National Forest·North Carolina·51,867 acres
Uwharrie National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 11, 7:48am 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 Uwharrie National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Uwharrie National Forest around Nov 4, and the four days to aim for are Nov 3 to 6.
That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest |
|---|---|
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Starting to turn |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Nearly peak |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
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.
Tuesday, November 3 to Wednesday, November 4
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- Where to drive
- Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 128 miles
- What turns
- white oak, northern red oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, tulip poplar
What turns, and when
- white oak31%
- northern red oak23%
- red maple19%
- shagbark hickory12%
- tulip poplar4%
- sweetgum4%
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.
Across North Carolina as a whole: Early October above 5,000 feet, mid-to-late October on the Parkway, early November in the Piedmont.
Questions people ask about Uwharrie National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Uwharrie National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Uwharrie National Forest around Nov 4, and the four days to aim for are Nov 3 to 6.
- Where is the best fall color at Uwharrie National Forest right now?
On Nov 11 the forest is just past peak. Nearby, Congaree National Park is at peak.
- How long does peak last at Uwharrie National Forest?
About four days at the top, Nov 3 to 6, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive.
- Is Uwharrie National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 4, and on Nov 11 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Uwharrie 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
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
- Peak Nov 10 best Nov 9 to 12
- Peak Nov 8 best Nov 7 to 10
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
Fall color roads near Uwharrie 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.