National River and Recreation Area·Kentucky, Tennessee·113,633 acres
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
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 Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area around Oct 31, and the four days to aim for are Oct 30 to Nov 2.
The recreation area runs from about 976 to 1,543 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 2 days: the high stands around Oct 30, the low ground around Nov 1. That's 5 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the recreation area | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Starting to turn | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Nearly peak | |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Peak color | 750 to 1,000 ft, 1,000 to 1,250 ft, 1,250 to 1,500 ft, 1,500 to 1,750 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
- 1,500–1,750 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3012%
- 1,250–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3156%
- 1,000–1,250 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 125%
- 750–1,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 16%
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 5 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 30 to Saturday, October 31
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 1,500–1,750 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 30
- 1,250–1,500 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 31
- 1,000–1,250 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 1
- Where to drive
- Cherohala Skyway, about 92 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 94 miles · Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 147 miles
- What turns
- white oak, red maple, northern red oak, shagbark hickory, tulip poplar
What turns, and when
- white oak30%
- red maple20%
- northern red oak20%
- shagbark hickory10%
- tulip poplar5%
- blackgum5%
Also named across Tennessee, outside what the canopy read measures here: Sourwood.
The Great Smoky Mountains produce a warm, layered fall where tulip poplars turn gold, sourwoods go crimson, hickories fade to bronze, and the ridgelines recede in hazy waves of color.
Questions people ask about Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area around Oct 31, and the four days to aim for are Oct 30 to Nov 2.
- Where is the best fall color at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 10 the recreation area is just past peak. The last band to peak was 750 to 1,000 feet, around Nov 1.
- How long does peak last at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area?
About four days at the top, Oct 30 to Nov 2, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the recreation area's elevations the color moves over about 2 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 6 days.
- Is Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 31, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area?
Tulip Poplar, Red Maple, Sourwood, Hickory, White Oak. The Great Smoky Mountains produce a warm, layered fall where tulip poplars turn gold, sourwoods go crimson, hickories fade to bronze, and the ridgelines recede in hazy waves of 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
Daniel Boone is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Nov 1 best Oct 31 to Nov 3
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 24 best Oct 23 to 26
- Peak Nov 1 best Oct 31 to Nov 3
Fall color roads near Big South Fork National River and 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.
- 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.