Natural History Wanderings

Great Smoky Mountains Association has two new fall color updates:

October 29th, 2013

Fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains are now a patchwork quilt of gorgeous hues with some mountaintops past peak, other sites pre-peak, and several areas now at peak. Most elevations from 3,500-5,500 are now at peak. Areas like Alum Cave Bluffs and Chimney Tops are decorated with eye-popping golds and some red accents. Elevations from 2,500-3,500 feet are still surprisingly green, while at the lowest elevations, along areas like Little River Road, species such as the birches, beeches, sourwoods, dogwoods, and maples are putting on a grand show.

Because of the large areas of lingering green, it is now predicted that some fall colors will continue at least through the first week of November.

Color hotspots include the Foothills Parkway East and West, Little River Road, Deep Creek, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Rich Mountain, Cataloochee, and Newfound Gap Road. Good hikes would be Laurel Falls Trail, the Three Waterfalls Loop in Deep Creek, Smokemont Loop, Albright Grove, and Lumber Ridge Trail.

October 28th, 2013

Rabbit Creek Ranger Station to Hannah Mountain Trail) – Very brilliant colored foliage on higher elevations of trail.   Bright red, hot pink, orange, yellow, maroon, wine colored and gold foliage.   Sugar Maples, Sourwood,  Red Maples, Blackberry and Blue Berry foliage especially nice.   Other colorful foliage:  Scarlet Oak, Sassafras, Striped Maple, Hickory and Frazier Magnolia.

Hannah Mountain (From Rabbit Creek Trail to Campsite 14) – Scattered beautiful foliage along trail and on surrounding hillsides.   The Sugar Maples, Sourwood, Red Maples and Blueberries have outstanding colored foliage.   One sourwood was clothed in an amazing bright pink foliage.   Other colorful foliage:   Scarlet Oak, Sassafras, Striped Maple, Blackberry,  Hickory and Frazier Magnolia.

SPECIAL NOTE:  FOOTHILLS WEST PARKWAY IS BEYOND DESCRIPTION WITH ITS AMAZINGLY BRIGHT FOLIAGE PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WHEN THERE IS FULL SUN.

IT APPEARS TO BE AT PEAK COLORS.   AT THIS TIME (BEFORE LATER WEEK STORMS) IT WOULD BE A SAFE BET TO DIRECT VISITORS TO THIS STRETCH OF ROAD.   MOST LIKELY THE FOOTHILLS EAST PARKWAY WOULD BE COMPARABLE.