Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway:

Fall color season launched in NC State Parks & Blue Ridge Parkway

Abundant summer rainfall and cool September nights have already launched the fall foliage season in high elevations of western North Carolina state parks. For the first time, travelers can keep track of peak color as it makes its way across the state through park ranger reports available online at www.visitnc.com, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Regular updates will keep visitors posted on how fall color is progressing through the different types of forests in North Carolina, from the brilliant red of mountain sourwood to the rust-colored cedar in eastern wetlands. The fall season in the state truly lasts from late September into December.

“State parks, with their convenient access and miles of hiking trails, are natural destinations for people who want to get up close and personal with fall color. And, the 42 state park units present the fall foliage experience in every corner of the state,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director.

Western state parks will immediately join a list of sites reporting peak color to the N.C. Division of Tourism, which prominently features a fall foliage travel section on www.visitnc.com. As the season progresses, rangers in other regions of the state will submit similar reports.

Here are a few of the most popular state parks for enjoying fall color include:

* Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes and Alleghany counties, where fall color is peaking just as leaves begin to fall in the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park offers more than 18 miles of hiking trails.

* Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County, named in 2012 as one of the 10 best spots for viewing fall color in the South by Southern Living magazine. The park offers trails across nine named peaks.

* Raven Rock State Park in Harnett County, where beech groves and hardwood forests mix with eastern evergreens. The park offers surprisingly challenging terrain in the piedmont.

* Merchants Millpond State Park in Gates County, where swamp cedars and stands of hardwood alternate color palettes. Canoes can be rented for waterborne leaf watching.

Travelers and leaf peepers in the western part of the state may also want to note a new fall color tracking tool for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The folks at Blue Ridge Parkway Daily are providing a unique color-coded map of the BRP which shows the progress of fall colors along the entire route. Here's what the latest update looks like, but to check out updates as the fall season progresses, you should click here:

Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Hike On East Rattlesnake Trail

This was a very refreshing hike on East Rattlesnake right off of the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina . If you just wish to get away from it all including people I would suggest this trail .

Trailhead of East and West Rattlesnake on Cherohala Skyway

A very nice fall hike for everyone

Such a beautiful golden yellow leaves on this tree

Lots of  leaves already fallen on the trail

Mushrooms just growning wild on the side of the trail

Beautiful colors throughout this hike



A small creek running underneath the trail



Such deep crimsons and reds in the colors of the leaves

Did not come across a soul on this hike

What a dazzling view of the fall colors

I really love the colors of fall

A view like this makes any hike worth the miles

Hike Up Mud Gap To Whigg Meadow Grassy Bald

This is a easy hike  from Mud Gap along the Cherohala Skyway (about mile 3 on the NC side) along the Benton MacKaye Trail uphill to Whigg Meadow at 5000 feet with 360 degree  breath - taking views of the surrounding TN and NC mountains. The total milage of this hike is only 3.2 miles and worth every mile to get to the top of the grassy bald for the views .

Beautiful hike on Mud Gap Trail to Whigg Meadow

Mud Gap Trail is part of the Benton - MacKaye Trail

Fall time is my favorite time to hike 

What i love about hiking or camping in Cherokee National Forest you can backcountry camp anywhere

Whiggs Meadow at the end of Mud Gap Trail

Whiggs Meadow Grassy Bald

360 degree view and what a view from Whigg Meadow

Atti enjoying the view from Whiggs Meadow



Amazing views this is a must hike also to do



Some parts was closed due to dangerous erosion

GSMNP Fall Color Report

Fall color report October 26

Fall colors are now at peak at the lower elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains. Some of the best places to enjoy them right now are Rich Mountain Road (out of Cades Cove), The Foothills Parkway East (Cosby area) and West (Walland area), Little River Road, and the Deep Creek and Cosby areas of the park. Suggested hikes include Little River Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Abrams Falls, Smokemont Loop, and Hen Wallow Falls.

Elevations 4,500 feet and above leaves are falling off fast very fast !

Fall color season will soon be coming to an end, so don’t wait any longer!

Happy Hiking ,
Atti's Taxi
Matt

Fall Color Report For GSMNP

Fall Color Report October 18

A long stretch of nearly perfect sunny days and cool nights is the catalyst for a spectacular late October fall color show in the Great Smoky Mountains. Right now colors are at or near peak at many locations in the Smokies. They are at peak at elevations above 3,500 feet throughout the park and on sunny ridges where early-changing trees like sourwood, blackgum, dogwoo...

d, and chestnut oak predominate. At the lower elevations of the park some trees are still green, but colors should peak over the next 10 days.

