Where to go. What to See. Things to Do.
Fall foliage 2013 latest update: The highest elevations above 4500 feet are past peak. The mid elevations of 3000-4500 feet are at peak now The lower elevations will peak in the next few days (first week of November) This weekend and next week may be the last of the peak and near peak fall foliage show for the Great Smoky Mountains. Go to Fall Foliage 2013 for more details.
Fall foliage 2013 latest update: Colder temperatures will speed up the leaf color changing process. The highest elevations above 4500 feet are past peak. The mid elevations of 3000-4500 feet are just beautiful now. The color will be spreading to the lower elevations with peak in the next week to 10 days. Go to Fall Foliage 2013 for more details.
The fall foliage 2013 color show is well underway in the Great Smoky Mountains. Peak colors are this week October 20-28 in the highest elevations like Chimney Tops and Newfound Gap. A ride in US 441 through the GSMNP is a great place to view the colors. This year’s show of color is reportedly above average as compared to past years.
The Great Smoky Mountains fall foliage 2013 show is happening now. At the 5,000 ft elevation and higher the fall foliage colors are peaking. During the next 2 weeks the color show will spread down to the lower elevations. Peak colors are expected the weekend of October 18-20 in the GSM. By late October peak will be over in the highest elevations with color still in the lower elevations but past peak.
Officials at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are expecting “fabulous fall” colors this autumn. The fall foliage color changes occur from early to mid- October in the higher elevation. The lower elevations peak color show are typically in the third and fourth week of October. The weather in mid-Oactober is responsible for the color intensity. Park spokeswoman Dana Soehn stated “We’re staring to get the right conditions. We’re all hopeful for a beautiful display of color this year”.
The fall foliage show may be better than first expected due to a month of fairly dry weather in the mountains. After record rainfall this past summer conditions have dried out now. This should enhance leaf color, said Kathy Mathews, associate biology professor at Western Carolina University.“I’m much more optimistic now than I was in August that we’ll have a good color season,” Mathews said. “I think it (drier weather) will help with the development of red pigment in particular.”
