Fall foliage season is approaching in Georgia, and one of the state's best-known lakes has landedat the top of a national ranking.
Lake Lanier was ranked the No. 1 lake in the United States for fall foliage, according to a study from Boatbooker.
The Georgia lake earned an overall score of 69.6 out of 100, placing it ahead of 15 other lakes evaluated in the ranking.
Here's everything to know.
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When is the best time for fall foliage on the lake?
Lake Lanier also scored the highest possible mark for foliage timing in the study, with 20 out of 20 points. The study lists Oct. 8 as the lake's peak foliage date.
Why Lake Lanier ranked No. 1
The study considered several factors when ranking the lakes, including access to boat ramps, proximity to a nearby city, fall foliage timing and recognizability.
Lake Lanier
had 66 boat ramps within 20 miles and received 13.6 points for boat access.
The lake also scored 24 out of 30 possible points for proximity to Atlanta. According to the study, Lake Lanier is about a 56-minute drive from Atlanta.
The lake received an additional 12 points for recognizability, bringing its total to 69.6.
Lake Lanier offers plenty of fall scenery
Lake Lanier is the largest lake in Georgia, with about 38,000 acres of water and nearly 700 miles of shoreline, according to its website.
The lake stretches across portions of Hall, Forsyth, Dawson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties. Buford, Gainesville and Cumming are among the communities located near the lake.
Lake Lanier was created in 1956 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Buford Dam, transforming portions of the Chattahoochee and Chestatee rivers into the reservoir.
Today, the lake is used for recreation as well as water supply and flood control. Visitors can find parks, campgrounds, boat ramps, hiking areas and other recreational opportunities along its shoreline.
When is peak fall foliage at Lake Lanier?
According to the Boatbooker study, Oct. 8 is the projected peak foliage date for Lake Lanier.
That timing makes early October a potential window for visitors hoping to see the lake surrounded by changing fall colors.
What other lakes are good for fall foliage in Georgia?
Lake Hartwell also made the national top 10, ranking No. 3 overall with a score of 64.7. The lake, which stretches across Georgia and South Carolina, received 18.6 points for foliage timing, with a projected peak of Oct. 6.
Clarks Hill Lake ranked No. 6 overall, earning a score of 62.0. Located along the Georgia-South Carolina border near Augusta, the lake received 12.8 points for foliage timing, with its peak listed as Sept. 28.
That gives Georgia three lakes in the study's top 10, including the No. 1 spot with Lake Lanier.
Top 10 lakes for fall foliage in the US
Boatbooker.com's fall foliage lake photo" id="91755674007">
- Lake Lanier, GA
- Rhinelander Flowage, WI
- Lake Hartwell, SC/GA
- Lake Erie (Ottawa Co, OH)
- Kentucky Lake, KY
- Clarks Hill Lake, GA/SC
- Lake Champlain, VT
- Fox Chain O'Lakes, IL
- Old Hickory Lake, TN
- Peabody WMA lakes, KY
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Best lake for fall foliage in the entire US is right here in Georgia
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