Fall in East Tennessee: When, where to see the trees' leaves change colors

Summer's abundant rainfall and hot temperatures mean East Tennessee fall colors will appear a little later this season. Depending on the elevation, fall foliage should be photo-worthy from mid-October to early November.

And it appears temperatures will dip just in time, making it feel more like autumn and helping the area's leaves turn deeper hues.

Leaves' colors are more vibrant when temperatures are in the 70s during the day and drop into the 40s at night. While East Tennessee's early October has seen temperatures soar into the high 80s, current forecasts call for cooler weather. Those fall-like temperatures can help turn leaves turn brighter, deeper golds, reds and oranges, said experts. 

But all that summer heat still means the region's fall shades won't last as long as leaf enthusiasts might like. 

"It doesn't take a lot of the temperature variation. If we can get some temperatures that are a little cooler at night and not as warm as it has been, we will be OK," said Wayne Clatterbuck, a University of Tennessee Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries professor. He's studied fall foliage almost 20 years. 

"We are going to have color but instead of (lasting) a week to 10 days it might be five or six days this year," Clatterbuck said. 

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Color comes down the mountains

Leaves start to change two to three weeks earlier at higher elevations like Clingman's Dome than in East Tennessee valleys. So some fall colors were showing on higher ranges by early October and likely will be evident by mid-month.

The region's changing elevations are a plus, said Julena Campbell, acting public information officer for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As October progresses, leaf changes start across the top ridges and in the next weeks, the "colors go down the mountain," she said.  

"That's the nice thing about the mountains — we get to see fall happen for weeks at a time," Campbell said.

At lower elevations like Knoxville and Oak Ridge, colorful foliage will be apparent by the last week in October to the first week in November, Clatterbuck said 

"We used to say the colors would peak in mid-October, but warmer temperatures have delayed the color a week to 10 days," he said.

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Some spots to see fall foliage

In mid-October and earlier, some of the best fall colors in GSMNP can be found along trails that include Sugarland Mountain, Gregory's Bald and the Appalachian Trail from Clingman's Dome and Newfound Gap. Other locations include Rainbow Falls, Alum Cave Bluffs and Brushy Mountain trails. 

Not ready for a strenuous hike? Drives on Clingman's Dome and Newfound Gap Road offer fall views in mid-October. A less-traveled route is the Balsam Mountain Road in the park's southeast corner off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Campbell said. Drivers should be aware part of the road is gravel. 

Colors peak in lower elevations as October ends and November starts. By then, most of the higher elevations have lost their leaves. At that point good GSMNP locations include the ever-popular Cades Cove Loop as well as the Boogerman and Albright Grove Loop trails. 

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Less-traveled, still gorgeous

For East Tennesseans looking for less-traveled areas, Clatterbuck recommends heading south from Knoxville to drive the Cherohala Skyway or to north to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Another option, he said, is to drive two-lane rural roads.  

Big South Fork Superintendent Niki Nicholas said that area's leaves change by mid-October on higher peaks and then later in the month at lower elevations. The park's East Rim Overlook is one area that offers a wide range of lots of fall colors, Nicholas said. 

For those who prefer to see leaves from the water, Norris Dam State Park offers hour-long fall color boat trips Oct. 15-28 from the Norris Dam marina. Park rangers point out various trees' changing colors. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children younger than 5; proceeds go to Friends of Norris Dam State Park. Times and registration are at tnstateparks.com/parks/events.