Fall Color Report for 2013 Leaf Season in the Great Smoky Mountains

Right on time in the Smokies we have seen fall color in some random trees and bushes such as sourwood and dogwood for the past 2 weeks, and yellows in hardwoods such as oaks above 5,000 feet for more than a week.

Late summer and early fall have been a mixed bag between dryer than normal on the Tennessee side and wetter than normal on the North Carolina side. This very strange combination has mean for a bumper crop of apples, but lousy acorns due to the stress.

The fact that we have good apples has us very excited as that is usually a good indication of a great autumn for color. The fact that the acorn crop is light means that the bears will be moving around looking more for food to fatten up for the winter.

The great news for leaf peepers looking to enjoy a both long colorful fall leaf season in the Smokies is that stressed trees and bushes often produce the best fall color. The trick is not to have too much stress which can cause a tree to go from green to brown and dropping its leaves within a day or 2.

Fall Leaf Season along Newfound Gap Road

To get the best fall leaf color possible, just as the leaf is turning off sugar production, you want a cold snap to convert the sugars in leaves such as maples into bright reds and hot oranges. Not enough cold and when the green goes, all what remains are yellows - still a very pretty sight.

Some places have many of the same species of tree or bush at the same elevation with the same exposure. When this is the case, you get a mass of basically the same color all at once. The peak leaf season in that case may only be a few days, but it can be quite spectacular.

The Smokies on the other hand vary greatly in both diversity and environment. Just go to Gatlinburg and look up at Mount LeConte and you are looking at more than mile in elevation gain - the most dramatic elevation change east of the Mississippi.

You also do not have 10, or 20 different species of trees growing in the Great Smoky Mountains, you have more than 100. There are more local native tree species growing in the Smokies - most of which produce color in the fall - than there are in the entire European continent!

The timing on all the trees as to when they shut off their leaves and produce the bright colors that remain in the leaves are all different. Even for the same species of tree, since elevations, canopy cover, soil types and conditions vary so much, so does the peak leaf season for each species of tree in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Since we have hundreds of different trees with different leaf colors in the fall peaking at different times, you can see that coming to the Smokies in autumn to see the leaves change; you have a window of 2 to 3 weeks minimum when the leaf color is great.

Bad weather conditions such as an extreme drought, or a huge wind storm or rainstorm that blows down leaves can reduce this window by a week, great conditions such as light moisture when needed, light winds and real cool nights to process the sugars can extend a peak leaf season to 4 or more weeks of color.

To time peak fall color in the Smokies it depends on where you want to see it peak. Even then it is part science and park art. We all know for example that folk legends such as the position and width of the bands on our wooly caterpillars is not an accurate predictor of how cold it will be during the winter. A coin toss works even better on average!

The biggest variable is weather conditions as to when the peak begins. Leaves turn off their green color which is chlorophyll and become colorful as both light and the temperature changes. When the days become shorter, less light means less sugar is produced triggering a fall shutdown of the Chlorophyll producing parts of the leaves. Continuous bright sunny days mean that the fall season will start later and thus peak later.

Darker, cloudy and rainy day's make plants start turning into fall colors faster, thus moving the peak season start and end sooner. With all this going on, temperature has an effect too so you can see since weather patterns can change real fast in the mountains, what can look like a late peak season can turn into a normal fall peak season in days.

Right now we are just starting to peak at the highest elevations which are generally only producing yellows at around 5,000 feet. Higher points such as along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 6,000 foot range are seeing bright reds in some bushes and trees. If you are high up and looking down along the higher ridge lines, the fall colors including reds and oranges will really start to pop by next weekend.

Most people do not have the ability to be along higher ridge lines so the fall color when it moves to the middle and lower ridges will offer both better fall color long range views as the ability to be closer at the mid line where you will find many cabins and scenic pullouts so you can see the leaves with their fall colors up close in person.

