Depending upon the amount of time available, as well as physical condition, there are a variety of ways for people to enjoy the spectacular autumn color in the Smokies. This color is found not only in the trees. An added bonus is the color to be seen in the wide array of fall wildflowers blooming now, according to Smokies volunteer Tom Harrington.
Harrington said the flowers to be seen now are white turtleheads, great blue lobelia, orange touch-me-nots, black-eyed susans, white snake root, white wood aster, golden-rod, cardinal flowers, and mountain gentian.
The relaxing way to see this beauty is, of course, to drive the roads within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and according to Nancy Gray, spokeswoman, now is a good time to view the highest elevations, where the leaf color will peak sometime in mid to late October.
“At the higher elevations, the American mountain ash leaves are changing to bright yellow now, but what is most spectacular are its red berries. They are absolutely gorgeous,” said Gray.
The Clingmans Dome Road is a good place to see them from the car, and, if you choose to hike, the Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald is a good place to see ash. Other high elevation trees that exhibit color are the red leaves of pin cherries, and the maples, beeches, and birches which turn yellow.
Newfound Gap Road is also an excellent drive, with easy access from the Newfound Gap Parking lot to the Appalachian Trail if you want to hike. Other good drives are the Foothills Parkway, either east or west, where there are plenty of overlooks into the valleys, and later on Highway 321, which parallels the Park boundary, will be a nice place to see color.
A nice drive that is off the beaten path is Rich Mountain Road, a 5-mile, one-way road that goes from Cades Cove to Townsend. On the North Carolina side of the park, the Balsam Mountain Road accessed via the Blue Ridge Parkway, then Heintooga Ridge Road, offers a very nice look at the leaves around Cherokee.
Some nice hikes Gray suggested are the Metcalf Bottom Trail to Greenbrier School, and on to the Little Brier Gap Trail. Another is Sugarland Mountain Trail, which is accessed from Clingmans Dome Road, or from Little River Road, depending on how long a person wants to hike. Gray suggested starting from Clingmans Dome.
Trees at the lower elevations, which change color early, are the sourwood, dogwood, sumac and scarlet maples. The reds in these trees will be beautiful this year.
Information provided by The Mountain Press