The ridge lines around the the highest peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains are starting to transition into their fall colors, although most of the area around McDowell County remains green. The weather patterns over the past few weeks have put the timing of fall color into question, and with Hurricane Helena scheduled to pass through the region this week, it could delay color from progressing by a few days.
Bookmark this page! We're going to be providing you with regularly updated fall color reports covering the best places to find fall color each week. You'll learn where to go to find autumn hues, and fun fall activities to enjoy during your trip.
Your Best Bets To Find Color This Week: September 25 - October 1, 2024
This week, the highest elevations (above 5,000 feet) continue to be the best areas to find fall color, although we have seen some trees in transition as far down as 3,000 feet.
A hike to the highest point in McDowell County will prove a winning play for you leaf-peepers this week. Blue Ridge Pinnacle, at 5,665 ft, will totally enamor you with one of the best views on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a short, steep mile - both out and back, but 100% WORTH IT. Big payoff here for seeing the colors starting to brighten and mesmerize.
You can access the trail off of Milepost 355. And from this summit, you are also occupying three counties and standing only a few miles from Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak East of the Mississippi. Kinda epic, right? After a great day on the trail, make your way back to McDowell County home base for a delicious meal and evening of local entertainment.
Pack some warm weather gear as it will be much cooler at these higher elevations. You can expect the temperature to be about 15 degrees cooler than the lower elevations.
Travel Notice
Hurricane Helena will move through the Blue Ridge from Wednesday through Friday. This will make for soggy outdoor adventures on these days, but the good news is that the primarily green trees should keep their leaves and be ready for a great fall color show later on in the season. The storm is expected to be gone by Saturday, so the weekend should be nice to get out for a hike.
Waterfall hunting can be an exciting rainy day adventure for explorers who don’t mind getting a bit wet. Setrock Creek Falls and Linville Falls both have observation areas accessible by a short (about half-mile) hike. Or explore the newly reopened Catawba Falls, in Old Fort. Be safe: please exercise increased caution near waterfalls when they are flowing at high volume, and never try to walk or climb on wet rocks, or wade at the top of the falls.
Festive Fall Activities This Week
Spend some quality time with the friends and family during the seasonal harvests at the Historic Orchard at Altapass. We are in the juicy middle of RIPE apple picking season, y’all! And this orchard doesn’t stop with apples, but serves up so much good food and family fun you will make it a MUST DO every time you come back to visit McDowell County. On Saturday and Sunday you can enjoy live local music and warm apple pie.
Expert Predictions for Fall Foliage in 2024
Every year, scientists, meteorologists, and travel guides do their best to predict when the leaves will begin to fade from green to the yellows, oranges, and reds that set our Blue Ridge Mountains ablaze. Different species of trees turn at varying times, and all are informed by their location, altitude, and the biggest factor of all - the weather.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, recently released a long range forecast for the North Carolina Mountains. Their forecasts suggests we may have above-average temperatures and slightly higher amounts of precipitation through the months of August, September, and October. So what does this mean for fall color?
“Fall Color Guy” Dr. Howard Neufeld, professor of biology at Appalachian State University, has been following and documenting the fall color season in Western North Carolina for 16 years. Regarding the NOAA report, he said, "Since they are only leaning toward warmer and wetter, I think that bodes well for a good fall color season. What we want to see is temperatures beginning to drop in mid-September through mid-October. If they do, fall colors will be on time. If it is mostly sunny with little rain over this interval, it is likely that the colors will be more vibrant."
While weather patterns are impossible to accurately predict more than 8-10 days, the NOAA report is based on long range climate data, which provides a little more credibility for this forecast.
Timing Your Trip to See Fall Color in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Due to our extreme variations in elevation and a wide variety of deciduous trees, the mountains of North Carolina experience one of the longest lead color seasons in the world. The Blue Ridge Mountains’ extended color season means that no matter when you plan your visit, you’re sure to spot some brilliant leaves — as long as you know where to look.
Early Fall
The fall color changes begin at the highest elevations in late September, soon after the first calendar days of fall. Look for early color at Grandfather Mountain or at Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Linville Falls often boasts bright pops of gold early in the season, so be sure to bring your camera.
Graveyards Fields, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 418.8, is the perfect place to experience the earlier changes. Grab your daypack and follow the 3-mile, round-trip hike to Graveyard Fields. Trek through the beautiful valley punctuated by fields and waterfalls.
Over the following weeks, color will make its way down the mountain slopes into the middle elevations. Early to mid-October is a great time to take a scenic drive along the Parkway, watch the leaves fall beside Crabtree Falls, stop for lunch at Little Switzerland or enjoy the 360-degree view from the summit of Mount Mitchell, the the highest point east of the Mississippi River. The only thing that can make your trip to its peak even better is taking in the view from one of the rocking chairs outside the gift shop. Many of the trees at Mount Mitchell are evergreens, but you can find color along the way to this popular destination.
Mid Fall
During the month of October, take a relaxing scenic ride on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. With numerous lookouts and vantage points along the route, the parkway offers sweeping views across the peaks and valleys of the North Carolina Mountains.
Once the lower elevations start to experience the color change around mid to late October, plan a visit to the Pisgah National Forest. Maximize your leaf-peeping from the heart of the forest with hiking trails in Curtis Creek. Mountain bikers, be sure to check out the Old Fort Gateway Trail System where you’ll fly through the flaming trees. The numerous waterfalls along the hiking and biking trails are spectacular this time of year.
Don’t leave the area without a visit to the awe-inspiring Linville Gorge. Located about 45 minutes outside of Marion and 40 minutes from the quaint little town of Little Switzerland, the gorge offers some of the best fall-color viewing in the area. The plentiful jagged rock formations are nothing short of majestic as they plunge 2,000 feet into the valley below to the Linville River. The blazing yellow, orange, and red trees lining the steep walls define autumn in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains.
Late Fall
By early November, the trees will be showing off along the main streets of Blue Ridge towns. Enjoy the autumn atmosphere as you browse shops, galleries and local restaurants in Old Fort and Marion. And don’t miss the beauty of fall reflected in the cool waters of Lake James.
Book Your Accommodations Early
Be sure to plan ahead for your fall getaway to McDowell County. Old Fort, Marion, Nebo, Little Switzerland, or Linville Falls are locations for all of your fall adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains! This is one of the more popular times to visit the mountains and accommodations do fill up quickly. Book a place to stay at a local hotel, bed & breakfast, campground, cabin or vacation rental.
