color.

10/11/2023: Fall color is spreading nicely in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Peak color is behind schedule by about 5-8 days. Peak color has yet to appear in any location except Graveyard Fields and Craggy Gardens. The highest elevations (Mount Mitchell) have already had below or freezing nighttime temperatures. These locations have brown leaves and the trees are dropping their leaves. But the 3000 ft – 4500 ft elevations are still developing some nice color. Peak color is predicted in these elevations next week. Grandfather Mountain should be near or at peak this weekend and early next week. A cold front arrives this weekend. And there is rain in the forecast.

Early next week the High County (Boone, Banner Elk, Linville, and Blowing Rock)will have nighttime lows close to freezing. Maggie Valley, West Jefferson, and Jefferson are showing a lot of color. Cashiers and Highland are developing some nice color.  Peak colors for the lower elevations (Asheville, Chimney Rock, Dupont Forest, Cherokee, and Bryson City) should peak in about two weeks.  

In Virginia, there is still a lot of green. The maple trees and dogwood trees are colorful. But the true fall foliage colors have not taken off yet.

10/4/2023: Fall foliage is certainly making an appearance along the BRP near Grandfather Mountain. Locations to visit this weekend include Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Beech Mountain, Watterrock Knob and Black Balsam. It’s been warm this week, so color is slow to emerge. A cold front passes through the Western part of NC this weekend. The highest elevations will have at or below-freezing overnight temperatures. This will result in leaves falling off the trees in the highest of elevations. Peak color should be next week in elevations with 5,000 to 4,500 feet. The cold front this weekend should speed up the spread of color. Virginia is reporting green as the dominant color along the BRP and Skyline Drive. Elevations along the parkway in VA are not as high as areas along the parkway in NC. 

9/28/2023:Along the BRP in North Carolina the mountains have begun to show lots of fall foliage. Especially at elevations above 5000 feet. This weekend great places on the parkway to already go and see would be Waterrock Knob (MP 451.2 on BRP), Graveyard Fields (MP 418.8 on BRP)  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 the weather is much nicer with warmer temperatures and sunny days.

Mount Mitchell near Burnsville, NC is another place to visit this weekend. With an elevation of over 6,000 feet, it’s one of the first locations to show fall foliage and to peak. On the BRP exit off at Milepost 344 or 376.6 in Yancy County, NC.

The areas of Blowing Rock, Boone, Banner Elk and Grandfather Mountain are also starting to show some nice color changes. To go to Grandfather Mountain, tickets must be purchased online first! Please visit their website (Grandfather Mountain) first before arriving.

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. Remember the speed limit for the entire  BRP (NC and VA)is 45 miles per hour. Take your time and enjoy the views! Peak colors are expected next week at the highest of elevations, with the second and third weeks of October for the mid-elevations.  The BRP is 470 miles long and elevations range from as high as 6,053 feet at Richland Balsam (Milepost 431) in North Carolina to the lowest elevation of 649 feet on the James River in Virginia. During fall foliage season there is always somewhere at or near peak color from late September to early November!


BRP Road Alerts For 2023 Fall Foliage Season

The National Park Service BRP website warns of multiple road projects that are underway during the 2023 visitor season. This includes the fall foliage season this year! Please visit NPS BRP Alerts and Road Closure website for the lastest information.


Fall Foliage 2023 Predictions!

Fall foliage 2023 predictions are in and they look great! Long-range weather forecasts for the North Carolina and Virginia mountains point to a slightly warmer than usual fall. This usually means a delay to the start of our fall foliage season. A slightly warmer September, October and November will be perfect for a great fall foliage season 2023. The mountains have had a good amount of rain. There are no drought conditions to mute the colors. There have been no hurricane remnants or bad storms to blow the leaves off the trees prematurely. 

NC Mountains From BRP Fall 2022

NC Mountains From BRP Fall 2022

Right now the experts agree,  there will be a slight delay in the development of color of about 5 or so days. If a significant cold front should pass through then we are back on track for a normal fall foliage season. The long-term weather forecast for the mountains of NC and Virginia points toward the predictions for fall foliage season 2023 to be 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 first. The fall foliage show begins at the highest of elevations as early as late September in the mountains of North Carolina! Peak colors always appear first in the highest elevation (above 6000′) including Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Waterrock Knob, and Graveyard Fields in the mountains of NC.