Little River and Laurel Creek roads have excellent color right now. Cades Cove is surrounded by mountains that are nearly at peak. If you want to beat the crowds and enjoy fall splendor, try the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Foothills Parkway East and West, Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain roads, and the Deep Creek and Greenbrier areas of the park. Suggested hikes include Little River Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Abrams Falls, Smokemont Loop, and Hen Wallow Falls.

Information from : Great Smoky Mountains Association

Fall Leaf Color Report In GSMNP

Fall Leaf Color Report October 12

Fall colors are now at their peak at the highest elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains. Birches, beeches, mountain maple, and other deciduous trees and shrubs are showing very good color above elevations of 4,000 feet. Good places to view the colors include Clingmans Dome Road, Newfound Gap Road, The Blue Ridge Parkway, and Balsam Mountain Road.

At the lower elevations the colors are coming on strong. Early changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, Virginia creeper, black walnut, and the sumacs are at peak. The birches and a few maples have also started to change. Little River Road is a beautiful drive right now. The peak of color at the lower elevations is predicted to occur in late October and early November.

Suggested trails and hiking destinations include the Appalachian Trail, Mt. Cammerer, Charlies Bunion, Sweat Heifer Creek, and upper Deep Creek.

 

In addition, bear, elk, and wild turkey are very conspicuous. Visitors should never approach or harass park wildlife. Approaching elk or bear closer than 50 yards is illegal and punishable by substantial fines and imprisonment.

Information by : The Smoky Mountain Association

Fall Color Reports from 2012 - October 8

October 8

The fall colors are now superb at the higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains, especially at elevations between 4,000 and 5,500 feet. Above this elevation, colors are past peak, though remnants still linger. Along Little River Road and in the Deep Creek area, and elsewhere at the lower elevations, early-changing species like blackgum, sourwood, dogwood, sumac, black walnut, and Virginia creeper are near peak.

This is a great time to take a drive on Newfound Gap Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or Balsam Mountain Road. Views from the scenic overlooks down onto the colorful forests are spectacular. Little River and Laurel Creek roads also offer pleasant fall scenery. Above average rainfall this year has meant that trees are still holding plenty of leaves and this could lead to an exceptional color season.

Look for a peak of fall colors at the lower elevations in late October and early November. Coincidentally, bears have been highly visible this month. Most bears are being sighted in trees eating wild grapes or acorns. Sightings have been in Cades Cove and along Cherokee Orchard Road. Visitors should never approach bears. Pull you car off the road when observing all wildlife.

Information by : Great Smoky Mountain Association

Why Leaves Change In The Fall

Why Leaves Change
Every autumn we revel in the beauty of the fall colors. The mixture of red, purple, orange and yellow is the result of chemical processes that take place in the tree as the seasons change from summer to winter.

During the spring and summer the leaves have served as factories where most of the foods necessary for the tree's growth are manufactured. This food-making process takes place in the leaf in numerous cells containing chlorophyll, which gives the leaf its green color. This extraordinary chemical absorbs from sunlight the energy that is used in transforming carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch.

Along with the green pigment are yellow to orange pigments, carotenes and xanthophyll pigments which, for example, give the orange color to a carrot. Most of the year these colors are masked by great amounts of green coloring.

Chlorophyll Breaks Down

But in the fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor.

At the same time, other chemical changes may occur, which form additional colors through the development of red anthocyanin pigments. Some mixtures give rise to the reddish and purplish fall colors of trees such as dogwoods and sumacs, while others give the sugar maple its brilliant orange.

The autumn foliage of some trees shows only yellow colors. Others, like many oaks, display mostly browns. All these colors are due to the mixing of varying amounts of the chlorophyll residue and other pigments in the leaf during the fall season.

Other Changes Take Place

As the fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. At the same time, the tree seals the cut, so that when the leaf is finally blown off by the wind or falls from its own weight, it leaves behind a leaf scar.

Most of the broad-leaved trees in the North shed their leaves in the fall. However, the dead brown leaves of the oaks and a few other species may stay on the tree until growth starts again in the spring. In the South, where the winters are mild, some of the broad-leaved trees are evergreen; that is, the leaves stay on the trees during winter and keep their green color.

Only Some Trees Lose Leaves

Most of the conifers -- pines, spruces, firs, hemlocks, cedars, etc. -- are evergreen in both the North and South. The needle- or scale-like leaves remain green or greenish the year round, and individual leaves may stay on for two to four years or more.

Weather Affects Color Intensity

Temperature, light, and water supply have an influence on the degree and the duration of fall color. Low temperatures above freezing will favor anthocyanin formation, producing bright reds in maples. However, early frost will weaken the brilliant red color. Rainy and/or overcast days tend to increase the intensity of fall colors. The best time to enjoy the autumn color would be on a clear, dry and cool (not freezing) day.

Enjoy the color; it only occurs for a brief period each fall.

