Fall Color Report - Fall Color Continuing into November

Two nights of frost this week could quickly turn the remaining green leaves to brilliant fall foliage in the next week or so, which means this could be a great time to visit middle and lower elevations such as Asheville, Black Mountain, Weaverville and Chimney Rock Park.

Although some of the highest elevations are now passing their peak colors, many are still reporting some captivating displays of fall leaves.

Fall Color Report (2,500 Elevation and Below)

The fall color is truly exploding at the middle and lower elevations, where there is also still much green remaining to extend the foliage season into November.

John McFerrin, owner of Take a Hike in Black Mountain, said the color is emerging quickly there. "We're starting to see the yellows pop out closer to the valleys," he said. "There’s still a lot of green. I expect these last two nights where it's gotten down around freezing to really pop the colors."

At Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace State Historic Site in Weaverville, the color is stunning. "Lots of yellows, very good colors," said Victor Burgess, historic site assistant. "These are the best colors I've seen here in the past three years."

At Biltmore, the warm weather recently has stretched out the fall color season. "The maples are still holding on to good color and many of the hickory trees are in full yellow gold color," said Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture. "Gum trees, sassafras, sourwoods and beeches will hold on well for another week or so. The hillsides are starting to show good color so the last week of October looks to be the peak of fall color for our elevation."

Leaf watchers at the Cherokee Welcome Center in Cherokee and Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Dillsboro both reported some color has past, but there is still some green waiting to change as well as pockets of fall colors.

At Chimney Rock Park during early and mid-November, fall color should advance to the point where red maples, sourwoods, dogwoods and blackgums are about halfway to their brightest display. Yellow-colored hickories and poplars will be starting, with some reaching their peaks, according to Park Naturalist Ron Lance.

Fall Color Report (Above 2,500 Feet)

At Grandfather Mountain, high winds over the weekend blew most of the leaves from the trees above 3,700 feet, but there is still an abundance of color in the lower elevations. Grandfather Mountain's Swinging Bridge makes a great vantage point for looking out across the fall foliage in the valleys.

There are not a lot of leaves left in the highest elevations (above 4,000 feet), but the show has just started in the 3,000-foot elevations near Elk Park, Boone and Valle Crucis. There will also be lots of fall foliage to see along the major routes coming up from the foothills.

New Video - Fall Color Hunter Tastes the Autumn Harvest

This week, the Asheville Color Hunter seeks out the fall harvest in Asheville, which has a farm to table tradition dating back to the 1800s. The video intro was created by Robert Klein of Klein Digital, and the video footage was just shot by the Media Arts Project of Western North Carolina. Find out more about Farm to Table in Asheville and Culinary Tourism.



Play this video on your own Web site:

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Waterfalls in Fall Super-Scenic Fall Drive

This week’s themed fall scenic drive is the Waterfalls in Fall Super-Scenic Drive.

• From Asheville, head south on the Blue Ridge Parkway and exit onto US 276, following it south.


• Along the way, stop by Sliding Rock, the Cradle of Forestry with its many interpretive exhibits and special programs, and Looking Glass Falls.


• Continue on 276 to NC 280 north to NC 191 along the banks of the French Broad River past the Biltmore Square Mall and the Western North Carolina Farmers Market and on into Asheville.

(Drive Time: about 2 hours round trip)

Get a sampling of what you'll experience on the scenic drive with this great user-submitted video of flowing water at Sliding Rock:

Also see: Fall Scenic Drives Fall Scenic Motorcycle Rides Fall Scenic Craft Trail Drives

Fall Color Report - Fall Has Arrived in Asheville

Almost anywhere you go in the Asheville area now, you will find some level of fall color on display. The best news is that mild temperatures have created a unique long fall foliage season that is expected to extend well into November in the area. That means there is still time to get a room and plan a getaway to view the area in all its fall splendor.

The peak fall foliage is coming to a close at the highest elevations, although there is still a tremendous display even there. Areas like downtown Asheville and the surrounding neighborhoods are seeing the fall color come to life quickly, although there is still plenty of greenery waiting to surrender to fall. Lower elevations like Chimney Rock and Cherokee are seeing the first sparks of the fall color begin.

