Wilderness Area·North Carolina, Tennessee·19,247 acres
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
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 Thursday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness around Oct 23, and the four days to aim for are Oct 22 to 25.
The wilderness runs from about 1,465 to 4,698 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 13 days: the high stands around Oct 17, the low ground around Oct 30. That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the wilderness | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Nearly peak | 4,000 to 5,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 3,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak | 1,000 to 2,000 ft, 2,000 to 3,000 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Just past peak | |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Fading |
- 4,000–5,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1718%
- 3,000–4,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2228%
- 2,000–3,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2633%
- 1,000–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3021%
Height off 3DEP inside the wilderness’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the wilderness stands in it.
That’s 4 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.
Thursday, October 22 to Friday, October 23
You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 4,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 17; down at 2,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 30. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 4,000–5,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 17
- 3,000–4,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 22
- 2,000–3,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 26
- 1,000–2,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 30
- Where to drive
- Cherohala Skyway, about 6 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 34 miles · Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 103 miles
- What turns
- northern red oak, red maple, white oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- northern red oak26%
- red maple24%
- white oak14%
- shagbark hickory13%
- sugar maple11%
- tulip poplar6%
Also named across North Carolina, outside what the canopy read measures here: Sourwood.
Sourwoods turn deep crimson before anything else, tulip poplars go clear gold, hickories fade to bronze, and the layered ridgelines of the Blue Ridge create that famous smoky depth of warm color.
Questions people ask about Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness around Oct 23, and the four days to aim for are Oct 22 to 25.
- Where is the best fall color at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness right now?
On Nov 10 the wilderness is fading. The last band to peak was 1,000 to 2,000 feet, around Oct 30.
- How long does peak last at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 22 to 25, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 13 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 17 days.
- Is Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 23, and on Nov 10 it's fading.
- What trees turn color at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Tulip Poplar, Red Maple, Sourwood, Hickory, White Oak. Sourwoods turn deep crimson before anything else, tulip poplars go clear gold, hickories fade to bronze, and the layered ridgelines of the Blue Ridge create that famous smoky depth of warm color.
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
Great Smoky Mountains and Southern Nantahala Wilderness and Cherokee are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
- Peak Oct 26 best Oct 25 to 28
Fall color roads near Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, 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.