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Fall Colors at Grandfather Mountain, Vibrant Yellows at Peak Color Around the Linville River

Fall color surrounds a footbridge over the Linville River, heading toward Linville Falls. According to Dr. Howie Neufeld, Western North Carolina’s esteemed “Fall Color Guy” and professor of biology at Appalachian State University, “If you still haven’t come up to see the fall colors, this week would be good, as well as next weekend, although the colors will be lower down and not so much on the (Blue Ridge) Parkway or in Boone or Blowing Rock.” After next weekend, Neufeld predicts fall color will all be below 3,000 feet in elevation, meaning they’ll be visible from higher locations, including Grandfather Mountain and overlooks on the Parkway. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

By Hailey Blevins

The Fall Color Guy, Dr. Neufeld, expects that the colors are nearing their end for this year, not quite reaching the peak everyone hoped for this year. The trees have lost some of their leaves in the past week, but there are still many bold colors to be found in the High Country. 

In his Fall Color Report last week, the Fall Color Guy wrote, “Below the Parkway, forests are still primarily green, although I did see color extending down to about 2,000’ in some locations today. These areas usually peak at the end of October, and sometimes into the first week of November, so if conditions get more conducive for producing fall colors, the best colors may be in the foothills instead of the High Country.” Read the full Fall Color Report for the Week of October 21st here.

The area surrounding the Linville River is seeing an abundance of yellows, as the picture above, taken on October 29th, shows. Frank Ruggiero, Director of Marketing & Communications for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, recommends a visit to this area for color viewing this week.

Be sure to get out and visit the High Country this week or next to see the bright colors while they remain!

For more Grandfather Mountain fall color photos, or to plan a trip, visit www.grandfather.com.