Wilderness Area·North Carolina·11,948 acres
Linville Gorge Wilderness
Forecast issued Nov 11, 7:48am 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 Linville Gorge Wilderness in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Linville Gorge Wilderness around Oct 24, and the four days to aim for are Oct 23 to 26.
The wilderness runs from about 1,329 to 3,838 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 12 days: the high stands around Oct 20, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 2,500 to 3,000 ft, 3,000 to 3,500 ft, 3,500 to 4,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Peak color | 1,000 to 1,500 ft, 1,500 to 2,000 ft, 2,000 to 2,500 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Just past peak | |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Fading |
- 3,500–4,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 2014%
- 3,000–3,500 ftFadingpeak Oct 2214%
- 2,500–3,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2420%
- 2,000–2,500 ftFadingpeak Oct 2615%
- 1,500–2,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2921%
- 1,000–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3014%
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.
Friday, October 23 to Saturday, October 24
You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 3,500 feet the stands peak around Oct 20; down at 1,500 feet they hold on until about Oct 30. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 3,500–4,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 20
- 3,000–3,500 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 22
- 2,500–3,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 24
- 2,000–2,500 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 26
- 1,500–2,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 29
- 1,000–1,500 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 30
- Where to drive
- Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 18 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 88 miles · Cherohala Skyway, about 124 miles
- What turns
- northern red oak, red maple, white oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- northern red oak27%
- red maple23%
- white oak18%
- shagbark hickory14%
- sugar maple9%
- tulip poplar4%
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 Linville Gorge Wilderness
- When is peak fall foliage at Linville Gorge Wilderness?
Our forecast puts peak color at Linville Gorge Wilderness around Oct 24, and the four days to aim for are Oct 23 to 26.
- Where is the best fall color at Linville Gorge Wilderness right now?
On Nov 11 the wilderness is fading. The last band to peak was 1,000 to 1,500 feet, around Oct 30.
- How long does peak last at Linville Gorge Wilderness?
About four days at the top, Oct 23 to 26, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 12 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 16 days.
- Is Linville Gorge Wilderness past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 24, and on Nov 11 it's fading.
- What trees turn color at Linville Gorge 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
Pisgah and Blue Ridge Parkway and Cherokee are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
- Peak Oct 19 best Oct 18 to 21
Fall color roads near Linville Gorge Wilderness
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, so allow more by road.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cherohala Skyway
Connects Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN across the Unicoi Mountains. Less traffic than the Parkway, equally spectacular.