 

Fall Colors Report For The GSMNP

September 28, 2012

Almost overnight, fall colors are showing up all over the Great Smoky Mountains. At the lower elevations, early changers like black gum, dogwood, Virginia creeper, sumac, and sourwood are displaying rich reds. At the mid elevations, yellow buckeyes are shifting to gold while yellow birch, American beech, and some maples are showing good color.

At the highest elevations, fall has arrived. American mountain-ash has changed to orange or yellow and witch-hobble has gone to burgundy. Mountain maple and berry bushes are also turning. The peak of color at the high elevations should last into the first week of October.

At the lower and mid elevations fall color is likely to peak in late October or early November.

For the most part, 2012 has been a wet year in the Smokies and the deciduous trees appear to be holding onto their leaves quite well. During drought years some trees have already lost many of their leaves by the end of September. Recent rain showers should improve the chances of an extended color season this year.

Recommended hikes include Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald, Road Prong, Thomas Divide, Mt. Cammerer Tower, and Gregory Bald. Good drives are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Balsam Mountain Road, and Clingmans Dome Road.

By : The Great Smoky Mountain Association

Fall Color Report From The GSMNP

Fall Color Reports from 2012

September 24

Curry Mountain Trail (Beginning to End) – Some really nice colors on some of the Sourwood, Dogwood, Blueberries, Red Maples, and Sugar Maples.   One Ridge Across Little River  from Curry Mountain Trail (half mile in) has a group of trees with nice colors.

I hiked  up the Appalachian Trail out the Boulevard about 3 miles then back to The Jump Off  then back over to Charlies Bunion and the colors are really starting to pop out all over at 5500 and above , such beautiful colors . I think everyone should get out to see them first hand and to enjoy the great outdoors !

September 22
Nice splashes of fall color are now appearing in the Great Smoky Mountains. At the lower elevations, early changers like black gum, Virginia creeper, and sourwood are showing bright reds. At the mid elevations, yellow buckeyes are shifting toward gold while yellow birch, American beech, and some maples are showing patches of color.

At the highest elevations, fall has arrived. American mountain-ash has changed to orange or yellow and witch-hobble has gone to burgundy. The peak of color at the high elevations will likely occur around September 24-30.
At the lower and mid elevations fall color is likely to peak in late October or early November.
Wildflowers continue to be spectacular with jewelweed, goldenrod, New York ironweed, and great blue lobelia putting on a brilliant show.

Recommended hikes include Clingmans Dome Tower, Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald, Road Prong, Thomas Divide, Mt. Cammerer Tower, and Charlies Bunion. Good drives are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Balsam Mountain Road, and Clingmans Dome Road.
September 19

Although it’s only mid-September, spots and splashes of fall color are beginning to appear in the Great Smoky Mountains. At the lower elevations, early changers like black gum, Virginia creeper, and sourwood are showing bright reds.
At the mid elevations, yellow buckeyes are shifting toward gold while yellow birch, American beech, and some maples are showing hints of color.
At the highest elevations, fall has arrived. American mountain-ash has changed to orange or yellow and witch-hobble has gone to burgundy.
Wildflowers continue to be spectacular with jewelweed, goldenrod, New York ironweed, cardinal flower and great blue lobelia putting on a brilliant show.

Recommended hikes include Clingmans Dome Tower, Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald, Road Prong, Thomas Divide, and Charlies Bunion. Good drives are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Balsam Mountain Road, and Clingmans Dome Road.

September 12

Although we’re still in the first half of September, spots and splashes of fall color are beginning to appear in the Great Smoky Mountains. At the lower elevations, early changers like black gum and sourwood are showing some bright reds. At the mid elevations, yellow buckeyes are shifting toward gold while yellow birch, American beech, and some maples have begun their departure from green.

At the highest elevations, early fall has arrived. American mountain-ash is showing orange and yellows and witch-hobble has gone to burgundy.

Wildflowers continue to be spectacular with jewelweed, goldenrod, New York ironweed, cardinal flower and great blue lobelia putting on a brilliant show.

Recommended hikes include Clingmans Dome Tower, Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald, Road Prong, Thomas Divide, and Charlies Bunion. Good drives are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Balsam Mountain Road, and Clingmans Dome Road.

Hiking Tips For Mid - Late Fall In GSMNP

Check the Weather

There are no shortage of good online sources for mountain weather and road conditions.

Current weather forecasts for the park are available by phone at (865) 436-1200 extension 630 or online from the National Weather Service:

Gatlinburg, TN forecast
Cherokee, NC forecast
Temperature and precipitation data for past 24 hours

This is me at Mt.LeConte on October 1st

September through mid-November: Clear skies and cooler weather signal the onset of the fall color season. Warm days alternate with cool nights. Daytime highs are usually in the 70s and 80s during September, falling to the 50s and 60s in early November. The first frosts often occur in late September. By November, the lows are usually near freezing. This is the driest period of the year with only occasional rain showers. In the higher elevations, snow is a possibility by mid October although it has snowed October 1st.

