Fall Color Report – Great Smoky Moutains

autumn-leaves-mountain-top

The fall color in Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains are beginning to reach their peak and the views are absolutely spectacular! Embarking on your Pigeon Forge vacation soon? Check out this fall color report from the Smoky Mountains for October 25, 2012.

A nearly two week span of warm days filled with sunshine and lows in the upper 40’s have facilitated the changing leaf colors and have made for breathtaking hues of red, orange and yellow. While some areas are already past peak and the leaves have begun to drop, the lower elevations are still clinging onto their green leaves and we expect the fall display to continue for another week or two.

Elevations above 3,000 feet are at peak, particularly on mountain ranges that face the sun. The trees that are displaying the most early fall color are sourwood, maple oak, sweet gum and poplar. The varieties of oaks in the lower elevations are resisting the shorter, cooler days and are promising a beautiful color change in the upcoming weeks.

For fall color viewing, we recommend heading to Cades Cove, which is bordered by mountains that are at or very near their peak displays. Cades Cove always makes for excellent photograph opportunities, as well!  An additional avenue to explore is Rich Mountain Road, which is accessible through Cades Cove.

If you really want to explore the breathtaking fall color, we recommend taking your family on a day hike to enjoy the sights and smells of nature. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is filled with 800 miles of hiking trails, but if you want to see the best displays of color, we suggest Deep Creek Trail, Hen Wallow Falls and West Prong Tail.

October is the perfect time to visit Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. With cooler temperatures, a beautiful fall color display and seasonal cooking sure to delight your taste buds, the fall is surely one of the best times to vacation here.