Fall Color Report (2,500 Elevation and Below)

After much anticipation, the fall color even in the middle and lower elevations is finally beginning to gain momentum. In Asheville, bursts of vivid colors are exploding throughout the town and surrounding neighborhoods. There is still much green showing, however, so there is still much time to see and experience the fall colors here.

At North Carolina Arboretum, the 434-acre garden is bursting with fall color. According to Alison Arnold, Director of Horticulture at the North Carolina Arboretum, the arboretum could be witnessing peak color this week or next. In the woods along trails, you can see red maples everywhere, as well as brilliant yellow hickory trees, pinkish-red sourwoods, pumpkin-orange sassafras and ruby red sumac.

Biltmore, fall color has now officially begun. "Gardens and woodlands are full of bright colors," said Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture. "People are stopping on roadsides to take pictures of sugar and red maples."

The fall wonderland on the 8,000-acre estate is just starting. "Maples and sourwoods are showing off with oranges and reds," Andes said. "Sassafras and gum trees add a rainbow mix of colors on the same plant. Oaks are just starting to hint at the colors they will show and one of our native shrubs, Hearts a’Bustin‚ is showing its fall berries."

The middle and lower elevations are still likely a week or two away from a color peak. Chimney Rock Park is easing into fall color, according to Naturalist Ron Lance. "The color peak of some higher elevations in the region will be past by the end of this week, but plenty of middle to lower elevations will be great. For Chimney Rock Park, yellows of hickory and birch are intensifying on drier slopes, as well as the reds of sourwood and blackgum. Expect a lot of green for at least another week here."

Fall Color Report (Above 2,500 Feet)

The highest elevations in the Asheville area are just peaking, and still have significant and bold color.

"Fields of wildflowers still dominate the roadsides," according to the Blue Ridge Parkway Hotline. There are splendid displays, especially ideal for photography enthusiasts, of sunflowers, bee balm and crops of pumpkins.

"In the parkway's highest elevations, especially south of Asheville, the temperature dipped close to freezing about a week ago," the hotline states. "At 4,500 feet elevation, color change is expected to come on fast."

Those elevations at 5,000 feet and above, such as Graveyard Fields, "are very bright, although past their peak color at this time."

At Grandfather Mountain, there is still a tremendous amount of color to enjoy throughout the High Country. Leaves have peaked in the highest elevations, but the show is only just beginning in the 3,000-foot elevations near Elk Park, Boone and Valle Crucis. There will also be lots of color along the major routes coming up from the foothills.

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Linville Falls (or on US 221 between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain), especially near the Linn Cove Viaduct. Other colorful routes are NC 184 between the Village of Sugar Mountain and Banner Elk; NC 181 between Linville and Newland; US 19E between Newland and Roan Mountain; NC 194 between Elk Park and Valle Crucis; and NC 105 between Boone and Linville.

Photos taken Oct. 24 in downtown Asheville near the Asheville Visitor Center.

New Video: Fall Color Hunter Goes Whitewater Rafting

In the quest to find the best area fall color and adventures, the Asheville Fall Color Hunter goes whitewater rafting on the mighty Nantahalla. This video was just shot Sunday near Bryson City. The video intro was created by Robert Klein of Klein Digital, and the video footage was just shot by the Media Arts Project of Western North Carolina. Find out more about Whitewater Rafting in the Asheville Area.




You can show this video on your own site, blog or page. Just copy and paste:

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Fall Color Pictures at North Carolina Arboretum

The fall color is really coming to life at the North Carolina Arboretum. Gavin Young with the Arboretum provided these photos.

"These photographs were taken at the Arboretum today, and it's truly beautiful here right now. Driving into the woods and walking along the trails, we saw red maples everywhere, brilliant yellow hickory trees, pinkish-red sourwoods, pumpkin-orange sassafras and ruby red sumac. The list is much longer. Many visitors out hiking today remarked that they were in awe of the color."

