Fall is an exciting time. Summer heat dies down, people pull out their coziest sweaters, order a pumpkin latte and prepare for Halloween as they welcome the autumn season.
Some of the most exciting parts of fall are its activities. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches attract people eager for some apple cider doughnuts and hayrides through fields and woods.
One popular activity that gets people excited for fall is leaf peeping, and East Tennessee is one of the best places to do it. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just a stone's throw away for most of the region and historically offers some great fall foliage.
Peak color-changing season is just around the corner, so here's what Tennesseans can expect this year.
Will the fall foliage in Tennessee be good this year?
The Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting
fall foliage will be strongest in Appalachia, more so than anywhere else in the country.
"The standout region on our 2026 map is the central Appalachian corridor, where we expect great foliage," the Almanac says.
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is classified as part of the central Appalachian corridor by the Almanac. It also includes the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia.
The vibrancy of fall foliage is dependent on weather conditions as fall approaches. Cool and sunny days with chilly yet frost-free nights produce the brightest leaves. If there is too much rain or temperatures reach freezing temperatures too early, leaf colors will be duller or may drop early before they even have the chance to change.
Droughts in late summer and early fall can also cause trees to drop leaves early, before they have the chance to change color.
Heavy rain in Tennessee during the spring and summer is one of the factors that could contribute to an exceptional fall foliage season, according to East Tennessee State University. However, a hot and dry September could hinder some of the anticipated fall colors.
When is the best time to see fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains?
Leaves in Tennessee begin changing first at the highest elevations in East Tennessee in late September. Throughout October and early November, leaves begin changing color at lower elevations. Middle and West Tennessee see the most vivid leaves in late October and early November.
The Great Smoky Mountains will see peak fall color at their highest elevations in early October. By late October through early November, colors begin descending in the mountains. Some of the best spots to see fall foliage in the Smokies are Cades Cove, Kuwohi, Newfound Gap and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
The Old Farmer's Almanac interactive map uses a color code to show when and where fall foliage will hit across the country. Most of East Tennessee will hit its peak by November. By December, the whole state is in the gray zone, meaning the leaves have fallen.
What fall colors can you see in the Great Smoky Mountains in 2026?
The Great Smoky Mountains will see a range of colors during peak fall foliage season. Some of the most common treesin the park change into a variety of colors in the fall.
- Beech trees are common in the Smokies and turn golden-brown in the fall.
- Flowering dogwood trees are common in the Smokies and turn purple-red in the fall.
- Mapleleaf viburnum trees are common in the Smokies and turn pink-purple in the fall.
- Mockernut hickory trees are common in the Smokies and turn golden-bronze in the fall.
- Red maple trees are common in the Smokies and turn bright scarlet in the fall.
- Sassafras trees are frequent in the Smokies and turn orange-yellow in the fall.
- Sugar maple trees are common in the Smokies and turn orange-red in the fall.
- Yellow poplar trees are common in the Smokies and turn golden yellow in the fall.
- White oak trees are frequent in the Smokies and turn brown or russet in the fall.
- Yellow birch trees are common in the Smokies and turn bright yellow in the fall.
Tupelo trees change color first, starting as early as August. Then maple trees follow. Beech, hickory and oak trees are some of the last to change color.
What are the best national parks to go leaf peeping in?
The National Park Service recommends parks across the country that "have amazing fall color."
- Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina and Virginia
- Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
- Glacier National Park, Montana
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
- Natchez Trace Parkway, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee
- Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Wisconsin and Minnesota
- Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
- Yosemite National Park, California
Afton Pratt covers trending and breaking news for Knox News and Tennessee. She can be reached at ampratt@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Great Smoky Mountains fall foliage could be best in the US. When to see peak colors
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