Natural History Wanderings

 Great Smoky Mountains National Park U.S. National Park Service reports

High elevations in the park are getting colorful with the yellows of birch and reds of sourwood and witch hobble. Although fall color in the high elevations is not usually as vibrant as the colors of the middle to lower elevations, the dark, evergreen needles of spruce trees are a nice backdrop for the yellows that predominate on the Smokies highest crests. Views along Clingmans Dome Road and in the higher reaches of Newfound Gap Road should be good though next week.

Middle and low elevations are still green, but some nice reds are developing on a few trees, especially dogwood, sourwood, and sumac. At middle elevations, look for the vivid red leaves of Virginia creeper vine climbing tree trunks. Overall however, there’s not a lot of fall color in the lower elevations yet — the season here is still a few weeks away.

Fall wildflower displays are especially colorful now. Flowers such as purple asters, white asters, black-eyed Susans, pale jewelweed, ironweed, great blue lobelia, closed gentian, and golden rod are blooming profusely along roadsides in the park. Look for the vibrant pink, purple, and red fruits of hearts-a-bustin’ bushes and the brilliant reds of dogwood berries.

For fall photos and updates from the park, visit our official facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GreatSmokyMountainsNPS

You can also check out the park’s webcams to see how fall colors are progressing:
Purchase Knob (high elevation)
Look Rock (middle elevation)