Stay where & when the leaves are peaking
Track fall color across North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and Southern / East Tennessee — then find scenic rides, nearby stays on Stay Near, and local businesses worth a stop.
Foliage statusMap key +Hide −
Raft the gorge, ride the zip lines, sleep riverside — 500 acres of adventure where the October color blazes brightest.
Only 3 slots — placement assigned after review.
How this forecast is built
Updated using elevation, historical peak timing, and seasonal signals across the Southern Appalachians.
Color varies by elevation. Higher ridges often peak before nearby valleys.
Leaving this weekend? Head to Banner Elk, NC.
Week of Oct 12 · Peak Color · best color in the region right now. Book a place close to it before the weekend fills up.
Higher Elevation · Photography
Peak week · Oct 11 – Oct 17
Book Stays Near Banner Elk ↗Waterfalls · Photography · Higher Elevation
Peak week · Oct 12 – Oct 18
Book Stays Near Highlands ↗Higher Elevation · Scenic Drives · Photography
Peak week · Oct 12 – Oct 18
Book Stays Near Newfound Gap ↗Real photos from travelers on the mountain
We publish a handful of hand-picked reader photos every week of the season — dated, tagged with elevation, and credited to the person who took them. Be the first this week.
Where to go the week of Oct 12
North Georgia · 11 areas
North Georgia Fall Color PartnerAdvertise hereRidge color first. Nearby valleys may still be building.
- Peak week
- Oct 14 – Oct 20
- Best for
- Photography · Higher Elevation
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 19 – Oct 25
- Best for
- Photography · Scenic Drives
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 19 – Oct 25
- Best for
- Higher Elevation · Scenic Drives
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 23 – Oct 29
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Family-Friendly
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 20 – Oct 26
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Photography
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 25 – Oct 31
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Family-Friendly
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 22 – Oct 28
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Higher Elevation
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 23 – Oct 29
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Waterfalls
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 26 – Nov 1
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Photography
- Peak week
- Oct 27 – Nov 2
- Best for
- Family-Friendly · Weekend Trip
- Peak week
- Oct 30 – Nov 5
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Family-Friendly
Western North Carolina · 11 areas
Western NC Fall Color PartnerAdvertise hereRidge color first. Nearby valleys may still be building.
- Peak week
- Oct 11 – Oct 17
- Best for
- Higher Elevation · Photography
Ridge color first. Nearby valleys may still be building.
- Peak week
- Oct 12 – Oct 18
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Photography
Ridge color first. Nearby valleys may still be building.
- Peak week
- Oct 13 – Oct 19
- Best for
- Higher Elevation · Scenic Drives
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 15 – Oct 21
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Waterfalls
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 19 – Oct 25
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Photography
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 19 – Oct 25
- Best for
- Family-Friendly · Scenic Drives
Higher ridges may peak before nearby valleys.
- Peak week
- Oct 15 – Oct 21
- Best for
- Higher Elevation · Scenic Drives
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 23 – Oct 29
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Weekend Trip
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 24 – Oct 30
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Photography
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 20 – Oct 26
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Family-Friendly
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 23 – Oct 29
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Photography
Great Smoky Mountains · 4 areas
Smokies Fall Color PartnerAdvertise hereRidge color first. Nearby valleys may still be building.
- Peak week
- Oct 12 – Oct 18
- Best for
- Higher Elevation · Scenic Drives
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 20 – Oct 26
- Best for
- Waterfalls · Family-Friendly
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 20 – Oct 26
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Photography
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 26 – Nov 1
- Best for
- Photography · Family-Friendly
East Tennessee · 5 areas
East Tennessee Fall Color PartnerAdvertise hereColor is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 25 – Oct 31
- Best for
- Family-Friendly · Scenic Drives
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 26 – Nov 1
- Best for
- Photography · Family-Friendly
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 22 – Oct 28
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Waterfalls
Color is building. Watch the next 7–10 days.
- Peak week
- Oct 25 – Oct 31
- Best for
- Scenic Drives · Waterfalls
- Peak week
- Oct 28 – Nov 3
- Best for
- Family-Friendly · Weekend Trip
Find the experience first. Then stay near it.
WhereLeavesPeak shows where color is peaking. Stay Near plans the trip — cabins, lodges, vacation rentals, restaurants, and experiences within driving distance of peak color.
Ride near the color with North Georgia Rides.
Planning a fall ride? Check the color first, then find the best mountain routes nearby — scenic drives, motorcycle loops, and ride-friendly towns across GA, TN and NC curated by North Georgia Rides.
- Cherohala Skyway · color tunnel
- Wolfpen Gap loop (GA-180)
- Newfound Gap Road · Smokies
- Blue Ridge Parkway · NC
- Tail of the Dragon · TN/NC
Restaurants, wineries, outfitters, guides — get featured.
Travelers use the peak color map to decide where to go. Make sure your business appears when your area is getting attention.
Travelers search for the experience first.
WhereLeavesPeak helps travelers find the best color, then sends them to nearby stays and local businesses. Get your property in front of them when they're choosing where to stay.
- • Highest-intent traveler traffic of the year
- • Forecast map sends visitors to your region
- • One Stay Near listing, multiple traffic brands
- • No auto-publishing — you approve everything
Own a forecast area, a peak week, or a full-region bundle.
Limited inventory. Scarcity sells — only one sponsor per forecast area per category. Bundle with North Georgia Rides or Stay Near for cross-brand reach.
- Forecast Area Sponsor
- Peak Week Sponsor
- Scenic Ride Sponsor
- Stay Near + Leaf Bundle
- Scenic Rides + Leaf Bundle
- Regional Fall Color Sponsor