Leaves Finally Falling into Color with Beautiful Color Displays Across Grandfather Mountain
A sunset near the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Linn Cove Viaduct adds some pinks and purples to the autumn palette. As the sun rises on Saturday, Oct. 20, it greeted one of the High Country’s busiest fall days. With color peaking in higher elevations, the Woolly Worm Festival racing into Banner Elk, the Valle Country Fair celebrating autumn in Valle Crucis and an Appalachian State football game kicking off in Boone, visitors and residents alike expected a surge in traffic, especially along the N.C. 105 corridor. Grandfather Mountain itself expected a busy day, although guests could bypass any line to the Entrance Gate by purchasing tickets online. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
By Hailey Blevins
With the cool temperatures of fall settling into the High Country, the leaves have changed a lot in the last week. First, the tops of the maple trees began to turn red, and now they’re fully red. Everyday, more and more color is appearing throughout the High Country. After a bumpy start this year with storms and warm weather delaying the color change, the colors are starting to reach their peak.
From high vantage points, the change in leaf colors becomes even more stark. Grandfather Mountain is the place to be to see the colors. Grandfather offers some of the best color views in the High Country with miles and miles of beautiful mountain landscape visible.
This week, Frank Ruggiero, the Director of Marketing and Communication for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, recommends the Linn Cove Viaduct and Price Lake for viewing the fall colors.
For more Grandfather Mountain fall color photos, or to plan a trip, visit www.grandfather.com.
On October 22, fall color reflects on Price Lake, located along the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 296.7) near Blowing Rock. While this past weekend’s high winds cleared many a leaf from higher elevations, mid- to lower elevations are showing a mix of seasonal hues and green, with more color to come. According to Dr. Howie Neufeld, “Fall Color Guy” and professor of biology at Appalachian State University, “Because there are still a lot of green leaves out there, I’m predicting that colors will continue to develop this week and peak by next weekend.” As such, Grandfather Mountain’s lofty elevation offers an ideal vantage point to see the season continue through the valleys below. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
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