Fall Scenic Drive of the Week - Literary Road Trip

This week’s themed fall scenic drive is the Novel Fall Road Trip. This drive should take you past a mix of high and low elevations to see variations in the local fall color, and you can experience some of the many literary landmarks of the area.

• Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south from Asheville toward Mount Pisgah, where you will find picnic areas, hiking trails and a restaurant.


• Travel north on US 276 through the magnificent Pisgah National Forest, which affords a spectacular view of Cold Mountain, made famous by the novel and motion picture of the same name.


• Continue on US 276 into Waynesville. Take US 23 north to US 19/23/74 east, which will return you to Asheville.


• When you return to Asheville, visit Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site, the boyhood home and setting for his classic novel, "Look Homeward, Angel."


• From Downtown Asheville, head north on Montford Avenue until you see signs for Riverside Cemetery, the resting place of O'Henry and Wolfe.

(Drive Time: about 2 hours round trip)

Also see: Fall Scenic Drives Fall Scenic Motorcycle Rides Fall Scenic Craft Trail Drives

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Fall Colors Spreading Throughout the Region

The Asheville area is a kaleidescope of color, ranging from an awe-inspiring rainbow of colors at higher elevations to expanses of lush green tinged with fall foliage at the lower elevations and valleys.

Fall Color Report (2,500 Elevation and Below)

The fall color continues to emerge at the lower elevations, with pretty dashes of color in and around the downtown Asheville area. There is still a lot of green showing, but many trees are tinged in gold or burgundy.

At Biltmore, cooler weather has finally arrived and red maples have started to get a spotty look with red branches, according to Director of Horticulture Parker Andes.

"Dogwoods and sourwoods provide tree color with woodland ferns now showing a nice yellow backdrop," he said. "Virginia creeper and poison ivy add red and orange every day and tulip poplars and ashes are quickly turning yellow. Spicebush, a woodland shrub that is rarely noticed until fall, is showing bright yellow foliage and red berries. On sunny days, the katsura tree in the azalea garden continues filling the air with a fragrance described by guests as anything from cotton candy to vanilla."

Erica Bell with the 25th Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) coming this weekend to Black Mountain said fallen yellow leaves crinkle underneath the feet of their production staff and volunteers. "Off in the distance, I see deep crimson reds on the tips of the trees as the parking flags and tent canopies go up! Early color is showing in about 35 to 40 percent of the foliage."

The middle and lower elevations are still likely a couple weeks away from a color peak. At Chimney Rock Park, Naturalist Ron Lance said most trees are still fairly green around the Hickory Nut Gorge below 2,500 feet in elevation.

In Hot Springs, at an elevation of 1,300 feet, the color has been emerging for the past two weeks. "It’s beautiful," said Louise with the U.S. Forest Service's Appalachian/French Broad District. "I'd say it's like 35-40 percent. It's really gotten pretty the last week."

Fall Color Report (Above 2,500 Feet)

The area's highest elevations are the prime areas to hit this weekend to find the biggest concentration of fall colors.

"The big color news seems to be the rapid onset of peak color in the high elevations above 5,000 feet just north and south of Asheville," states the Blue Ridge Parkway fall color hotline. "Waterrock Knob, Graveyard Fields and Mt. Pisgah are spectacular right now."

There are still many fields of wildflowers displaying colors along the parkway, where they are "lighting up the roadsides." Parkway officials recommend visiting on weekdays, if possible, to avoid crowds commonplace on October weekends during the fall color season.

At Grandfather Mountain, wind last week sent some of the color to the ground. "At this point, we have many trees that are still green and have not turned, meaning that our fall color could last for a couple more weeks!" said Landis Wofford of Grandfather Mountain. "This coming weekend is expected to be beautiful, with warmer than normal temperatures and clear skies."

The first photo above was taken Oct. 14 by Tom of Asheville as he traveled on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Blowing Rock. The second photo was taken by Beth-Anne on Oct. 13 at Mt. Pisgah along the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Asheville.