The best time to enjoy peak season fall color in Cades Cove is right about when the mid range comes into color. For some reason the valley does not hold color long and f you wait too long for it to creep down the mountain, the tops of the mountains around Cades Cove are already done.

Cataloochee and the bald at Max Patch are at least a week earlier to fall peak leaf season than the lower parts of Tennessee such as Cades Cove.

Of course the best you can ask for is when the tops are at the tail end of peak, the mid and low elevations are at peak and there is a dusting of snow up top. If you are lucky enough to catch this, the contrast is thrilling and makes for postcards perfect pictures.

Long range forecasts today show the possibility of a dusting of snow in high altitudes on the 20th, 24th, 25th and the 31st. For most of this week we are expecting highs in 70's, and for the rest of the month in the 60's.

If you are coming here for a visit to see fall colors during October, pack warm clothes if you plan on going to the upper parts of Newfound Gap Road or on the Blue Ridge Parkway which is open all the way through to Virginia as we already have had lows up there in the 40's for days.

As long as the rain predicted for the 16th and the 17th is a gentle, long, soaking rain, some of the tail end of the fall color in hardwoods such as red oaks will still be visible in the Great Smoky Mountains and valleys such as in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg into November. In 2005, reds were still nice the second week in November.

The best bet to be sure to see the best fall colors in the Smokies is the 3rd week in October, you might not have full great color in the hardwoods and valleys, but you will be sure to have the mid elevations very bright and colorful. Even if a huge storm blows through, there will still be fresh fall color peaking everyday further on down below every few days.

Government Closure Status in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

It is hard to believe that we are already in the 11th day of the Government Shutdown that among other hardships has closed the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the Blue Ridge Parkway facilities just as peak tourist season and leaf season begin in the Smokies.

Of course great news would be that everyone is working again and all national parks and forests are open. So far this is not the case; however, the federal government decided that if a state government can pay the expenses, federal parks can be reopened as long as the expenses are being covered.

The Great Smoky Mountains national park (GSMNP) encompasses more than 800 square miles straddling the states of North Carolina and Tennessee with the state border slicing the park lengthwise. While the GSMNP is has more land in North Carolina, the most accessible and heavily visited parts of the park are in Tennessee such as Cades Cove.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is presently working with Tennessee congressmen to see if it is feasible to use state government resources to reopen part or all of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along with 3 other areas that the federal government shutdown has closed.

No official word yet if North Carolina will be willing to help pay to reopen the Great Smoky Mountains national park and with Tennessees help alone, it may not be enough for the park to open until the Federal Shutdown is lifted.

Presently the national park is legally closed to all use other than traversing the 3 roads which remain open, along with utilizing unblocked pullouts and overlooks which include the Newfound Gap parking and the Newfound Gap bathrooms.

The only roads in the park right now open are Newfound Gap Road US441 all the way from the entrance at Cherokee North Carolina, to where it ends 30 miles away at the city of Gatlinburg Tennessee and the Gatlinburg Bypass which connects Newfound Gap Road by the city limits to the Spur.

The Spur is also open and it is part of the Foothill Parkway outside the park and it connects Gatlinburg with Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

Current Road Conditions and Closure Status in the GSMNP

The entire hiking trail system in the Great Smoky Mountains national park is officially closed due to severe manpower shortages from the Government Shutdown as they are now considered unsafe.

Hikers right now are tolerated along the Appalachian Trail, Husky Gap Hiking Trail, Gatlinburg Hiking Trail, and the Oconaluftee River Trail.

If a trailhead is blocked off with cones or barricades do not hike there as you are subject to fine or arrest and you're putting others in danger.

As for facilities in the park such as Visitor Centers, Stores, Stables, Picnic Areas, Bathrooms, Historic Buildings, Campgrounds and Campsites, they are all closed. Do not trespass in these closed areas.

Looking to go horseback ridding? We suggest Walden Creek Stables.

Even though campgrounds are closed, the campground hosts are still there and looking to report any trespassers which is their duty, so please stay away from areas you are not allowed!

