Related Links

  • Nationwide Fall Foliage Prediction Map (http://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/) A national map that can be used to predict the timing of fall colors throughout the United States. Very useful tool for those wanting to plan trips to see fall leaf color.
  • Fall Color Forecaster Map (http://biology.appstate.edu/home/fall-color-report/fall-color-map-north-carolina). This map shows the approximate dates when fall leaf colors should be at their peak in North Carolina. It takes both latitude and elevation into account to determine the timing for peak colors in the state.
  • Fall Color Guy on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FallColorGuy/). This is my facebook page to discuss all things related to fall leaf color, leaves in general, and trees. During peak fall color season, we have over 8,000 hits per week!
  • Fall Color in the Smokies (http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fallcolor.htm). This is the official fall color site for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It contains information about when and where to see fall colors in the Park.
  • Fall Color on Blue Ridge Parkway (http://www.blueridgeparkwaydaily.com/blue-ridge-parkway-fall-colors-tracker/). A really great website for fall foliage color reports can be found at the Blue Ridge Parkway Guide by Virtual Blue Ridge:. They update frequently, and have archived reports from the past and they cover the entire 470 miles of the Parkway.
  • National Phenology Website (USA National Phenology Network) - Published by the USGS, this site tracks phenological changes in plants and animals across the United States. Phenology is the study of the timing of life cycle events in plants and animals, so the timing of fall color would be one example of a phenological event. The purpose of this site is to determine if phenologies are changing in response to global warming.
  • New Evolutionary Theory for Fall Leaf Colors (Hamilton's Fall) – An excellent essay on a new theory from the evolutionary theorist Bill Hamilton, that fall leaf colors are a way to deter insects from trees in the autumn. Written by science writer Carl Zimmer, Discover, 18 December 2003.
  • Nitrogen Deficiency May Lead to Brighter Red Colors in Autumn (Leaves' Fall Colors Have "Dirty" Secret, Study Finds) - by Richard A. Lovett, National Geographic News, 30 October 2007. Includes information from Emily Habinck's undergraduate research project at University of North Carolina at Charlotte that correlated sites with low nitrogen and more red colors in autumn.
  • Science of Autumn Colors (The United States National Arboretum: The Science of Color in Autumn Leaves). An excellent site describing the science of autumnal colors from the National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
  • Science of Fall Colors from USFS (Why Leaves Change Color) - Information from the U.S. Forest Service on why leaves change color in autumn.
  • Science of Fall Leaf Colors (Why Leaves Change Colors). An excellent website from a commercial flower source that discusses why and how leaves change colors in the fall in an easily understood and entertaining manner. The site also contains linkages to other fall color sites, including those demonstrating simple experiments that students can do. Highly recommended!
  • The Foliage Network (http://foliagenetwork.com/). This is a New England based fall foliage site that provides information on the progression of fall foliage color throughout the eastern, southern and midwestern United States.
  • US Forest Service Fall Leaf Color Webpages (https://www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors/2017/index.shtml). This website from the USFS highlights those areas across the country, from Alaska to Hawai'i, where fall leaf colors are peaking.
  • Visitor Guide to the High Country, Boone, NC (Explore Boone Area). A visitor's guide to the High Country in and around Boone, NC
  • Webcams of North Carolina (http://www.highcountrywebcams.com/). One way to see fall colors without actually driving somewhere is to view the many webcams that are situated throughout the state. This webpage has links to many webcams in western North Carolina, and in other states. Note that some cameras are of higher quality and provide a better image than others. Also, the time of day you view the webcams can affect your perception of the intensity of the fall colors. Nonetheless, this is a useful site.
  • Weekly Fall Color Reports for NC (http://www.visitnc.com/fall ) - Presented by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development.
  • Yankee Foliage: (http://www.yankeefoliage.com/)This site provides excellent updates on the fall foliage color for the New England portion of the country.
  • Harvard Forest Fall Leaf Colors: (http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/autumn-foliage-color) This site, by Drs. John O'Keefe and David Lee, provides a one-stop shopping list for those interested in all things related to fall leaf color. O'Keefe has kept one of the longest records of the timing and extent of fall color in any one forest, and it has been the basis for several scientific papers. Dr. David Lee is an expert on coloration in plants, and did extensive work on fall leaf color at the Harvard Forest.
  • Our State Magazine: (https://www.ourstate.com/our-favorite-north-carolina-fall-mountain-views/) A very nice guide to fall color hotspots in the NC mountains.