Share Videos to Win

You too can be a color hunter! Get out and shoot a video and you can submit your video to win! There is no limit to the number of videos you can upload, so long as the videos show off the great Asheville area and are approved for publication. They can be videos showing off fall color, or just a great video of the Asheville area.

Each video is a new entry into the contest. Videos submitted through our new video sharing service between now and Monday, October 22 will be eligible to win this double matted watercolor print of the area's fall colors by Jo Ridge Kelley of Wild Mountain Watercolors:

Congratulations to last week's winner, Chris of Youngston, Ohio. He submitted two videos, including this fun clip of a family enjoying the natural water slide at Sliding Rock:

You can display this video on your own site by copying and pasting the text below:
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Fall Color Hunter Video - Hot Air Balloon Ride

The Asheville Fall Color Hunter this week seeks out fall color from hundreds of feet in the air, taking a hot air balloon ride to search for fall color and extreme autumn adventures. This video was just shot Saturday during a ride with Asheville Hot Air Balloons. The video intro was created by Robert Klein of Klein Digital, and the video footage was just shot by the Media Arts Project of Western North Carolina.



Embed this video onto your own site by simply copying and pasting the code below:

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This Weekend's Fall Festivals and Events

Fall is a happening time in the Asheville area, and there's a lot to do for almost any taste and interest. Here are a few highlights of fall festivals and events this weekend:

• RiverSculpture Festival - Admission is free. A showcase for the area's best Southern sculptors, the openness of the setting will allow the public to interact with the work in a way that is simply not possible in galleries and most museums. A series of special events planned for the weekends of the festival integrate, music, dance and theater with the sculpture as well as a special kids' art day.
• Biltmore Harvest Celebration - Biltmore will celebrate its Appalachian heritage during Harvest Celebration. Guests can experience the annual traditions of families who once lived and worked on the property, with customary mountain and agricultural legacy activities and events. Festive fall activities will include musicians playing traditional tunes, Appalachian-style dancers, culinary demonstrations, wine tastings, free gardening and decorating seminars, local artisans, folk tales and storytelling, cakewalks and farm life demonstrations.
• BookOpolis - In it's third year, BookOpolis is a weekend book arts blow-out! This year we are including letterpress broad sides and posters and prints as well as hand-made books by artists working in book arts. It is an open call and artists my see the web-site for more information on submitting work. The exhibit and activities are Open to the Public.
• October Leaf Peeping Train - Fall leaf-viewing trains. Western North Carolina Mountains are ablaze with brilliant fall foliage.
• History Alive Festival 2007 - Two-day festival celebrating regional history and culture and presenting crafters, demonstrators, reeanactors, food, music & a children's area. The Children's area consists of American Girl Plays emceed by Janet Shaw, Author of the Kirsten and Kaya book series from American Girl, as well as a boy scout component, historic games, and hands-on activities such as churning butter, washing clothes and shucking corn for children to experience.
• Annual Carolina Bonsai Expo - The Southeast's premier bonsai show! Enjoy exquisite examples of bonsai from several states plus the NC Arboretums acclaimed collection. Vendors provide hard-to-find bonsai and tools.

Find out what else is happening in the Asheville area. Search our event calendar or see a list of all events.

You can also  subscribe to our events feed.

Fall Colors are "Bright and Brilliant" at Higher Elevations

There are some breathtaking displays of color appearing in the Asheville area now, and it is especially bold and colorful in the higher elevations.

Concerns about the impact of a dry summer have proven to be unfounded, as leaf peepers in the area are reporting intense colors where the foliage is turning.

“The proof is in the pudding, and I’ve seen some vibrant colors,” said Bruce O’Connell, manager of the Pisgah Inn located along the Blue Ridge Parkway on Mount Pisgah. On the leaves I’ve seen turning, the colors are bright and brilliant. It looks like it’s going to be a winner.”

Fall Color Report (2,500 Elevation and Below)

The fall color continues to emerge at the lower elevations, with pretty dashes of color in and around the downtown Asheville area. There is still a lot of green showing, but many trees are tinged in gold or burgundy.

