It’s October, and that means leaf season is just around the corner for Northeast Georgia. Up in Northwest North Carolina, however, leaf season is in full swing as we speak. The next few weeks won’t be featuring individual places specifically, but I’ll be chasing the leaves from the highest elevations to the lowest (and offering my advice on the best places to look), so expect plenty of gorgeous yellows, oranges, and reds. The recent extended period of rain and fog put a damper on getting things started, but the past few days have been perfect for getting out to see the changing leaves. If you are heading into Western North Carolina, both Grandfather Mountain and the Roan Highlands are nearing peak color. The Blue Ridge Parkway from US221 in Linville, NC to US321 near Blowing Rock, NC is especially vibrant. For hiking trails:
-Various trails around Graveyard Fields on the BRP near Mt. Pisgah
-Waterrock Knob on BRP near Cherokee, NC
-The Appalachian Trail from Carver Gap to Grassy Gap in the Roan Highlands, TN
-Nuwati and Cragway Trails on Grandfather Mountain
-Tawanha Trail on Grandfather Mountain; mainly the Beacon Heights and Rough Ridge sections
-Grandfather Trail along the spine of Grandfather Mountain (very difficult but rewarding)
All of these trails are high elevation, and all the pics below were taken from the Grandfather Mountain ones.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Let the magic begin.
I’ll see you on the <slightly more orange> trail….~TW
