As the 2011 fall color season comes to a close, there are still opportunities to enjoy the last of what has been a remarkable year. In elevations below 3000 feet and in the foothills areas color is still showing nicely.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park reports there is still very good color below 3,000’ in the Park, and you can still see some great foliage displays. There was snow high up in the peaks last week, but the trees down lower are still showing nicely.
Around the Franklin area the colors have been coming in waves with no well-defined peak. Most of the early turners, including some maples, dogwood, sourwood and tulip poplar, have lost most of their leaves now. The oaks are peaking though, so you get that rust-red color standing out amongst the other barren trees, which is quite striking when the light hits the trees. Leaf fall is progressing quickly, so the leaves may not last the full week.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park reports there is still very good color below 3,000’ in the Park, and you can still see some great foliage displays. There was snow high up in the peaks last week, but the trees down lower are still showing nicely.Around the Franklin area the colors have been coming in waves with no well-defined peak. Most of the early turners, including some maples, dogwood, sourwood and tulip poplar, have lost most of their leaves now. The oaks are peaking though, so you get that rust-red color standing out amongst the other barren trees, which is quite striking when the light hits the trees. Leaf fall is progressing quickly, so the leaves may not last the full week.
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| Cades Cove courtesy GSMNP |
In the Cullowhee/Sylva area there are beautiful oranges, copper-reds and rust-reds, mainly due to the various oak species, such as red, black, and scarlet, but also because of the remaining sourwoods, red maples and some yellow hickories.
Cashiers and Highlands, though, have passed their peak, and many trees are now leafless. The oak species tend to hold on to their leaves for relatively long time, so their colors, highlighted against the remaining yellow maples and birches, make for a nice contrast on the landscape. Japanese red maples are displaying vibrant red colors now and the Bradford pears are just starting to turn (both of these are ornamentals, so don’t look for them in the woods). Bradford pears are about the last of the trees to turn colors (a deep red) and often highlight parking lots and downtown streets with their color throughout the month of November.
Cashiers and Highlands, though, have passed their peak, and many trees are now leafless. The oak species tend to hold on to their leaves for relatively long time, so their colors, highlighted against the remaining yellow maples and birches, make for a nice contrast on the landscape. Japanese red maples are displaying vibrant red colors now and the Bradford pears are just starting to turn (both of these are ornamentals, so don’t look for them in the woods). Bradford pears are about the last of the trees to turn colors (a deep red) and often highlight parking lots and downtown streets with their color throughout the month of November.
There are still great colors in the city of Asheville and just along the Parkway before it goes up high in elevation. However, the leaves are falling fast, so there is no guarantee they will be around the entire week.
For your best viewing now, you should concentrate in the foothills around places like Wilkesboro, Lenoir, Hickory, Morganton, and Hendersonville, perhaps down to Murphy, for good color. And also try the state parks located along this band, where the colors should be peaking this week.
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