Peak Fall Color Appearing in the High Country, Visit by Following Weekend for Good Color

Fall color brightens the drive up Grandfather Mountain’s main road, as pictured from atop the park’s Sphinx Rock boulder. For more fall color photos, visit Grandfather Mountain’s official Fall Color Gallery at http://bit.ly/2xzZnDz. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

By Jesse Wood

Peak fall color is appearing in the High Country, and the “Fall Color Guy” expects the next two weekends and everything in between to be “very good” for leaf viewing in the High Country.

Dr. Howard Neufeld, a biology professor at App State University known as the “Fall Color Guy” for his steady reports of the each year’s leaf season, posted his latest update on Facebook yesterday.

“This weekend should be excellent for viewing fall color, and the good colors should last through the week to the next weekend. That puts the peak EXACTLY in the time period when I said it would peak – between Oct 10 and 18,” Neufeld wrote.

He mentioned that folks looking to see great color, should plan a trip to Blowing Rock/Boone , Linville Falls, Mt. Mitchell and Doughton Park areas by the following weekend.

“The next two weekends and the week in between should be very good. Luckily, the remnants of Hurricane Nate this last weekend didn’t take out all the leaves, and there are plenty still left to develop color,” Neufeld wrote.

Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation has been sending daily photos with color updates. Most of the mountain’s foliage is now at peak, according to Frank Ruggiero, director of marketing and communications. See the attached photo.