Fall Colors

Traffic in a line on a one-way road amongst fall leaves on trees. — October is the busiest month of the year in the Smokies. Due to the high volume of visitors, travel times within the park can be significantly longer; sometimes taking hours more than usual to reach certain destinations.
Warren Bielenberg

Fall Color Display Across the Smokies

The park typically experiences an autumn leaf season that lasts several weeks, as vibrant fall colors gradually descend from the higher elevations to the lower valleys. However, because the timing of the color change depends on many environmental factors, predicting the exact dates of the "peak" season is often difficult.

Elevation plays a major role in when fall colors appear. At higher elevations—where the climate resembles that of the northeastern United States—color changes can begin as early as mid-September. Trees such as yellow birch, American beech, mountain maple, hobblebush, and pin cherry are among the first deciduous trees to turn. From early to mid-October, fall colors typically develop above 4,000 feet. In these high-elevation ecosystems, the evergreen spruce-fir forests provide a stunning backdrop for the vibrant foliage of deciduous trees.

While the timing of peak color varies from year to year, it’s common for the most brilliant displays at lower and mid elevations, below 4,000 feet, to occur between mid-October and early November. This period often showcases the park’s most spectacular scenery, with vivid color from sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, yellow poplar, and hickories.

Planning your fall visit

October is the busiest month of the year in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
To make the most of your visit during this popular season, plan ahead and explore some of the park’s less visited areas to avoid the heaviest crowds.

Be sure to check out our traffic and travel tips, and to save time and skip the lines at visitor centers and kiosks, purchase and print your parking tag at home before you arrive.

Additionally, always have a Plan B because many parking areas at popular destinations fill up quickly.

Fall Facts

Biodiversity brings color: The Smokies’ vibrant fall colors come from its rich biodiversity. Over 100 tree species and many deciduous shrubs contribute to the vivid display.
Elevation creates a lasting display: With elevations ranging from 875 to 6,643 feet, fall colors appear in waves, starting at the highest peaks and gradually moving downward over several weeks.
Why leaves change: Fall colors emerge as days grow shorter and temperatures drop. As the green pigment (chlorophyll) fades, yellow pigments (carotenoids) become visible. Red and purple pigments (anthocyanins) form when sugars in the leaves break down in bright autumn sunlight.
More than just trees: Shrubs and vines like Virginia creeper, poison ivy, blueberry, and witch hazel add brilliant color to the fall display, along with a variety of fall wildflowers and fungi.

Scenic Autumn Drives

While all roads in the Smokies have gorgeous fall displays, here are a few suggestions for your visit.

Foothills Parkway - A scenic drive divided into three distinct sections, located just outside the main boundary of the park.
Lakeview Drive - A quiet drive with peaks of Lake Fontana.
Cades Cove Loop Road - A busy and scenic one-way loop drive. Expect delays due to an increased volume of traffic in this area.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail - A busy and scenic one-way drive. Expect delays due to an increased volume of traffic in this area.
Blue Ridge Parkway - The Blue Ridge Parkway starts just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park and offers wonderful views across the Appalachians.