Great Smoky Mountains National Park reports Fall Color Report – October 17, 2016
Colder nights at the high elevations in the park have leaves beginning to steadily fall. While shades of red are still present among the mountain ash berries, and witch hobble provides intermittent glimpses of orange, the high reaches of the park are a sea of yellow and gold with infinite shades and hues.
The undulating mountain ridges of the mid-elevations break the yellow expanse of beech, birch, buckeye, and tulip poplar with fiery reds of the black gum and red maple. The orange glow of the sugar maples add to the vibrant palette as well.
Color at the lower elevations in the park is predominantly provided by the reds of the dogwoods. That of the poison ivy and Virginia creeper also provide a sharp contrast to the brown tree trunks on which they are bound. The maples are also beginning to develop rich colors in scattered pockets. Even though the landscape is still largely green, the rate of color change is rapidly increasing.
Natural History Wanderings 
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