 

 

Fall Foliage Pictures From NC Blue Ridge Parkway 2020

 

 

Elevation Levels Along The Blue Ridge Parkway Vary

Peak color times happen in the highest elevations (over 4000ft) first and work down to the lower elevations. Color changes can start in late September and continue into early November depending on the elevation and the weather. Elevation levels along the Blue Ridge Parkway vary. Knowing when and where to visit for peak color is important since elevations affect fall foliage development.

The first area along the Blue Ridge Parkway to show color is in North Carolina. These areas have the highest elevations. Grandfather Mountain is predicted to peak first because of its elevation of 5946 feet. Mount Mitchell and Craggy Gardens are included in the first-to-peak locations along the parkway. These highest elevations typically peak the first week of October. Rough Ridge will also be another location to have color by the first of October. Color then spreads and peaks into the mid-elevations usually about the second and third weeks of October. The lower elevations normally peak in late October and early November. 

 

Image from live web cam at Biltmore on 10/27/2017 (from rogtnweather's Webcam)

Image from live webcam at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC  on 10/27/2017 (from rogtnweather’s Webcam)

 

 

Elevations And Color Progression On The Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage 2021

With the many different levels of elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding areas, there is always a nice showing of color somewhere during the fall foliage months. On the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, leaves will start to change first near the end of September at these locations: Craggy Gardens, Graveyard Fields, Waterrock Knob, and Grandfather Mountain. Then colors start to work their way down to mid-elevations. Peak color is generally in mid to late October. Elevations along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway range from 650 ft to over 6000 ft depending on the location.

Along the 469-mile length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the elevation ranges are vast. The lowest elevation at 650 feet on the parkway is in Virginia along the James River. This area is located at about Milepost 63.7 on the parkway in Virginia. The parkway’s highest elevation is in North Carolina south of Mt. Pisgah. It is at Richland Balsam with an elevation of 6,053 feet at about Milepost 431. This makes a ride on Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina a perfect place to view the fall foliage in the autumn. Somewhere along the Skyline and Parkway in October, there is always some colorful fall foliage to view.

The fall foliage show always starts in the highest elevations in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia and continues to spread down through the lower elevations into early November. The North Carolina and Virginia mountain ranges along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive have a wide variety of elevations. These varying elevations spread out the fall foliage show over a 4-6 weeks period.

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage

 

The key to the development of fall foliage depends on the weather.  One of the most important ingredients for fall foliage is cool air. Cool air is needed to promote the formation of colorful pigments. Also important is enough rain in the weeks and months prior to autumn. A dry summer is not good. Drought conditions stress the trees and leaves drop early. Next needed is a cool, dry and sunny autumn (warm sunny days and cool but frostless nights). Some years the colors are more vibrant than in other years. It all depends on the weather leading up to autumn and the weather during autumn.

 

 

Here is a map from the Virginia Department of Forestry for Typical Fall Foliage Dates In Virginia
Virginia Fall Foliage Map Dates (from the VA Depart. of Forestry)

Virginia Fall Foliage Map Dates (from the VA Depart. of Forestry)

 

 
Here is a 2022 Updated Map Showing Typical Fall Foliage Dates for the North Carolina Mountains
Fall Foliage Peak Times for NC Mountains

Fall Foliage Peak Times for NC Mountains
(from Michael Denslow and Howard Neufeld)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Chart Showing Fall Foliage Coloration Guide
Fall Foliage Coloration Guide

Fall Foliage Coloration Guide (image by WV Division of Forestry)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check back often for weekly fall foliage reports starting soon so you will know when and where to go to see the leaves change colors along this beautiful stretch of highway.

 

Tips On Viewing The Annual Fall Foliage Show Along The Parkway
  • A great tip when planning a ride to the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive during the fall foliage season is to not concentrate your trip to just one area. Plan to drive a few hours in one direction going either north or south. This way you will travel through different elevations. As you wind around the mountains you will be able to see east and west-facing mountains. This way you will get a better chance of seeing peak and near-peak colors.
  • Colors start to change after the first frost in the highest elevations first. The highest elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina are Grandfather Mountains, Craggy Gardens and Graveyard Fields.
  • With so many different elevations along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway almost anywhere you go during the middle to late October you will see peak colors somewhere. 
  • Skyline Drive is 105 miles long and located in Virginia. The elevations in this area are not as high as the elevations along the  Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles long across Virginia and North Carolina. North Carolina mountain ranges have the highest elevations. Color changes will take place here first.
  • Know the weather before you make any travel plans. If storms, rain or fog are in the forecast the colors will be muted in photos. Try to pick a clear sunny day to view the fall foliage. Pictures on clear sunny days will result in more colorful pictures.