As for all the closed roads in the park, cars, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, skateboards, and roller skates are forbidden.

Even though these closed roads are off limits to all use. Walking is tolerated. If you wish to walk along any park roads, keep in mind that you want to be walking in a way emergency or maintenance vehicles may use the road and not expect you so stay away from blind curves.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park may be the most visited national park in the United States, but the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited park unit in the country with almost twice the users that the GSMNP has.

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles from the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains national park in North Carolina all the way up to Virginia where it reaches the edge of the Shenandoah National Park.

Originally the Blue Ridge Parkway might have been closed during the shutdown, now all of its 469 miles are open to vehicles even there was a partial closure which required some emergency road repair work that was just finished yesterday.

All facilities such as picnic areas and visitor centers along the entire parkway remain closed. The Pisgah Inn in North Carolina which serves food along with the Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant in Virginia, have been allowed to reopen.

Another great attraction along the Blue Ridge Parkway and only about an hour away from the Great Smoky Mountains national park just east of Asheville is the Folk Center which just reopened.

At the Folk Center you can see museum quality exhibits of local craftsmanship from furniture to clothes as well as a craft store.

There are picnic tables at some of the pull offs along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but cooking is forbidden. There is also a picnic area at the Folk Center which I would suggest as a stop.

Presently none of the pullouts for scenic outlooks or parking areas for hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway are blocked off or closed. At this point the hiking trails have not been listed as off limits. Use of camping and campgrounds are prohibited.

Graveyard Fields: Blue Ridge Parkway October 10th 2013

One of the most popular hiking areas on the Blue Ridge parkway is Graveyard Fields about an hour away from the Great Smoky Mountains national park. As of yesterday it has the most advanced fall color of any of the areas I have seen in more than 300 miles with a ways to go.

Once you are past the first 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkways entrance at the Smokies you will see small markers showing hiking trails every few miles. From short scenic walks to 20 mile or longer hikes, there is something or everyone.

Hiking Trails on Blue Ridge Parkway

If you love scenery such as what you see at Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap, I can assure you that you will be blown away by the stunning beauty you will see along the Blue Ridge Parkway. You will also see numerous wildlife especially off the road and on the trails such as black bear, elk, and deer is also quite numerous.

Ranger presence is light along the Blue Ridge Parkway, so it is best you do not hike alone, past your capability and be prepared as a fast rescue may not happen.

Be advised, though their presence is lighter than usual, rangers are taking enforcement seriously, especially speeding and passing on double yellow lines in both the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the Blue Ridge Parkway because of the seriousness and number of fatal accidents such behavior cost.

Besides the hundreds of miles of great hiking trails still apparently open along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Pisgah National Forest is also close by and accessible right off the Blue Ridge Parkway or I-40.

The Pisgah National Forest is enormous covering 512,758 acres with about 10% of which is old growth forest and like the GSM national park there are no facilities open, but people are using all of the hiking trail without any issues so far.

Other great places to go hiking not extremely far away are the 3 TVA trails: Tellico East Lakeshore Trail, the River Bluff Trail and the Hemlock Bluff Trail.

There is also Haw Ridge Park between Knoxville and Oak Ridge and the very nice moderate hike on the Pinnacle Trail in Sylva, North Carolina about 30 minutes tops from the GSMNP.

Not enough hiking for you? Add on the Panther Creek State Park in Tennessee, North Carolina's Dupont State Forest and the Nantahala Forest, the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, and an awesome drive along the Cherohala Skyway in the Lenoir area of Tennessee.

Wait a minute! I never mentioned the weeks of attractions you will find in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee, not including our beloved Dollywood Theme Park and the Ripley's Attractions Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Sure the park being closed hurts, but no one is expecting it to remain closed by next weekend, and even so, so at what else there is do around the Smoky Mountains. Now you see why we all call them the GREAT Smoky Mountains!

