National Recreation Area·Georgia·5,036 acres
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
Roadsides and wetland edges turn first, and the woods behind them run a few days later.
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 River National Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area around Nov 8, and the four days to aim for are Nov 7 to 10.
That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the recreation area | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Nearly peak | |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | 0 to 1,000 ft, 1,000 to 2,000 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Peak color | |
| Nov 16 to Nov 22 | Just past peak |
- 1,000–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 727%
- 0–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 873%
Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.
That’s 4 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
The place
Today the river valley attracts us for so many reasons. Take a solitary walk to enjoy nature’s display, raft leisurely through the rocky shoals with friends, fish the misty waters as the sun comes up, or have a picnic on a Sunday afternoon. Get Outdoors and experience your Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area as you have never done before.
Established 1978.
If 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, November 7 to Sunday, November 8
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 1,000–2,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 7
- 0–1,000 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 8
- Where to drive
- Cherohala Skyway, about 93 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 121 miles
- What turns
- white oak, northern red oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, tulip poplar
What turns, and when
- white oak31%
- northern red oak24%
- red maple20%
- shagbark hickory12%
- tulip poplar3%
- sweetgum3%
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 River National Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area around Nov 8, and the four days to aim for are Nov 7 to 10.
- Where is the best fall color at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 10 the recreation area is peak color. By elevation, the color is at peak at 0 to 1,000 feet.
- How long does peak last at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area?
About four days at the top, Nov 7 to 10, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area past peak?
No. It's at peak now, on Nov 10, and the four days to aim for are Nov 7 to 10.
- What trees turn color at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area?
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 7 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 13 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made
Nearby, and when they turn
Chattahoochee-Oconee is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Oct 29 best Oct 28 to 31
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
Fall color roads near Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the recreation area, 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.