Fall Color Report for September 11, 2025
This year we are all hoping for a great fall leaf color season. So far, the weather is cooperating, with lower than normal temperatures here in the High Country (this morning’s low was 45ºF) and mostly sunny skies. If this trend continues for the next 3-4 weeks, then we should have great color on time. That means Oct 12-20 between 3,000-4,000’ elevation, a week earlier if higher, and a week later if lower. I’ll post some graphics soon to illustrate this.
Right now we are seeing just the beginnings of fall leaf color in the mountains, while urban street trees are coloring up quite nicely now. I had to go to North Wilkesboro today to do some lab tests and even there some trees in the parking lot were in full display. I noticed along the way that the sourwoods were coming along nicely, tulip poplars were showing some yellow, as were the birches.
But in the High Country, my greenometer is pegged hard on green. Yes, a few trees here and there have some color, but nothing major is happening right now. It’s going to warm up over the next few days a bit, so I don’t expect much color development this week. We are seeing a lot of goldenrods blooming now, and the Joe-Pye weed is in full display also.
Last year Hurricane Helene put a quick end to our fall leaf display. Not only were thousands of trees blown down, but roads were damaged and made impassable, while flooding and landslides decimated homes and businesses. Helene caused the death of 108 North Carolinians, making it the deadliest natural disaster in the state’s history. The economic impact was enormous also, estimated at $59.6 billion.
The fall color season, from September to November is the busiest tourist season in the western NC mountains. I once made a back of the envelope estimate of the amount of tourist dollars added to the economy of western North Carolina from September to November and my guess was $600-800 Million. But Wit Tuttell, Executive Director of Visit North Carolina, has stated that tourism may bring in $1.8 Billion to the western mountain economy, way higher than my estimate. Hurricane Helene was thought to take away $380 Million last fall alone. Many businesses are still trying to come back, but some have rebuilt, and many are open and want to welcome visitors to the region. Your visit to the mountains of western North Carolina will go a long way toward contributing to the recovery of this area.
This year, much of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) is open to visitors. The attached figure shows the closures from US 421 N toward Virginia, where both regular road construction activities and repairs from Hurricane Helene are going on. You can still get to Doughton Park and the restaurant and picnic areas, but you must take the detour shown on the map. I recommend Doughton Park for its beauty and its short hikes to great overlooks.
Normally, I would recommend going to Linville Falls, but the spur road off the BRP located just north of US 221 is closed, as is the visitor center. Both were heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene. However, you can still visit the falls if you take NC 183 off of US 221 and then the Kistler Highway (which is old Rt 105) onto Forest Service land, which flanks the west ridge of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Go 0.3 miles and there will be a gravel parking lot on your left. From there, you can walk a short distance down to the Linville Falls main trail, bypassing the closed visitor center. The Upper Falls Trail is closed, so don’t try to go on it.
The next closure on the BRP occurs starting where US 221 crosses just south of Linville Falls. This occurs from mile marker 316.5 to 330.9. It is open though for a short stretch from milepost 327.5 to 330.9. I should note that you can get to the Altapass Orchard if you arrive from the south.
From NC 226 at Gillespie Gap the road is open for 3 miles at Little Switzerland (330.9-333.9). Then, it is closed until you get to Craven Gap Access Road at milepost 377.4. This means that Mt. Mitchell State Park is not accessible, nor Craggy Gardens, two very popular spots for viewing the leaves. Damage in this stretch of the BRP was perhaps the worst of anywhere on this roadway and it will take the NPS a while before they can get it back in service.
The BRP is open starting at milepost 381.9 and heading south, so you can visit the Folk Art Center near where US 70 crosses underneath. It remains open the rest of the way to Cherokee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Thus, overall, most of the BRP is open to visitors for this fall’s leaf viewing, which is great news.
The main road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park (US 441) is closed between Gatlinburg and Newfound Gap, but it is open if you take it from Cherokee, NC. The NPS says that they expect the section in TN to reopen by September 30, so that’s good news for those you going to the Park because peak fall colors there won’t occur until mid to late October.
Mt. Mitchell State Park, as noted above, is closed indefinitely. South Mountains State Park has about 30 miles of trails open for hiking, but a few are closed due to damage from the hurricane. Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is open for day hiking and so is the main two-mile trail to the top of Elk Knob State Park just north of Boone. Stone Mountain State Park is fully open, and I recommend it if you wait to the end of October/early November, as it is at a lower elevation and colors peak later there. Chimney Rock State Park is also open, but the only way to get there is via Rt. 9 and I have to admit I’m not sure how one does that. AI says to take I-26 East and exit at Columbus/Mill Spring and then take NC 9 North toward Lake Lure and continue to Chimney Rock Village, then follow signs to the temporary entrance to the Park. Use 665 Main Street, Chimney Rock, NC 28720 if using a map feature online.
This year I expect those trees that were not injured by the hurricane to have good leaf color. The difference, I think, in your fall leaf color viewing this year will be that in some areas you may see patches of color, interspersed with patches of gray/brown where trees were blown down last year. It will take decades for the blowdown areas to recover, and this may thus be a semi-permanent change to our fall leaf color displays for years to come.
In closing, I would say we on track for a good fall leaf color season, assuming the weather holds up, and that you should plan on having a great time if you come up here. Remember, if you want to go to either Grandfather Mountain or Chimney Rock, you need to make reservations ahead of time. Your visit will go a long way toward helping the economy of this region recover and it will provide you with one of Nature’s best displays anywhere in the world.