Fall Foliage Reports and Updates Underway
Travel Blue Ridge Parkway has started our weekly fall foliage reports and update for the 2016 fall foliage season. The color changes have begun in the highest elevations of the North Carolina mountains at Grandfather Mountain. There is even a hint of color in the mid elevations of 4000 feet. We are here to help you keep up to date on where and when to go to see the colorful show. We have started to update out Fall Foliage page on the web site at least once a week. The longer nights, cooler nighttime temperatures and the nice sunny days are just perfect to kick off this annual display of color.
Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage Reports
Included in the weekly reports are where to go and when to go to see the colorful display along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina, a well as Skyline Drive in Virginia. The mountains in North Carolina will peak first due to the higher elevations. The mountains of Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are not as high and therefore the color changes take place about a week later than the NC sections.
With so many different types of trees along the 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway no wonder there is such a wide range of color during the fall foliage season. The trees that change earliest are Yellow Birch, American Birch and Witch Hobble. Then others follow like the Red Maple, Buckeyes, Sourwood, Sumac and Pin Cherry trees. The many colors of fall that result in such a vibrant display include reds, purples, yellow, golds, maroon, and orange. Different trees are prone to certain colors when the complicated process takes place each fall. Black gum, dogwood and sourwood trees take on a deep red color. Poplar trees and ash trees give off the bright yellow color. Oak trees turn a russet and maroon color. Red maple trees turn yellow, maroon and red colors. The beech and sassafras trees produce an orange color.
Make sure to check back often on our Fall Foliage page to find out when and where to go to see the best display of colors and when peak colors are taking place. But with all the different elevations along the parkway there will always be somewhere to see a splendid show of color during October.