Primary roads such as US-441 (Newfound Gap Road), Little River Road, and the Cades Cove Loop Road are open year round, weather permitting. Click for information about temporary weather and construction related road closures of these roads.

 Choose Your Destinations Wisely

Many trails will have new snow, and the snow level will continue to drop as autumn goes on. Check for recent trip reports from other hikers to confirm your chosen trail is snow-free. It's also a good idea to call ahead to local ranger stations for conditions.

Always let Someone Know Where You Will Be Going

Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return (and call them when you do return!). You can find a trip plan form here to print, fill out and leave behind with someone you know before your next hike. If your destination changes, follow up and let someone know. Hiking with a companion is always a good choice this time of year.

Pack Wisely

They're called the Ten Essentials, and all hikers should carry them year round, but they are even more essential as the weather becomes colder and more unpredictable.
The Ten Essentials include a topographic map, compass, extra food, extra clothing, firestarter, matches, sun protection, a pocket knife, first-aid kit, and a flashlight.
Some of these are extra important for fall and winter hiking, and there are a few extras to carry as well:

Adequate extra clothing - Pack plenty of layers made of materials such as wool or polypropolene that wick sweat and moisture away from your body.
Headlamp or flashlight (and extra batteries) - This tool is especially important in the winter, since days are short and night comes quickly.

Plenty of extra food - When it is cold, you burn more calories, so bring along extra food and keep your energy level high.

Plenty of water - You may not feel as thirsty as you do when it is warm, but it is just as important to keep hydrated by drinking often.

Emergency shelter and/or sleeping bag - Seriously consider carrying these in case you have to spend a night out there. They could save your life.

Portable shovel - Going where there is snow? A shovel is a critically important winter survival tool, which will assist you in digging snow caves in which you can survive a bitter, cold night. And, it's nearly impossible to dig someone out of an avalanche without a shovel.

Use Common Sense

Getting late in the afternoon? Is snow starting to fall in earnest? Is the trail hard to follow, or does it pass by a steep avalanche slope? As tempting as it may be to push on to your destination, know when to turn back. Attaining a summit or making it to a lake isn't worth risking a night out in the cold or getting lost in a white-out.
Please use common sense out there. You can always return another day.

File a Trip Report

This is the time of year when Trip Reports are so important and helpful, both for your own planning and for those who are planning a hike later. Please return after your hike and share your experiences and the conditions. Even a brief report about where the snow level is can be of great assistance to other hikers.

Five Tips for Fall Hiking

Autumn is a fine time to get into the mountains. The backcountry is bursting with fall color, crowds have thinned to a trickle, and the bugs are all but gone.

But like any type of recreation, hiking carries certain risks, and your safety is best ensured with preparation and caution. And shorter days, colder nights and quickly-changing weather like we often experience in autumn in the mountains can make even a simple day hike more risky than your average summer excursion.

When hiking in the fall, pack some extra caution into your backpack.
Carefully choose your hike destination, and take the time to check trail conditions and weather forecasts before you head out. Let someone know where you will be and when you plan to return. Bring warm clothes, and be prepared for any weather. And pack the backcountry essentials that could save your life should you get lost or injured.

Here are some tips for safe backcountry hiking in autumn:

1.Check the latest trail conditions. Many trails will have new snow, and our snow level will continue to drop as autumn goes on. Check for recent trip reports from other hikers to confirm your chosen trail is snow-free. And always call ahead to local ranger stations for conditions.

2.Let someone know where you are going, and when you expect to return (and call them when you do return). If your destination changes, follow up and let someone know. Here is an easy form to share your hike itinerary with someone.

3.Always pack the 10 Essentials on any hike, including a topographic map, compass, extra food, extra clothing, firestarter, matches, sun protection, a pocket knife, first-aid kit, and flashlight. In unpredictable weather, it’s also a good idea to bring some sort of emergency shelter, even on a day hike. Hiking poles or ice axes can be of help on stretches of unexpected icy or snow-covered patches. Remember, cell phones don't always get reception and batteries can fade quickly in cold weather. They are not a substitute for carrying the backcountry essentials that could save your life.

4.Watch weather forecasts. This time of year, weather can turn cold and rainy, even snowy, in an instant. Hikers should turn back if encountering treacherous snow and ice unless equipped with a pair of crampons and a good pair of hiking poles to help navagate on snow and ice.

5.Be aware of hunting seasons. Autumn is hunting season, and each year hunters come out to pursue elk, deer, and other game. Read our tips for staying safe around hunters.

