Peak Fall Leaf Season in Cades Cove Part of the Great Smoky Mountains

There is no questioning that this weekend will be the peak leaf season for Cades Cove Tennessee, which is the most visited part of the most visited park in the United States: The Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Yesterday when driving around and hiking in Cades Cove you can clearly see that there are a few days to go before all the leaves colors into brilliant shades from the mountain peak to the valleys and even before getting to the valley, brilliant fall color can be seen on any road or trail in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Cades Cove Fall Peak Color

As you can see by the picture I just took in Cades Cove above, there is still plenty of green but also some very brilliant fall color!

We have not had any real precipitation for quite a while in the Smokies and the next 2 days we are guaranteed to get some. This should make what leaves are very green last longer on the trees and as long as the winds stay low, only blow of the poorer colored brown leaves so we can see the brighter fall colors in the trees even better.

Little River Road has some must see spots as soon as you leave the Gatlinburg Area on the way to see the fall color in Cades Cove. The fall color is at peak along the Laurel Falls Trail which is a very easy paved walkway up to a very pretty waterfall about 3 miles from the visitor center in the Sugarlands.

Just before the Laurel Falls parking area are 2 pull out parking areas with spectacular long range and short range views of the fall color. Be sure to get some pictures here!

When you leave Laurel Falls you go by Elkmont. While not quite yet peak in many areas of Elkmont, spots of the early fall color are already bare so while taking a few boulder shots here in the river would be nice, you do better to push on to Cades Cove where the color is much better.

Past the Metcalf Bottom Picnic area which will be on your right will be a parking area on the left for the waterfall area known as the Sinks. Unless there is no parking left, be sure to spot here and take a few pictures of the leaves and the waterfalls and boulders.

Watch for a rock wall on the left with parking about a 1/2 mile past the Sinks and you will be able to see Meigs Falls which I just took a video of yesterday. As you can see the yellows are getting brighter and so are the reds and oranges around it so by the weekend it will be stunning!

You may want to park along the Townsend Wye on the way to Cades Cove. This very photogenic spot will let you have some great pictures of fall color reflecting in the water along with rocks in the river and the rock wall.

As you continue toward Cades Cove you start to climb up to a Gap which has a pullout. The leaves are around here are just starting to hit peak fall color yesterday and should be great for the weekend.

Once you are in Cades Cove I would suggest taking the Loop Road around all 11 miles. Many of the cabins and churches are past peak, but just look up around the mountains and you will be able to see breathtaking fall color at its finest.

I would also suggest if your car can handle it to take Rich Mountain Road out of Cades Cove as you are then right in the best fall peak color of Cades Cove and can see great views when looking down into the valley.

Fall leaf color report for Laurel Falls Hiking Trail

The Laurel Falls hiking trail in the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains national park is easily the most hiked trail in the entire park. This is also on of the few paved hiking trails and today it is in peak leaf season throughout the length of the trail.

The trailhead for Laurel Falls in on Little River Road and has a paved parking area which at peak times can be rather full. There is a self guiding tour pamphlet you can purchase right at the beginning of the trail and as you can see the color starts right in the parking lot.

What makes this hiking trail one of the best trails for seeing fall colors in the national park is that you gently climb up in elevation and trees change color to the sides and above you and often you have overlooks looking out at mountains across from the trail and some whole small mountains ranges that are all filling in with fall colors.

There are many varieties of trees along the trail with little undergrowth at the beginning switchbacks so you the ability to have a panoramic view of the forest below you and interesting rock formations on the sides of the trail and above you.

The Laurel Falls Waterfall starts above the trail and collects in a pool that runs under the trail and drops of a shear rock drop to the steam below. The rocks are very slippery on the falls and you are forbidden from climbing on them as people have fallen off of the falls and have gotten hurt. Small children must also be under strict control as the large drop off has no guard rails.

The trees above the falls are showing peach, red, and yellow in the leaves. The rhododendron on the sides and way above the falls stay a beautiful dark green year round.

When there is water in the stream above the falls that can be a huge torrent of water but alas we are in a drought here in the Smokies and the flow though much larger than it appears in the picture below is in fact just a trickle compared to what it could be.

When it gets real cold here Laurel Falls first has ice form on the sides. If you are lucky to catch the falls after there is a bug snow melt and it refreezes the entire waterfall becomes a huge dazzling ice sculpture that must be seen in person to be appreciated.

While most people stop at the waterfall and turn around, the best part of the hike is just 20 more minutes beyond the falls. Here you will leave all the crowds that come to see the falls behind and you enter the forest of huge trees.

The Smoky Mountains national park was heavily logged and almost all the old growth huge trees were cut and taken away. Here on this trail they could not reach some of the trees to log them and they are a sight to see.

These huge trees will be peaking shortly and color along the whole trail should be good for more than a week. The overlooks will have reds and oranges in the distance for at least another 2 or more weeks.

Anytime of the year this is a great trail to explore and is less than 20 minute from mostof the cabin rentals in the Smokies.