Your guide to find the best in fall leaf color, avoiding traffic, find festivals and family fun!
We have festivals posted for Western North Carolina and Northeast Georgia!
Be sure to scroll down to see several area web cams and follow the color changes to plan your trip!
2023 Fall Leaf Lookers Guide - Menu
Why do leaves change color? Think you know why???
2023 Fall Colors Forecast / Reports
Tips to Enjoy a Fall Leaf Colors Trip
2023 Western North Carolina Fall Leaf Color Map and Events
Peak Colors by Elevation
2023 Northeast Georgia Fall Leaf Colors Info and Events
Fall Leaf Color Web Cams
You may learn something here! Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti explains how the leaves of deciduous trees perform their annual chameleon act, changing from various shades of green to hues of bronze, orange and brilliant red.
2023 Fall Colors Reports
Nov 4, 2023 - Final Report
I just retraced my steps from Northeast Georgia (NoEGa) to Sapphire Valley Resort and back yesterday. My route took me to elevations as low as 850’ to as high as 4000’.
The leaves are best between 1500’ and 2500’, although all elevations are now beyond peak.
The colors in most NoEGa areas suffered from dry weather in the early fall and thus are very muted. The areas of The High South in WNC were much bolder above 2500’ in the last 10 days or so of October. Some of these areas in WNC get more rain that the Pacific Northwest!
There are some areas in NoEGa of maples that provided good yellow and reds and work the drive around the hills to experience them.
I hope these reports provided some value-added information to assist you in planning your leaf excursion to The High South. We will be updating our Winter Family Fun Guide soon!
See [Peak Colors by Elevation]
Oct 28, 2023
We were able to check out fall colors from our Chestatee facility at 1200' up to our base in Sapphire Valley at 3200'. The colors have definitely peaked at 3000' and above and a sea of colors is moving down the mountains!
There are still wonderful pockets of color above 3000' like the maples shown here. Ornamental maples are just stunning. A deep red/purple color.
With a change in weather coming in a few days bringing wind, rain and much colder temperatures, the autumn leaf colors season may come to a quick end for some areas. Stay tuned!
This image: Beautiful maples frame the corner of Sapphire Valley Resorts' pickleball courts. This image was taken Oct 27, 2023.
Oct 19, 2023
Colors around 3200’ – 4000’ are peaking now and should look good over the next several days and this weekend. This includes the Highlands – Cashiers NC corridor. Leaves are past peak at the higher elevations. With cooler temperatures and less daylight peak colors will move down to the 2000’. The weekend of Oct 27-28 could be the best time to check out colors in this area.
It does appear the drier weather we had a few weeks ago has slightly muted the overall color depth. The colors are still very nice,
There are some species already showing good color at much lower elevations. The image here is from an elevation of 1400’ and is a beautiful beech tree in a sea of green.
See [Peak Colors by Elevation]
The region owes its extended autumnal glory to the diverse range of elevations it encompasses. The mesmerizing cascade of Fall colors commences at the highest peaks in early October, painting the landscape with an array of fiery hues. As the days progress, the stunning spectacle gradually descends to lower elevations, creating an awe-inspiring journey of changing colors that extends well into early November. With such a prolonged and captivating show, it's no wonder that tens of thousands of people are drawn to experience the magic of Fall in the Blue Ridge Mountains each year.
Tips to enjoy Fall Leave Colors:
1. Travel during the week if you can
2. Pack water, snacks and patience
3. Book a vacation rental NOW
[Find a vacation rentals here]
4. Call ahead for dining reservations or info
[Top Restaurants around The High South]
5. If this a day trip only, have a full tank of gas before you head up!
2023 Western North Carolina
Fall Leaf Color Map and Events
Fall Color Map for North Carolina
created by The Biology Department at Appalachian State University is a great resource to plan your trip. Please visit their web site for the full image and to learn more about this map!
Go to: [https://biology.appstate.edu/fall-colors/fall-color-map-north-carolina]
2023 Western North Carolina Fall Leaf Color Events
2023 Western North Carolina Fall Leaf Color
Road Conditions (Georgia conditions below!)
Road Conditions
The North Carolina Department of Transportation maintains a great map of North Carolina showing construction zones, road closures due to weather as well as traffic congestion.
[NCDOT Traffic Map]
Northeast Georgia Map below!
Above 4000' - October 15-22
Towns at this elevation: Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain, Grandfather Mountain and some areas around Highlands in North Carolina and the peak of Brasstown Bald in North Georgia
3000-4000' - October 22-29
Towns at this elevation: Sapphire Valley, Highlands, The Highlands Outpost, and Cashiers in North Carolina. Sky Valley in Northeast Georgia
2000-3000' - October 29 - November 5
Towns at this elevation: Waynesville, Dillsboro North Carolina, Several Northeast Georgia towns are very close to 2000' including Blue Ridge, Hiawassee, Blairsville and Tallulah Falls.