 

What are the Best Fall Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

Fall hiking season is rapidly approaching, and soon leaf peepers will be out in full force in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The beauty of the Smokies is always spectacular, but never more so than during the autumn when the mountains are ablaze with the colors of fall.

The timing of the fall color season depends upon many variables, making it virtually impossible to predict the exact date of "peak" colors in advance.

One of the most important variables is elevation. At the higher elevations in the Smokies, fall color displays begin as early as mid-September when yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry begin to show their autumn colors. If you’re looking for good fall foliage hikes during this time period, you’ll want to be at the highest elevations in the park; however, you’ll also want to avoid hiking in areas that are predominantly spruce-fir forests.

Suggested mid-late September hikes: Andrews Bald, Mt. LeConte, the Jump-off or Rocky Top.

From early to mid-October, during most years, fall colors begin to reach their peak above elevations of 4,500 feet. Trees such as the American beech and yellow birch begin to turn bright yellow, while mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple show-off brilliant shades of red.

In the lower elevations you may notice a few dogwoods and maples that are just beginning to turn. You may also see a few scattered sourwood and sumac turning to bright reds as well.

Suggested early-mid October hikes: You’ll still want to hike in the higher elevations. In addition to the suggestions above, check out Gregory Bald, Mt. Cammerer, Spence Field, Albright Grove or the Sugerland Mountain Trail starting from Clingmans Dome Road.

Autumn colors usually reach their peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November. This is usually the best time to be in the park as you'll see the spectacular displays of color from sugar maples, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and hickories. Your hiking choices will have greatly expanded during this time period as well. You can continue to hike at elevation to take in the fall colors from above, or you can walk among the autumn colored trees.

Suggested mid-late October hikes: If you wish to hike at elevation for spectacular fall views try exploring the Rich Mountain Loop, Alum Cave, Hemphill Bald, Shuckstack, Bullhead, Charlies Bunion or Mt. Sterling trails. If you wish to hike among the trees, check out Baskins Creek Falls, Little River, Old Settlers or the Porters Creek Trail.

As the fall color season begins to wind down in early November, you’ll want to hike at the lowest elevations in the park. Check out the Meigs Mountain Trail, Schoolhouse Gap, Abrams Falls, Oconaluftee River Trail, Indian Falls, or the Deep Creek Loop.

Monitoring Fall Color Progress:

* To get a general idea of when leaves are approaching peak colors you can follow the fall foliage map on the Weather Channel site.

* To get a birds-eye view on changes in fall colors, you can periodically check out the four Smoky Mountain web cams.

* To get periodic on-the-ground reports, visit the Fall Leaf Color page on the GSMA website.

 From The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog

Fall Colors Good Predicted By WCU Foliage Forecaster

Visitors to Western North Carolina’s mountains can look forward to a good display of color this autumn, although some areas will enjoy brighter hues than others, predicts Kathy Mathews, Western Carolina University’s fearless fall foliage forecaster.

The intensity of the color show will vary depending on where leaf-peepers are looking because of fluctuations in the amount of rainfall received across the region this spring and summer, said Mathews. An associate professor of biology at WCU who specializes in plant systematics, she bases her annual prediction in part on weather conditions, including rainfall, during the spring and summer growing season.

“This should be a pretty good year for fall color, but colors will be spotty,” Mathews said. “Many areas of Western North Carolina have experienced a lot of rainfall throughout the year, while Asheville and points north have been drier. The drier areas should have the best fall color, while the wetter areas will be less vibrant.”

Mathews believes that the formation of higher levels of yellow, orange and red pigments in the leaves correlates with dry weather throughout the year. The drier the climate, the more brilliant the fall leaves tend to be, she said.

“This has been an unusually rainy spring and summer for much of Western North Carolina, which, if it continues through September and October, could mean less color, especially in the red range,” she said. “However, if evening temperatures continue to drop steadily through the next two months, it will hasten the loss of green from the leaves to reveal more yellow and orange pigments.”

In addition, a trend of warm, wet weather could equate to a longer fall color season. Mathews predicts that areas that have seen drought conditions, including the U.S. Midwest, may experience bright fall color, but only for a brief period before trees drop their leaves.

As is the case with predicting the weather, there are no guarantees when it comes to forecasting the intensity of the fall color season. Cloud cover and ample rainfall in the weeks ahead could mute the color show, Mathews said.

Cooler temperatures and fewer hours of daylight in the autumn contribute to the decomposition of chlorophyll, the chemical that gives leaves their green color in spring and summer. As chlorophyll breaks down, yellow and orange pigments – always present in the leaves, but masked by the green of chlorophyll – are revealed, and new red pigments are produced.

