As soon as the calendar turns the page to September, all the talk begins to focus on peak fall color and when and where it can best be observed. For many of us, it’s in our own backyard, but many others make the trek up the mountain to be totally immersed in fall’s splendor.  

Lesson 1:  Weather 

The weather is a big part of fall’s colors – when they happen, how vibrant they may be, and how long they will last.  

Fall days tend to be warm and sunny followed by crisp temperatures at night. That’s what you want to enjoy a nice hike, festival, or football game and to have the leaves start their journey from branch to ground.  

Trees take their color cues from different sources to change colors, which actually shows us the true colors of the leaves because photosynthesis – that is the process that generates the chlorophyll, which feeds the tree – is ending. So, when you look at a maple in the summer, its green color is masking the beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows that are enjoyed in the fall.    

The length of days influences when trees begin to change. Trees in the north will begin changing sooner than trees in the south because the days get shorter faster after the summer solstice.  

Elevation is also a factor. Trees at higher elevations – like Grandfather Mountain or Mount Mitchell will put on their fall colors before those at lower elevations in valleys or different sections of the region.  

Temperatures play a role in fall color watching. Crisp nights help usher along the color change, but a frost can “soup up the color-changing engine” and make it happen faster.  

Precipitation – both in season and in summertime – also contributes to the vibrancy and length of the colors. A wet summer often, but not always, makes for a vibrant color season, but a dry one can mean a short color season. Rain during the color season can lead to dull colors and shorten the viewing time, especially if the rain is accompanied by wind from tropical storms.  

Lesson 2: Up, Down, and All Around 

When someone mentions fall colors, our thoughts go immediately to leaves. But that is not the only source of fall beauty. It’s all around! 

Fall wildflowers are sometimes the first colors to appear. Be on the lookout for Jerusalem Artichoke (tall yellow flowers usually found in clusters), Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed (tall purple flowers, Monarch butterflies love ‘em), Ironweed (tall deep purple flowers with stems as tough as iron), New England Asters (like a delicate daisy except with purple petals), and chicory, which is sometimes called a cornflower (light to medium blue blooms).  

Don’t forget pumpkins, squashes, and gourds! They make excellent fall photo subjects. 

Making your way from the flowers up to the crown of trees, slow down a bit to notice a few things along the way. Virginia Creeper vines can be quite stunning when they don their bright red hues before heading off to sleep. It is often mistaken for Poison Ivy, which also turns red in the fall. To differentiate the two, remember the rhyme “leaves of three, leave them be” to help find the one to avoid. Poison Oak, which has three leaves with lobes that look similar to an oak tree and is found in Piedmont and coastal areas, is also a fall color favorite because of its vivid reds, just be sure to observe from afar. 

We’re finally to the star of the show – the leaves of deciduous trees. From delicate yellows to vibrant oranges and stunning reds to deep purples and rich browns, the fall color show is an award-winning production every year.  

Some of the first leaves to turn will be the Black Locust – they will be a relatively soft yellow. Hickory and Tulip Poplar trees also tend to begin turning a little earlier than others and will have bright yellow leaves. Maple trees bring a lot of spice to the color palette with Sugar Maples turning bright yellow and orange; Red Maples turn, um, a bright red; Silver Maples are the chameleons of the bunch, so they can turn yellow, green-yellow, orange, red, or even brown depending on sunlight and shade.  

Dogwoods show their true colors of purplish red, with Beech trees turning tan. Birch and Cherry trees turn bright yellow and orange, and Sourwoods are crimson. The mighty Oaks are usually the last trees to turn and to lose their leaves. While their colors can be a little muted – ranging from browns and tans to russet and yellow - Oaks can hold on to their leaves well into November and sometimes later. 

Now, while you’re looking up, pay attention to the sky. The blues will often look bluer in the fall, and sunlight will look “cooler” or “thinner” because of the tilt of the earth.  

Lesson 3: Timing  

Peak fall color is in the eye of the beholder and sometimes comes at 2 a.m. in the morning. OK, we’re joshing you on that last part, but truly color pockets can happen in different places and at different times throughout the color season. Leaves may be totally on the ground in one location, but in a sheltered valley a mile away, you may see the best color of the season.  

