Tennessee in the fall is a brilliant patchwork of red, yellow, rust and orange. More than 400 species of deciduous trees paint the fall scenes of Tennessee’s landscape from the Mississippi River to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Cooler night temperatures, flocks of migrating birds, and natural bouquets of lavender and yellow wildflowers along the roadsides are sure signs that fall in Tennessee is right on schedule. Tennessee’s peak colors typically appear the last two weeks of October. The leaves change first in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee. The fall colors then sweep westward across the state peaking around Memphis by late November.
Autumn is becoming visible in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with some areas above 5,000 feet in full color, such as Clingmans Dome Road, which leads to the highest elevation in the Park.
The majority of the deciduous forest, at 4,000 feet elevation and below, is still predominantly green. Trees in the high country that are now showing bright color are the yellows of American beech and yellow birch, and different shades of reds on mountain ash, pin cherry and mountain maple. In the lower elevations, a few early color changing species, such as sourwood and sumac, are showing bright reds. Some dogwoods and maples are beginning to turn different colors in some areas as well. Fall wildflowers, such as goldenrod and asters, are colorful throughout the park, and some blueberry and blackberry shrubs are changing color, as well as the Virginia creeper plant.
Because the Great Smoky Mountains provide a range of elevations between 875 and 6,643 feet in the Park with differing moisture conditions and habitats, many trees will still produce significant color as the Park moves into its peak autumn season.
In lower East Tennessee (Cleveland and Ocoee Region), the weather has been very pleasant, but the leaf color remains unchanged. The beginning of the 2007 fall color season is predicted to be about a week away. The weather prediction this week is for lows in the40s and highs in the 60s starting on Wednesday. The lower temperatures this week should bring some color change very soon.
Farther south, many of our trees in the Chattanooga Valley are starting to turn slightly at their tops. The Poplars are showing a touch of yellow, with a bit of bronze on our Elms. It is too early for red or orange on the great Oaks or Sweet Gums.
Scenic Highway 27, Lookout Mountain and Interstate I-24 west toward Nashville are still green. This area is still a few weeks from any major color change. However, the weather is beautiful and a great time to take in the area’s outdoor festivals. The wildflowers are beautiful and still abundant along roadsides. Now is a great time to hike the beautiful mountain trails or paddle the Blue Trail along the Tennessee River.
Recommendations: High elevation trails such as Sugarland Mountain Trail and Appalachian Trail, accessed at Clingmans Dome or Newfound Gap, would be the perfect hiking area for this time of year. Roads leading into the high country, including Newfound Gap Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Foothills Parkway West and East, and Rich Mountain Road out of Cades Cove, are the best options for leaf seekers. The weather is beautiful in middle and west Tennessee, with fall still a few weeks away
Information courtesy of Tennessee Department of Tourist Development