Depending upon the timing of the first frost, the peak of fall color should arrive during the second week of October in the higher elevations, and during the third week of October in the mid-elevations, Mathews said. Because freezing temperatures quickly degrade chlorophyll, leaves predictably peak in color a few days after a frost, she said.

The color change should begin at the higher mountain elevations in late September and continue through mid-November in the lower levels of WNC.
Regardless of when the peak is and how intense the hues are, visitors can always find good fall color somewhere in the WNC mountains, Mathews said.

“We have more than 100 tree species in the Southern Appalachians, which means not only many different colors of leaves in the fall, but also a lengthy fall color season. Some trees change and drop leaves very early, such as tulip poplar and yellow buckeye, while others linger and change later, such as oaks and hickories.”
The U.S. Northeast and Midwest have fewer tree species with good fall color, mainly sugar maples, leading to a short burst of brilliant colors, she said. “The same is true in the Western states, with color mainly coming from quaking aspens,” she said. “In Europe, again, there are many fewer tree species, meaning shorter, less diverse fall color than in the Southern Appalachians.”
From the Great Smokies to the Blue Ridge, the WNC mountains offer ample opportunity for leaf-looking this fall, Mathews said.

“Look for some of the best colors on Grandfather Mountain, the Graveyard Fields area of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Nantahala National Forest along U.S. Highway 64 between Macon and Clay counties,” she said. “These and other ridgetop areas show colors in all hues of red, orange and yellow. The forested areas will have a lot of yellow tulip poplars, red maple, and orange and red oak. Graveyard Fields also has a lot of shrubs that turn red.”

Fall Hiking Tips

The days are getting shorter and the leaves are starting to turn. In warmer sections of the country the daytime has become pleasant. It's fall! Some people may hang their boots up until spring, but some of the best hiking of the year is waiting. There are far fewer people, more wildlife to see, including migrating birds, and the cool air means you will have an easier time on the trail. Here are ten tips that will make your time trekking during the fall even more enjoyable.

Stay comfortable. This may seem simple in itself but it comes down to two words, "wear layers." The morning chill can give way to bright sun and pleasant temperatures. That heavy jacket you're wearing in the morning can become a liability in the afternoon. Three to four layers and convertible pants will add flexibility to your trek. As you get warmer you can open and shed layers. If the wind picks up but the sun is shining, you can wear your shell while removing the insulation. If things get really warm convertible pants allow you to zip off the legs, instantly turning them into shorts. What ever you do don't forget to wear a hat. It can help keep you warm in the morning and cool in the afternoon.

Hike with the weather. In the fall this goes further than the logic of don't hike during the first ice storm of the year. Some of the finest hiking can be done in the morning after a sharp, dry cold front brings in a Canadian high. The air is clean, crisp and clear. If you live in mountainous regions the haze of the summer will be gone and the visibility will be incredible.

Get an early start. Shorter days means you need to maximize every minute on the trail. Start off early, before the first light so you can start your trek in the first hour of the morning. You will be rewarded with a symphony of songbirds and bustle of wildlife activity. Remember the sun will set earlier, so don't get caught out in the dark on the trail.
Be prepared. With the fall there is change, and the change is in the weather. Make sure you are ready for the elements. Raingear as well as clothing that will protect you from the wind is essential. If you are going on an extended day hike, especially into higher altitude know the weather forecast and carry a weather radio.
Move quietly. As the leaves turn and start to fall off the thickets and tangles that hid wildlife in the forest disappear. Your stealthy movements will be rewarded with opportunities to see many animals closer than you normally would. If you live in an area where there are bears or cougars, then don't follow this advice. As a matter of fact if you are hiking in bear country during the fall you should make extra noise.
Leave the insect repellant at home. Unless you're hiking in a southern climate, most of the flying, biting, nasty insects have died off or have gone into hibernation. One could easily argue that the lack of biting insects is the single biggest benefit to hiking in the fall.
Be spontaneous. There are many advantages to having flexible plans in the fall. During the warm dry fall of 1999 enjoyable hiking could be found in many regions in the United States all the way into early December. It is quite possible to have vast sections of a park all to yourself. If the weatherman says Saturday is going to be sunny and 75, its time to grab your boots and pack. Those leaves on the lawn can wait for another day.
Don't forget the sunscreen and the sunglasses. Just because it is cooler out doesn't mean you still can't get a sunburn. Drier air and wind also batters your skin during the fall months. Clearer, cleaner air also means brighter sunlight. Lip balm is also helpful if your lips get chapped easily.

Eat some food. Nibbling food as your hiking is like slowly putting coal into a fire, it keeps the internal furnace running nice and hot. Avoid having a heavy meal before or while on the trail. If you eat a lot the blood will pool in your digestive system robbing you of body warmth.

