Smoky Mountain Fall Foliage

Fall doesn’t truly begin in the Smoky Mountains until the leaves have changed. However, there is no predicting when this will happen. When the Smoky Mountain fall foliage starts, depends on many different factors, the main one being elevation.

Colors start to change at higher elevations first and then spread down to the trees on the lower elevations. This can happen in late September or early October; beginning at about 4,000 feet. The colors will peak around mid-October and early-November.

The first trees to change are the Yellow Birch, American Beech, Hobblebush, Pin Cherry, and the Mountain Maple. At the height of the fall foliage season, you can expect to see trees like the Sugar Maple, Sweetgum, Red Maple, Scarlet Oak, and the Hickories in all their autumn glory.

You can see the Smoky Mountain fall foliage all over Pigeon Forge, but there are some places that offer a spectacular view. One of these places is Cades Cove, which is located in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Another great way to see the fall foliage is going on Bluff Mountain Adventures or Mountain Memory Tours. Plus, Dollywood has some amazing views of the mountains.