Twitter Account for Great Smoky Mountains National Park Info
Twitter Account for Newfound Gap Road US441 Info

Last updated 10/11/13 4:05pm

Fall Peak Color and Great Smoky Mountains National Park Government Shutdown 2013

More than a million people a year come to the Great Smoky Mountains to enjoy the fall color in the Mountains of East Tennessee and North Western North Carolina.

This year will be no different even though a government shutdown has closed many federal buildings and facilities.

The timing could not have been worse for a government shutdown that then start of fall color which is starting to show all along the high elevations and sporadically down to the valleys.

Clearly the fall leaf color is starting in the Smokies and the peak looks to be right on schedule between the 14th to the 29th with hopefully some nice colors in the valleys on up to the weekend of November 3rd.

The biggest problem we have will not be the lack of fall beauty nor the access to beautiful scenery or places to hike, picnic or fish, but the misunderstanding as to where to go to see the stunning fall beauty in God's country even if most of the Great Smoky Mountains national park is closed because of the government shuts down.

No one is expecting at even the worst case scenario that the government shutdown will extend all the way through the Smokies fall leaf season and if it does rest assured that there and hundreds and hundreds of miles of hiking trails open, streams to fish, rivers to white water raft on and spectacular roads to motor tour on with breathtaking longs range vistas, streams and waterfalls.

Let's first get the bad news out of the way. The Great Smoky Mountains national park is closed right now due to the government shutdown. No it does not mean you cannot enter the park anywhere, but is does mean that you are limited as to what you can in the park when you get here.

All of the Great Smoky Mountains national parks visitor and information centers are closed. The campgrounds, picnic areas and all other buildings and park facilities are closed.

Other than US441 also known as Newfound Gap Road that stretches from Cherokee North Carolina all the way over the mountain for 30 miles to Gatlinburg Tennessee and the small offshoot road the Gatlinburg Bypass, all roads in the park are closed to vehicles.

All sections of the park such as Cosby, Abrams Falls, Cades Cove, the Roaring Fork Motor nature trail are all behind locked gates. Officially, everything behind a closed gate in the park as long as Washington DC has closed all national parks is off limits to any use.

Originally even the scenic pull-outs and trail heads were blocked off with cones on US 441 and no one was allowed to park anywhere in the park. At one point the Newfound Gap parking area was closed along with the restrooms there. These restrictions have been lifted.

As it stands right now, you can pull over and park in any pull out or parking area along the entire length of Newfound Gap Road except for the barricaded areas which include: the Oconaluftee Visitor Center by the Cherokee entrance, the Chimneys hiking trail trailhead, the Alum Cave hiking trail trailhead and the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Park Headquarters near Gatlinburg Tennessee.

The national park get so many visitors so rescues on park trails and accidents on roadways are fairly common as there are just so many people using them.

With the government furlough and the fact that even all unpaid volunteers have been sent home and the park is operating with a skeleton crew which does not have enough manpower for a backcountry rescue let alone mutable rescues which can happen in a park that covers more than 1/2 million acres.

Presently, officially all trails and quiet walkways and streams are closed and are considered to be facilities such as a visitor center, however, other than the Chimneys, where ongoing trail repairs have stopped due to the closure and the Alum Cave Trail to Mt LeConte, hiking along the Appalachian Trail and the trails along Newfound Gap Road is being tolerated yet discouraged by park staff.

Hiking in the park right buts not only you, but the limited personnel that can rescue you in danger so we implore you to only make use of the park in a way that is safe and where it is being tolerated as long as the park is closed.

Besides the Great Smoky Mountains national park, the Smokies boast some other fantastic wilderness and scenic experiences such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Nantahala National Forest, The Fires Creek Wildlife Management Area, the Pisgah National Forest, Cherokee State Forest, Mount Mitchell State Park, Fort Loudon State Historic park and about a dozen more an additional hour or so away!

Lake Fontana and the surrounding area in the picture below taken today is also a fantastic area to motor, hike, bike and just explore.

Last but certainly not least is the great driving hiking and picnicking you can still do along all 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is run by the National park service so it is technically closed just as the Great Smoky Mountains national park is.

The entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway remains open however all facilities are closed. Don't count on grilling for your picnic but there are plenty of picnic tables that you can still use. In the Balsam Mountain area you should be able to catch a glimpse or 2 of the reintroduced elk that are in rut right now like the picture I took below yesterday.

Other than the federal government opening the Great Smoky Mountains national park back up on their own, the mayor of Blount County Tennessee is now offering his assistance to Washington to have his police and public safety personnel patrol and conduct rescues in part of the park so that they may be able to reopen that section or to provide funds to do so. The ball is in Washington’s court on this.

No matter what happens with Washington, the views will still be stunning and there will be lots to do both outdoors and indoors in the Great Smoky Mountains and what looks like will be a great fall with spectacular color that should last.

When is the best time to see fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains?

The Smokies are renowned for having some of the best fall colors when the leaves change in autumn but with as large as the Great Smoky Mountains are where the best place is and when is the best time to see the foliage in peak colors is not a simple answer.

The reason why there is no exact day for the peak colors in 2009 or the perfect places to see the autumn leaves is that there are so many places - hundreds of them to catch breathtaking fall foliage bursting in all the colors of the rainbow.

There are many reasons why the fall colors in the Smokies attract so many people to come see them. One of the most import reasons is that in the Great Smoky Mountains national park there are more than 100 species of trees and hundreds of different species of bushes that all change color.

Since the falls leaves colors during leaf season vary for many reasons and one of the main reasons is which species of trees or bushes are changing as all of the different trees and bushes show a different range of colors. This is what makes the Smokies a great place to see the leaves change as there is a wide range of colors everywhere you look and it is best to go to a few places to see the wide range of fall foliage colors.

Other key factors the effect when the leaves change color in the Smokies as well as the intensity, duration and where to see the change in colors are temperature, moisture, exposure to sunlight and even soil composition.

Since there is a huge difference in elevations from Pigeon Forge Tennessee, Gatlinburg and Cades Cove on the low end to Clingmans Dome, Mount Le Conte and the Blue Ridge Parkway as a higher elevation and where you are in elevation and location will change to surrounding temperatures of the trees as well as exposure to sun, the same species of tree such as a sugar maple tree can display wild vibrant fall colors in some places weeks before it does in others in the Smoky Mountains.

So if you ask when do the leaves start to change colors in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Wears Valley, Cades Cove and all throughout the Great Smoky Mountains national park the answer is they already have started this year in late August!

Look carefully in the Smoky Mountains right now and you will see in the dark green canopy touches of color in a few random leaves in the dogwoods, maples and sourwood trees especially at the higher elevations such as along the Foothills Parkway. But you don't want to come here to just see a few random leaves change color - you want to see the fall colors at their peak in the Smokies!

Count on being able to see fall colors popping out in mid to late to late September 2009 but the real displays will start to be fantastic in October and will still be sowing into November. It is not uncommon to see nice vibrant deep reds and maroons in the hardwoods in the Smoky Mountains such as the oak trees as late as Thanksgiving but you will be far past peak at that time.

So what are the predictions for the 2009 leaf season in the Great Smoky Mountains? Actually the predictions are for an extremely good leaf season in both color and duration if the weather continues to so cooperative!

In the past 2 years in the Smokies there have been record breaking droughts. The lack of water stressed the plants and the colors were actually very good. Temperatures were also much higher during the peaks in summer and even late spring also stressing the tress in bushes in the Smoky Mountains.

Though last year the color of the leaves during the fall season were good, they were lacking in duration and when it would rain, it washed down many leaves prematurely and even though fall leaves are colorful on the ground, for the best impact you want to see is the colorful leaves in peak longer on the trees.

This year 2009 we have made up for the past few years of lack of water and the health of the forests and mountains are fantastic! Add to this cooler than normal temperatures all spring and summer long and you have a recipe for beautiful leaf colors as well as duration where the beautiful brightly colored foliage stays on the trees longer during leaf season along with a greater range of colors all showing at the same time.

