National Forest·North Carolina, Tennessee·511,097 acres
Pisgah National Forest
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 Wind to 38 mph Thursday. Color may come down before it turns.
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 Pisgah National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Pisgah National Forest around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.
The forest runs from about 1,640 to 4,608 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 17 days: the high stands around Oct 15, the low ground around Oct 27. That's 2 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | 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 | 2,000 to 3,000 ft, 3,000 to 4,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak | 1,000 to 2,000 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Fading |
- 4,000–5,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 158%
- 3,000–4,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1929%
- 2,000–3,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2345%
- 1,000–2,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2714%
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 2 days later than our model alone would say. This season’s reports from the ground moved it, and they outrank us.
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.
Monday, October 19 to Tuesday, October 20
You’ll find it peak color up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 3,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 19; down at 2,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 27. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 3,000–4,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 19
- 2,000–3,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 23
- 1,000–2,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 27
- Where to drive
- Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 12 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 59 miles · Cherohala Skyway, about 95 miles
- What turns
- northern red oak, red maple, white oak, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- northern red oak27%
- red maple23%
- white oak19%
- 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 Pisgah National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Pisgah National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Pisgah National Forest around Oct 20, and the four days to aim for are Oct 19 to 22.
- Where is the best fall color at Pisgah National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 1,000 to 2,000 feet, around Oct 27.
- How long does peak last at Pisgah National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 19 to 22, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 17 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 21 days.
- Is Pisgah National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 20, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Pisgah National Forest?
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
Cherokee and Great Smoky Mountains and Nantahala and Southern Nantahala Wilderness and Blue Ridge Parkway are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
Fall color roads near Pisgah National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, 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.