National Forest·Georgia·867,811 acres
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.
Weather Hard frost Friday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3.
The forest runs from about 476 to 3,832 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 14 days: the high stands around Oct 25, the low ground around Nov 5. That's 3 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Nearly peak | 3,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Peak color | 1,000 to 2,000 ft, 2,000 to 3,000 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | 0 to 1,000 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
- 3,000–4,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2513%
- 2,000–3,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3034%
- 1,000–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 130%
- 0–1,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 521%
Height off 3DEP inside the forest’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the forest stands in it.
That’s 3 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
Plan this tripIf you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, November 1
You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 3,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 25; down at 1,000 feet they hold on until about Nov 5. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 3,000–4,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 25
- 2,000–3,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 30
- 1,000–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 1
- 0–1,000 ftNearly peakpeak Nov 5
- Where to drive
- Cherohala Skyway, about 51 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 76 miles · Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 130 miles
- What turns
- northern red oak, white oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- northern red oak30%
- white oak25%
- red maple20%
- shagbark hickory15%
- sugar maple5%
- tulip poplar3%
Also named across Georgia, outside what the canopy read measures here: Sweetgum.
The Blue Ridge mountains of north Georgia produce warm golds and russets from hickories and oaks, with red maples and sweetgums providing the scarlet and purple accents.
Questions people ask about Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
- When is peak fall foliage at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests?
Our forecast puts peak color at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3.
- Where is the best fall color at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is just past peak. The last band to peak was 0 to 1,000 feet, around Nov 5.
- How long does peak last at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests?
About four days at the top, Oct 31 to Nov 3, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 14 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 18 days.
- Is Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 1, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests?
Red Maple, Hickory, Sweetgum, Tulip Poplar, White Oak. The Blue Ridge mountains of north Georgia produce warm golds and russets from hickories and oaks, with red maples and sweetgums providing the scarlet and purple accents.
This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. We score it here against 16 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 7 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Nantahala is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Nov 8 best Nov 7 to 10
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
Fall color roads near Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Cherohala Skyway
Connects Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN across the Unicoi Mountains. Less traffic than the Parkway, equally spectacular.
- Newfound Gap Road
Crosses the spine of the Great Smokies at 5,046 feet. Color peaks at the top in early October and at the base by late October.
- Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section)
Mile markers 217 to 469. The highest and most dramatic section. Waterrock Knob, Craggy Gardens, and Graveyard Fields are must-stop overlooks.