Below 2000' - November 5 - mid-November
Towns at this elevation: While many species of tree will change before November, the bulk of color below 2000' will occur throughout the month. Bryson City, NC sits at 1752' with higher peaks all around. Dahlonega Georgia sits at 1450' while Helen Ga sits at 1444'
These are estimates! Like trying to pick the bottom or top of a stock market move, the best approach is to allow several days to travel around and enjoy the colors at various elevations - try not to time it to just one day!
2023 Northeast Georgia Fall Leaf Color Events
Road Conditions
The Georgia Department of Transportation maintains a great map of North Georgia with a trip planner and shows construction zones, road closures due to weather as well as traffic congestion.
[GADOT Traffic Map]
Brasstown Bald Web Cam
Elevation: 4784'
The highest point in Georgia!!!
This camera is looking north from Brasstown Bald over the Brasstown Wilderness area toward Hiawassee Georgia and just beyond into North Carolina
Be sure to hover your mouse over the camera feed for the full screen option in the lower right!
Camera courtesy and please visit:
ResortCams.com
Bryson City, NC
Downtown Bryson City
Elevation: 1752′
Bryson City, NC is a great small town located on the Tuckaseegee River and bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Camera courtesy and please visit:
Content/Camera: ExploreBrysonCity.com/ResortCams.com
Highlands, NC
Elevation: 4117"
Highlands, NC is one the highest towns in terms of elevation in this part of Western North Carolina.
Camera courtesy: The Town of Highlands
Visit: https://highlandsnc.org/
Whiteside Mountain
viewed from
Big Bear Pen Mountain
Elevation: 4930"
This is a great view of Whiteside Mountain. Easy access to a great hike with big views is available just off Highway 64 between Highlands and Cashiers, NC.
Hiking Info: [Hiking Whiteside Mountain]
Camera courtesy: The Town of Highlands
Visit: https://highlandsnc.org/
More Web Cams: We have several more webcams on this site - go here: [Area Web Cams]
Oct 10, 2023
It looks like our peak colors will be delayed a few days. It’s hard to get a forecast down to less than a week but we try! The dry weather has complicated the forecast as some trees down to 1200’ elevation are changing early and others are still quite green.
In our opinion, this will be a prolonged leaf color season as the combination of dry weather and delayed colder weather. A longer season is just fine as we all love to have more time to enjoy nature’s canvas.
This image from the Grandfather Mountain Black Rock Trail area in North Carolina shows good color at an elevation of 4722'.
10/3/2023 Update:
Given the ongoing dry and warmer weather conditions prevalent in The High South region, some leaves may experience an earlier transformation. Dryness stands as one of the contributing factors inducing end-of-season stress, which in turn initiates the change in color. While our peak colors by elevation, as indicated below, remain as expected, it's worth noting that we may not witness the same vibrant reds and yellows as we did last year. Nevertheless, it's essential to remember that, regardless of the weather, the beauty of the colors always makes the trip worthwhile.
9/19/2023 Update:
Temps dipped into the mid-40s last night setting the stage for great red colors to start showing. It will take another week for colors to really start to show as leaves need more shade and longer nights to get the season really in high gear. The shadows are here with the sun lower in the sky and this Saturday is the Fall Equinox which means the length of day and night is equal. After this weekend, we will have less daylight.
Bottom Line: Our peak color dates by elevation are on target!
Scroll down for our projected 2023 Fall Leaf Color by Elevation
Quick 9/12/2023 Update:
With cooler days and notably cooler nights the promise timely autumn foliage is on track. Domestic / farm raised trees are already showing color changes. Recent rains should help us avoid any drought conditions.
Bottom Line: Autumn is the clock and on time!
Labor Day Autumn Foliage Report:
Even on Labor Day, we're already noticing early hints of autumn colors, especially among some maples and dogwoods. The current weather conditions are favorable for vibrant foliage, but the forecast predicts above-average temperatures for the next few weeks, accompanied by a potential increase in rainfall. This combination might result in a delay and slightly muted autumn colors. As we know, it's the cooler weather that truly enhances the depth of these colors.
Our projected timeframes for the peak foliage at different elevations in The High South region remain unchanged and on schedule.
Stay tuned for more updates as we transition into the fall season!
August 6, 2023: Now less than 8 weeks from the 2023 Fall Color season in The High South, what can we expect?
Every year, an abundance of nature enthusiasts flock to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Georgia, allured by the breathtaking Fall foliage and vibrant colors. Renowned for one of the most splendid and prolonged leaf seasons on the planet, the Blue Ridge Mountains put on a dazzling display for visitors.
Great fall colors were hanging on for a few more days at 3200'. With rain moving in Oct 30, autumn colors will be done at and above this elevation. Lower elevations will continue to have a range of colors for a few more days.
Some content courtesy: https://biology.appstate.edu/fall-colors