The middle and lower elevations are still 2 or 3 weeks away from a color peak, if present weather continues, according to Chimney Rock Park Naturalist Ron Lance. “Predictions of cooler weather will mean some acceleration of the color, however,” he said. “We are in much better shape for color than the drier regions around us.”

At Biltmore, fall is still slowly building with small trees, shrubs and now vines providing the best color. Dogwoods and sourwoods continue to color up nicely.

This week, Virginia creeper vine and poison ivy began to show up in the woods. Poison ivy is not usually loved but in the fall, but it provides spectacular oranges and reds as it grows up trees on the forest edge and along the sides of streams. While people don't think much of the plant, birds rely on its fruit throughout the winter. Virginia creeper vine is great as ground cover or for growing on a trellis. It turns a bright burgundy in the fall.

Fall Color Report (Above 2,500 Feet)

The fall colors have quickly burst to live at the higher elevations, with intense color displays expected this weekend at elevations of 5,000 and above and the following weekend at elevations between 3,000 and 4,000.

Barbara Merrell, volunteer coordinator at Cradle of Forestry, said the color is really beginning to show in that area at around 3,300 feet. "We are beginning to see color, and I understand Graveyard Fields is very beautiful," she said.

The sourwood, beech and dogwood trees in particular are changing colors now.
Fall color shot on Oct. 5 at the Graveyard Fields overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Asheville.

The trees in the Grandfather Mountain area are becoming more colorful each day as illustrated by this photograph taken Wednesday of an old fashioned mule train traveling through MacRae Meadows. The color should be at its best in the Grandfather Mountain area over the next two weekends.

Look for color this week along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain (or on US 221 between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain), especially near the Linn Cove Viaduct. Another colorful area is NC 105 at Linville Gap near at the intersection with NC 184.

Higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway are going to be the best sites to tour through Oct. 20, according to Lance. “There has been some rain lately, the nights have been cool, and the days sunny,” he said. “So, the reds and oranges are appearing in the maples this week, along with bronzing ash trees. With no autumn storms to strip the leaves off this year, the high elevations are shaping up to a very good year for sightseeing leaf color.”

Photo: A mule train passes through McRae Meadows Wednesday, Oct. 10 at Grandfather Mountain, by Helen Hopper of Grandfather Mountain.

Fall Color Hunter Video - Hiking at Grandfather Mountain

The Fall Color Hunter will go on a new adventure each week in search of the best fall foliage and cool extreme autumn adventures in the Asheville area. This week, the Color Hunter visits one of the area's earlier spots to be blessed with brilliant fall colors, Grandfather Mountain, to experience mile-high views of the mountains, valleys and the various fall foliage colors.



Embed this video on your Web site, blog or MySpace page:

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The video intro was created by Robert Klein of Klein Digital, and the video footage was just shot a few days ago (on October 5) by the Media Arts Project of Western North Carolina.

You too can be a color hunter! Get out and shoot a fall video and you can submit your video to win! There is no limit to the number of videos you can upload, so long as the videos show off the great Asheville area and are approved for publication. Each video is a new entry into the contest.

Videos submitted through our new video sharing service between now and Monday, October 15 will be eligible to win this handcrafted Appalachian pottery leaf mug made by Asheville artist Sonrise Pottery:

Fall Color Pictures Taken Today at Grandfather Mountain

Fall color is truly taking off at Grandfather Mountain, which submitted these fall pictures that were just shot today. Enjoy!

Pictured: Warmer than normal weather in October has caused the fall foliage to turn slightly later than usual this year in the North Carolina High Country, but patches of color are now appearing on many hillsides and roadways. This photo taken along the Grandfather Trail at Grandfather Mountain illustrates how hiking is a different, adventurous way to see the fall color. (Photo by Helen Hopper/Grandfather Mountain)

Pictured: This photograph was taken at Julian Price Lake. The color should be at its best in the Grandfather Mountain area over the next two weeks. (Photo by Helen Hopper/Grandfather Mountain)

Make plans to visit and see the fall color. You can search for accommodations or get insider tips on finding a room during the busy fall foliage season.