Because of the very good weather we have had in 2009 including the cooler than normally temperatures we are experiencing right now in the Smoky Mountains, it is likely that the fall leaf season will start earlier this year and the peak leaf season may run only until the 2nd week in November.

As we had done last year, we will do fall color report updates to let you know where to go to see the best fall colors in the Smoky Mountains and the best places to stay to see the fall colors in 2009. Our updates will also be broadcasted on Twitter and our new Face Book account.

More About Peak Leaf Season in the Great Smoky Mountains:

• Peak Leaf Color Season Dates In Cades Cove and the Great Smoky Mountains for 2012
• Peak Leaf Season Dates For Fall of 2012
• Smoky Mountains Fall Color Season: Where and When To See the Best Leaves In 2010

November fall color report for the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Smokies

The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of exciting and beautiful twists and turns and starts at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains national park near the Cherokee North Carolina entrance and is a popular attraction for people looking for beautiful fall colors little more than an hour away from Pigeon Forge.

Though the Blue Ridge Parkway is past peak in fall colors, there are still bright reds, deep maroons, yellows, greens, oranges and many shades of tans and browns.

The overlooks on the parkway are still pretty and the mountainsides across the road and the valleys are still showing bright colors and with the perfect blue skies we have had here in the Smoky Mountains the visibility has been very good. The temperatures on the higher elevations are cooler than the valleys but are still very comfortable.

As you can see by this picture taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday the leaves that have lost most of their color are still on the trees and have turned into deep reddish brown that are still pretty and can be found on the first 8 miles of the parkway.

The overlooks still look at out green valleys and there is plenty of yellow in various shades as you start to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

If you want excitement when driving this is a great road to tour on and as you go deeper into the parkway there is still great pockets of color to be found. Early morning or just before sunset are the best time to enjoy the colors and the traffic though normally light it is even lighter in the morning.

Drive carefully while you are enjoying the fall colors and if the weather cools down dramatically in the afternoon or you are venturing out first thing in the morning watch out for patches of ice that can form especially in the cooler shaded areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is also best to drive with your lights on in the tunnels even during daylight. The Blue Ridge Parkway has a maximum speed limit of 45 miles and hour but some areas you will have to slow down even further due to extreme curves and blind spots.

So why not explore the Smokies just an hour away from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee?

Hundreds of hot cars to Cruise the Smokies at the Fall Rod Run

Did you miss the rod run this fall in Pigeon Forge Tennessee? Don't despair as Cherokee North Carolina only an hour away is expecting more than 800 classic and souped up custom cars for the Cruise the Smokies Cherokee rod run.

With fall leaf season at its peak in the Smoky Mountains, this will be a perfect time to come out and see the beautiful classic cars and watch them later on motor around the Smokies.

This is also a prefect time for photography enthusiasts to catch special shots of these classic cars against the stunning backdrops of the of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains national park and the Foothills Parkway. Some of the finer autos are going to take on the famous tail of the Dragon.

We are expecting at least 3,000 attendees to show up for the Cherokee Rod Run and if your wheels are older than 1972 or your car is heavily customized you can register to show you car and compete for cash drawings totaling $15,000 for only $40.

The fall rod run is a great place to meet and network with car lovers, shop at the swap meet, enjoy the daily entertainment. If all of this is not enough to get you excited, The Temptations and The Platters are going to play Saturday night at Harrah's Cherokee Casino.

The Cherokee rod run for classic cars in the Smoky Mountains will be held from October 31st to November 2nd at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. On Friday and Saturday the fairground gates are open from 9-5 and on Sunday from 9 until noon. Tickets for adults and kids 7 and up cost $5 and kids 6 and under are free.

The fall rod run in Cherokee North Carolina is sponsored by Cherokee Travel and Tourism and Harrah's Casino and for more information visit Cherokee Web Site or call (828) 438-1601.