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

November 9 Fall Color Report

Some very impressive areas of fall color linger at the park’s lower elevations (below 3,000’). Scarlet oak, northern red oak, the birches, sumac, and spicebush are especially vibrant. At the higher elevations, fresh snow crowns Mt. Le Conte and the Appalachian Trail ( Above 5,000 Ft.).

Suggested drives include Little River Road, Cades Cove, Gatlinburg Bypass, Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail , the Foothills Parkway East (near Newport and Cosby), the Foothills Parkway West (near Townsend), The Foothills Parkway North (between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge—the “Spur”) and Cataloochee Valley.

Suggested trails and hiking destinations include Mingus Creek Trail, Cucumber Gap Loop, Old Settlers Trail, Deep Creek Trail, Gatlinburg Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail, and Abrams Falls.

Witch-hazel, the last flowering tree of the season, is in bloom.

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