Football fans and pumpkin spice fanatics may be celebrating the arrival of fall, but there’s no group more eager to welcome the season than leaf peepers. With a full tank of gas and trusty binoculars in hand, color chasers everywhere will soon venture out to witness the deep reds, fiery oranges, and brilliant yellows of the season.
The Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains have one of the longest color seasons in the country, typically spanning five weeks with peak season starting around mid-October. Sunlight exposure and weather – both before and during the dwindling of chlorophyll in the leaves – determine what kind of show the trees will put on. Chilly, sunny weather speeds up color change while warm weather and rain prolong the process.
So what can we expect this autumn? We asked Howard Neufeld, professor of plant ecophysiology at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, more affectionately known as the Fall Color Guy. “The trees look great right now,” said Neufeld. “As long as the weather cools and we have an abundance of sunny days, we should be in for a good fall color season. However, the long-range forecast is calling for slightly warmer than normal temperatures through October, which could delay colors by several days.”
Our proximity to the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most scenic stretches to see the annual kaleidoscope of colors, makes us an ideal stop on your leaf peeping journey. Pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner at our award-winning restaurant, enjoy a cocktail overlooking the changing foliage around beautiful Lake Toxaway, or spend the evening with us and wake up to an absolute dream.