Take a friend on their first hike. Have a friend that has been asking to go on their first hike? The fall is the perfect time to do it! No insects, tepid temperatures, no crowds, greater chance of seeing wildlife, and clear skies all add up to a great first time experience. If you are bringing someone on his or her first trek try and keep it easy with an exciting destination at the end of the trail. Have a friend you want to encourage to go on a trek with you? Why not send them a copy of this story!
 

Fall Color Report As Of October 9, 2011 In The GSMNP

 It's beginning to look a little more like fall in the mountains. Although the mountains are still predominantly green, there are scattered patches of color developing on the mountainsides at mid to upper elevations ( Mainly at 3700 ft. and above ). At high elevation, birches are a muted gold while American mountain ash berries are vivid red. Some trees along Clingmans Dome Road have already lost their leaves, while others are still a tired, end-of-season green. Along Newfound Gap Road and other roadways in the park, sourwoods, dogwoods, Virginia creeper, and a few maples are deep red. Check out this week's images of the park.

Fall wildflowers such as cardinal flower, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, great blue lobelia, skunk goldenrod, southern harebell, ironweed, and a variety of asters are still blooming. The bright fruits on trees such as dogwoods and shrubs such as hearts-a-bustin are eye-catching now.
The park usually experiences an autumn leaf season of several weeks as fall colors travel down the mountain sides from high elevation to low. However, the timing of fall color change depends upon so many variables that the exact dates of "peak" season are impossible to predict in advance.
Elevation profoundly affects when fall colors change in the park. At higher elevations, where the climate is similar to New England's, color displays start as early as mid-September with the turning of yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry.

Top Part Of Chalies Bunion In GSMNP  

Beautiful Fall Colors And Peak Times In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The park usually experiences an autumn leaf season of several weeks as fall colors travel down the mountain sides from high elevation to low. However, the timing of fall color change depends upon so many variables that the exact dates of "peak" season are impossible to predict in advance.

Elevation profoundly affects when fall colors change in the park. At higher elevations, where the climate is similar to New England’s, color displays start as early as mid-September with the turning of yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry.

From early to mid-October, fall colors develop above 4,000 feet. To enjoy them, drive the Clingmans Dome Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or the Foothills Parkway.

The fall color display usually reaches peak at mid and lower elevations between mid-October and early November. This is the park’s most spectacular display as it includes such colorful trees as sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, and the hickories.

Autumn is both a beautiful and a busy time in the Great Smoky Mountains. The annual show of fall colors attracts huge numbers of sightseers, especially during the last three weeks of October. Areas in the park which experience the longest traffic delays are Cades Cove and Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441). Try some of these suggested autumn drives and hikes to enjoy fall leaf colors in areas of the park that are a little less crowded.

Why are fall colors so remarkable in the Smokies? One reason is the park’s amazing diversity of trees. Some 100 species of native trees live in the Smokies and the vast majority of these are deciduous.



Chimney Tops In The Fall



How do colors change? As summer ends, the green pigments in leaves deteriorate, giving other colors a chance to shine. Carotenoids, the pigment that makes carrots orange and leaves yellow, are exposed as the green fades. Reds and purples come from anthocyanins, a pigment that is formed when sugars in leaves break down in bright autumn sunlight.

September
By the later stages of September, the right ingredients are beginning to emerge, the time when cooler temperatures and sunny days mix with some rainfall to bring on a spectacular autumn color display in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The timing of color change and leaf fall is primarily sparked by the calendar; that is, the increasing length of night. As days grow shorter and nights grow longer and cooler, chemical processes in the leaf begin to paint the landscape with nature’s autumn palette.

While the typical peak of fall leaf color is at the middle to lower elevations where the greatest diversity of trees live, emerging changes above 4,000 feet begin the parade of color which then moves down the mountainsides into the valleys. The high country is still predominantly green, but fall is coming.

Sourwood, dogwood, maple, sassafras and birch trees are the first to make the change, turning red, orange and yellow. At this point, there is just a hint of color change among those early fall starters. Perhaps more notable now are the fall wildflowers including cardinal flower, black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, great blue lobelia, skunk goldenrod, southern harebell, ironweed, and a variety of asters, as well as the bright fruits on trees and shrubs such as hearts-a-bustin.

September’s suggested scenic drives:Parsons Branch Road, Newfound Gap Road and Clingmans Dome Road Suggested hikes: Albright Grove and Sugarland Mountain Trail as well as high elevation hikes to Andrews Bald or Mt. LeConte would be time well spent.
Another colorful opportunity includes a motor tour of the recently reopened Parson Branch Road, an eight-mile one-way narrow, low speed byway. The road provides motorists an opportunity to drive through a large area of mature second growth forest and experience the quiet and solitude a back-in-the-woods journey has to offer.  