 

Great areas to view the Blue Ridge Parkway fall foliage show are:

Shenandoah National Park

Hawksbill Mountain – elevation of 4,051 ft with the summit of Hawksbill Mountain the highest point in the Shenandoah National Park.

Humpback Mountain – elevation of 3,080 with a massive greenstone outcrop near the peak of Humpback Mountain.

Mabry Mill – a watermill located on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 176.2 in

Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Mabry Mill

Floyd County, Virginia. It is a popular tourist attraction on the parkway because of the watermill and in the fall the setting is a great place to take pictures.

Old Rag Mountain – summit elevation of 3,291 feet (1,003 m), located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Madison County, Virginia.

Neighbor Mountain is a mountain in Page and Rappahannock Counties, Virginia, Neighbor Mountain summit is in Page County in the Shenandoah National Park. The elevation level is 2612 feet.

Pignut Mountain – in Rappahannock County, Virginia. The elevation is 2535 ft. The mountain is entirely undeveloped. There are no trails or roads leading up the mountain but overlooks have beautiful views of the mountain.

Knob Mountain – in Page County, Virginia.  The summit is located inside the Shenandoah National Park with an elevation of 2,671 ft. Jeremy’s Run Overlook on Skyline Drive is a great place to view Knob Mountain.

Skyline Drive

A scenic 106-mile drive through the Shenandoah National Park with  75 overlooks that offer panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the rolling Virginia hills of the Piedmont region to the east. While driving along Skyline Drive it is quite common to see deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and other animals that call the Shenandoah National Park home.

Great Smoky Mountains

Clingmans Dome -is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with an elevation of 6,643 feet.  The observation tower at Clingmans

Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome

Dome can have spectacular 360° views of the Great Smoky Mountains. On clear days views can reach over 100 miles, but most days the view is limited to about 20 miles due to air pollution, clouds, rain or fog.

Mt. LeConte – with an elevation of 6,593 feet. It is the third-highest summit in the Great Smoky Mountains. The three peaks of Mt. LeConte can be seen for miles around including Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Wears Valley, Tennessee.

Asheville NC  area

Biltmore Estate, Winery, Gardens and Antler Village

Boone and West Jefferson area

Grandfather Mountain – near Linville, North Carolina with an elevation of 5,946 feet. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by the south side of Grandfather Mountain. Exit at Milepost 305 on the Blue Ridge Parkway to get to Grandfather Mountain.

Mt. Jefferson State Park – West Jefferson, NC in Ashe County. Mt Jefferson has an elevation of 4,660 ft.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Normally about the very last of September or the first or second week of

Linn Via Duct

Linn Via Duct

In October the leaves start changing in the highest elevations (above 5000 feet). The second to third-week elevations above 4000 feet start the change. 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 and Virginia.

The typical best times to plan a trip to view fall foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway based on the past years would be:

Western Virginia – Early to Mid October
● Central Virginia and Lower Mountain Elevations – Late October to Mid November
● Western North Carolina Highest Elevations – Late September to Early October
● Western North Carolina – Mid October
● Western to Central North Carolina – Mid October to Late October

If planning a trip to view the Blue Ridge Parkway fall foliage here is a week-by-week guide:

October 3-10

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, Grandfather Mountain and Rough Ridge.

October 8-18
Shenandoah National Park in the highest elevations such as Hawksbill Mountain. Fall foliage color in North Carolina will then start to appear in elevations about 4,000 feet in elevation. Areas include 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.

October 15-24
Humpback Mountain and Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. In the surrounding mountains of Asheville, there is plenty of color in the 2,000-3,000 foot elevation range. A ride north or south on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville will be a beautiful trip about this week. A ride through the Pisgah National Forest (Looking Glass Rock or Cradle of Forestry) normally is a great trip. North of Asheville in the Linville Gorge would be a nice fall foliage driving trip up toward Blowing Rock and Boone.

October 20-30
Shenandoah National Park in the lower elevations like Neighbor Mountain and Knob Mountain. 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 fall foliage colors. The Biltmore Estate in Ashville is also at peak leaf color during the latter part of October.

October 24-November 5
Central Virginia areas like Charlottesville and Roanoke near the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The color show nears its end in North Carolina 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.

Take a look at some fall foliage along the Blue Ridge Parkway in October…

 

Fall Foliage along the Blue Ridge Parkway! Too pretty to miss this year or any year!

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