Here are a few rules of thumb to consider when planning your fall foliage adventures: 

• Higher elevations will have their peak color time first. So, look along the spine of the Blue Ridge Parkway – Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, Balsam Mountains – to change first. 
• Locations farther north will usually have an earlier peak color date than locations in the south, but keep in mind that elevation will also figure into this calculation. 
• Look at local weather forecasts in the days leading up to your visit. That will help you keep track of cooler temperatures that may speed up the color change or warmer temperatures that will slow down the change. In 2019, the Appalachian Mountains had unusually warm temperatures in the fall, which led to a much later fall color peak – around the end of October (to be very clear – this is highly unusual) with some leaves hanging around until almost Thanksgiving. Ray's Weather has great local forecasts for many locations in the North Carolina and Virginia mountains.

The general progression in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains is  

• Late September/Early October - Kuwohi (formerly known as Clingmans Dome), Grandfather Mountain, Mt. Mitchell, Waterrock Knob 
• Mid-October – Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Wytheville, Fancy Gap, Boone and Blowing Rock, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 
• Late October – Lower elevations including Pisgah National Forest, Linville Gorge, Maggie Valley, Roanoke, Waynesboro, and Shenandoah National Park 
• Late October/Early November – Asheville, Brevard, Gatlinburg, Knoxville, Greenville 

Lesson 4: It’s More than Leaves 

The weather in the fall is almost overwhelmingly pleasant. If it was something sampled in The Three Bears, Goldilocks would find it “just right.” So, plan on taking advantage of the beauty of the leaves and temperate weather to take a hike. Of course, some of the best places are along the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Shenandoah National Park, but there are so many other places to head.  

Try Caesars Head State Park near Greenville for long-range views in the Upstate, the summit trail at Elk Knob State Park to see three states (also, be sure to notice the understory – unlike many other areas in the High Country, it is devoid of rhododendron, so you’ll be able to notice flowers, mushrooms, and other stuff at ground level), take a walk around Salem Lake in Winston-Salem, get an overview of Roanoke at the Mill Mountain Overlook, or try paddling in the Congaree National Park to see centuries-old Bald Cypress trees in a UNESCO recognized biosphere.  

It’s getting dark earlier, so it’s also a great time to stargaze. Plus, the air contains less moisture, which makes the night sky appear clearer. Head out to a dark sky spot on a moonless night – or when the moon is just a sliver – for best viewing. The planets come into reasonable viewing times during the fall, with Saturn and Jupiter rising in early to mid-evening in October. Jupiter’s moons are viewable with a good set of binoculars, and you can easily find and see the Orion Nebula (it’s located about midway down the sword below Orion’s belt). You can also see the different colors of stars and planets – check out Mars, which really does appear red, and Betelgeuse, which is the Red Giant star at the top left of the Orion constellation. Some free or inexpensive apps to try on your phone include SkyView Lite and Stellarium. 

Apple picking is a delightfully-fall activity. You can mix finding your favorite heirloom apples with a slice of history and a little music at the Orchard at Altapass along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Orchard was established in the early 1900s by the Clinchfield Railroad.  

What would fall be without festivals? It wouldn’t be nearly as colorful! Almost every community has a celebration of harvest and culture in the fall. We covered many of them in our recent Colorful Destinations blog. Here are a few that are yet to happen: 

• Fall for Greenville – October 11-13  
• GO Outside Festival – Roanoke – October 18-20 
• Valle Country Fair – Valle Crucis – October 19 
• Apple Harvest Festival – Waynesville – October 19
• Woolly Worm Festival – Banner Elk – October 19-20

Lesson 5: Resources 

The internet has many resources to consult as you plan your Fall Foliage adventure. We urge you to plan early if you are visiting a mountain destination. If you can visit during the week, you will find fewer people, less conjestion, and it will be easier to find a place to stay. 

For a weekly report on the colors around the Boone area, check out Dr. Harold Neufeld’s posts on the Biology Department’s webpage. You can also add a fold or two to your brain by reading some of his approachable scientific research into the color change.   

The Fall Color Guy Facebook page features some terrific images and updates.  

Romantic Asheville is a good resource to follow the color change, and they also offer suggestions about hikes and drives.  

The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers insight into many different happenings in the natural world. You can go HERE to find an interactive fall foliage map for the whole United States.  

HERE’s where you can learn more about the fall colors in the Roanoke area.  

And information about the leaf color change in East Tennessee can be found HERE from the Knoxville News and HERE for Tennessee State Parks.  

To learn about progress of fall colors in South Carolina, check out this ARTICLE from The State.  

Happy Fall, y’all!