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Early October
By the beginning of October, trees in the high country that are now showing bright color are the yellows of American beech and yellow birch and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple. In the lower elevations, a few early color changing species such as sourwood and sumac are showing bright reds now, but are scattered. Some dogwoods and maples are beginning to turn different colors in some areas as well. Fall wildflowers such as goldenrod and asters are colorful throughout the park and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are also changing color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.
Bright golds and yellows of American beech, yellow birch, and yellow buckeye and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin and black cherry and mountain maple are painting the landscape. The big rounded leaves of witch-hobble are showing fine displays of color ranging from yellow to red.
The majority of the deciduous forest at 4,000 feet elevation and below is still predominantly green, but now with splashes of color dotting the slopes. Sourwood and sumac are showing bright reds; some dogwoods and maples are turning different colors in some areas as well. Fall wildflowers such as mountain gentian, black cohosh, and goldenrod are colorful throughout the park and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are also in color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.
Because the Great Smoky Mountains provide a range of elevations between 875 and 6,643 feet in the Park with differing moisture conditions and habitats, many trees will still produce significant color as the Park moves into its peak autumn season.
Recommendations: High elevation trails such as Sugarland Mountain Trail and Appalachian Trail, accessed at Clingmans Dome or Newfound Gap, would be good hikes for this time of year. Also, roads leading into the high country, including Newfound Gap Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Foothills Parkway West and East, and Rich Mountain Road out of Cades Cove, are the best options for leaf seekers.

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Middle October
By mid-October at the lower elevations, fall color is nudging along. It is the sunny days and cooler nights that instigate the biochemical processes in the leaf to begin. The park continues to experience very dry and warmer-than-normal conditions. These conditions will affect the timing, duration, and intensity of fall leaf season. The peak of color at the lower elevations is over a week away. In the valleys, black gum, dogwood, sumac, and sourwood trees continue to show vivid reds. Golds are coming along on tulip tree, black walnut, birch, beech, and hickories. A few scattered maples and oaks are showing the first signs of fall colors.
A succession of warm, sunny days and cool crisp, but not freezing nights will bring about the most spectacular color display.
Some areas are showing more reds throughout the landscape than in other years. This may be due to the fact that the pigment anthocyanin, which gives color to such familiar things as cranberries, red apples, and blueberries, is in high production because of drought conditions. Anthocyanin is produced in response to lots of light and excess plant sugars within leaf cells. The carotenoids which produce yellow, orange, and brown colors are present in the green leaf but begin showing after the chlorophyll breaks down.
As the leaf color increases, so does the number of autumn leaf peekers. While scenic drives are a good way to see fall color, taking to the trails is a wonderful way to enjoy the splendors of autumn.
Recommendations: Suggested easy to moderate rated hikes through hardwood forests include Lower Mount Cammerer, Baskins Creek Falls, Little River, Old Settlers and Porters Creeks Trails. For the more hardy outdoor enthusiasts hikes that provide scenic overlooks include Sugarlands Mountain, Low Gap, Appalachian, Mt. Sterling, and Goshen Prong Trails. Roads providing views of good displays of fall color are the Foothills Parkway segments on the east and west side of the Park; Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) with its many scenic overlooks; Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; Balsam Mountain Road; and Cove Creek Road.

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Early November
As October fades away, colors at mid elevations, from 3,000-5,000 feet, are at or slightly past peak and are very impressive. Reds are more pronounced now than in recent years, especially on the North Carolina side of the park. Colors at the very highest elevations (above 5,500’) are now past peak.
At the lower elevations, fall colors are quickly developing. The first frost of the season occurred this week in the low elevations, so the remaining leaves should begin to change color within a few days. Black gum, dogwood, sumacs, and sourwood trees continue to show vivid reds. Golds are present on tuliptree, black walnut, birch, beech, spicebush, and hickories. The peak of color at the lower elevations is still a few days away and will probably spill over into November.
It is not unusual for some autumn color to last through certainly the first week of November, but if weather cooperates autumn displays could last through mid-November as well. 
While colors are past peak in the high country and many trees have already shed their leaves, a number of species of trees in the middle elevations are still showing color. Oak trees are just beginning to change color, although their hues are somewhat muted compared to maple, hickory, and other trees. Some pockets of green can still be seen at middle to lower elevations so there is still some new color to appear in these isolated areas if mild weather continues.  
Recommendations: Good places to see fall color include Newfound Gap Road from Alum Cave Trailhead to Kephart Prong Trailhead, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Foothills Parkway East & West, and Heintooga Ridge Road to Balsam Mountain Campground. Suggested hikes include Rich Mountain Loop, Chestnut Top Trail, Smokemont Loop, Kanati Fork, and Sutton Ridge Overlook (Lower Mt. Cammerer Trail). Watch http://www.gatlinburg.com/ for weekly fall colors updates beginning in mid-September.