Fall Color at Graveyard Fields

The fall color has really taken off at Graveyard Fields, just south of Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is a picture taken Friday at the Graveyard Fields overlook by Fall Color Hunter Cheryl.



You can be a Color Hunter, too. Get out in the Asheville area, hunt for fall colors, shoot, and upload.

Fall Leaf Color Pictures

We've had even more fall pictures submitted to our fall gallery in the past couple of days. Here are some great pictures that show off the pretty colors of the Asheville area leaves. The color isn't full blast here yet, and these are pictures were taken last fall. But it does give a sense of the vividness of the fall colors here.







Thanks to Lisa of Arden for submitting these fabulous fall leaf pictures. If you have some great fall images, be an Asheville Fall Color Hunter and submit your fall pictures!

Bursts of Fall Color Appearing

The fall foliage season is gaining momentum quickly, with bursts of fall color striking first at the highest elevations. Even at the lower elevations, pockets of yellow and red are blazing bright.

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are many changes occuring with the first cool evenings, according to the parkway hotline. There are tremendous displays of wildflowers like sunflowers, ironweed and bee balm. Row crops of pumpkins, cabbage and corn are reminders of the agricultural heritage of this part of the country.

This is a wonderful time to experience the Asheville area's commitment to agriculture and locally-grown produce with some autumn harvest adventures.

Fall Color Report (2,500 Elevation and Below)

The fall color is beginning to spark at the lower elevations, with pretty dashes of color in and around the downtown Asheville area.

At Biltmore, the dogwoods are developing a nice burgundy color and serviceberries have turned a lovely shade of yellow. The first bright colors are showing on a few branches of sweet and black gum trees, and some leaves are burgundy, some dark red and others reddish orange.

Deciduous native azaleas are joining the viburnums, witch hazels and other shrubs in their earliest color. As a special fall treat, the cream-colored leaves of the katsura tree are giving off a fragrance of spicy vanilla that will fill the garden on warm sunny days through the end of October.

The North Carolina Arboretum is experiencing a mix of fall foliage and fall blooms. "The dwarf dogwoods along our entrance turned yellow about a week ago and are still shining bright and beautiful," said Gavin Young from the Arboretum. "My favorite maple tree up near the Arboretum's water features is turning red in a polka-dot pattern. And then, we're starting to see changes in the sourwoods, blackgums, and beech trees. Some of our fall wildflowers like aster and goldenrod are amazing right now too.

At Black Mountain, Erica Bell is expecting colors to continue to emerge between now and the popular Lake Eden Arts Festival later this month. "I can see hints of yellow on the tops of the trees on many ridgelines in the distance."

Fall Color Report (Above 2,500 Feet)

The higher elevations are seeing bolder displays of color, with some of the highest elevations like Waterrock Knob, Mount Pisgah and Graveyard Fields nearing peak color.

The Orchard at Altapass is seeing some emerging color. At this point, color is spotty. It's beginning to show a few oranges and yellows in the Little Switzerland area.

The changing of the leaves has only just begun in the area around Grandfather Mountain, according to Catherine Morton. "Cooler temperatures are expected next week and should make the Grandfather Mountain area its most colorful in the middle two weeks of October," she said.

The best places around Grandfather Mountain to look for color this week are in Linville Gap at the intersection of NC 105 and NC 184 near Sugar Mountain and on the peaks of Grandfather Mountain as seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Linville.

At Mt. Mitchell State Park, the leaves are starting to turn, but they are still predominately green. They are starting to see dots of red and orange.

Photos by Helen Hopper of leaf color changes at Grandfather Mountain.

Fall Wildflower Pictures

The Asheville area is not only a wonderful place to see the traditional fall colors from the leaves changing, but the mountains and valleys are painted with the lovely colors of fall wildflowers. Here are some pictures taken a few days ago on Mt. Pisgah just south of Asheville.






Do you have a great shot of the fall colors in the Asheville area? Submit your fall pictures!