Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Fall Foliage Forecast
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on October 10, 2023
We're starting to see some more tangible signs of fall in the Great Smoky Mountains: There's that pleasant nip in the air in the evenings and early mornings, and the midday highs are pleasant and comfortable. (Hint, hint: This is a wonderful time of year to try out our Smoky Mountain zip line and canopy tour.)
But we're about to experience an added dimension to autumn, one that is always a favorite with millions of people from around the world. This is the time of year when the regional foliage turns colors. Within a few weeks, we'll be at peak intensity of colors, and indeed, a whole lot of folks will descend on the Smokies to get an up-close view of the mountains cloaked in scenic beauty.
The Smoky Mountains are home to some 100 species of trees, the majority of which are deciduous, which means that their leaves will be turning from green to variations of red, yellow and orange before dropping to the ground.
At the higher elevations (above 4,000 feet), the changes started in September, particularly in species like yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple and pin cherry. Now, in early October, those highland trees are displaying some bright colors of yellows and reds and are nearing their peak.
If you take a drive up Clingmans Dome Road, you'll get a front-row seat to the spectacle. Other scenic drives to consider are Newfound Gap Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Foothills Parkway (east and west) and Rich Mountain Road, which leads out of Cades Cove. If you want to see some colors while hiking, we recommend the Sugarland Mountain Trail and the portion of the Appalachian Trail accessible from Clingmans Dome or Newfound Gap.
Peak season for the middle and lower elevations will begin sometime between mid-October and early November. This will include some of the most impressive displays of color, as trees like sugar maples, scarlet oaks, sweetgums and hickories also get on the act. Currently, they're still mostly green, with some splashes of color accenting the mountainsides. Sourwoods and sumacs are already showing some bright red, while some dogwoods and maples are also starting to turn. In addition to the leaves, you'll also see some color popping from fall wildflowers like mountain gentian, black cohosh and goldenrod as well as some blueberry and blackberry shrubs and Virginia creeper plants.
A lot of what determines which trees turn and where and which times depends on moisture and sunlight. With such a wide range of elevations in the national park (between 875 and 6,643 feet above sea level), there are lots of different levels of both elements. Generally, sunnier days and cooler nights help foster the intensity of leaf colors. Lately, the park has been experiencing dry conditions and warmer-than-normal days. When there's less moisture and lots of sunlight, the leaves produce more anthocyanin, which produces red pigmentation. Carotenoids, which are responsible for yellows, oranges and browns are also present and begin showing as chlorophyll breaks down in the leaves. All that, plus the crisp (but not freezing) nights we've been having may lead to some spectacular colors this year.
In the valley areas, black gums, dogwoods, sumacs and sourwoods trees will continue to display vivid reds, while gold colors will be progressing among the tulip trees, back walnuts, birches, beeches and hickories.
By November, the colors in the highest peaks are already fading, while trees in the mid elevations are at or slightly past peak but still impressive. In the valleys and lowlands, the colors are still rich. You can see a good showing if you drive Newfound Gap Road from the Alum Cave trailhead to Kephart Prong trailhead and on both the east and west sections of Foothills Parkway.
