National Forest·North Carolina, Tennessee·661,726 acres
Cherokee 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 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 Cherokee National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Cherokee National Forest around Oct 25, and the four days to aim for are Oct 24 to 27.
The forest runs from about 1,376 to 3,293 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 12 days: the high stands around Oct 22, the low ground around Oct 31. That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest | 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 |
| 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 |
- 3,000–3,500 ftFadingpeak Oct 225%
- 2,500–3,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 2411%
- 2,000–2,500 ftFadingpeak Oct 2726%
- 1,500–2,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 2944%
- 1,000–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 3111%
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 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.
Saturday, October 24 to Sunday, October 25
You’ll find it peak color up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 2,500 feet the stands peak around Oct 24; down at 1,500 feet they hold on until about Oct 31. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 2,500–3,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 24
- 2,000–2,500 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 27
- 1,500–2,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 29
- 1,000–1,500 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 31
- Where to drive
- Newfound Gap Road, about 15 miles · Cherohala Skyway, about 52 miles · Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 59 miles
- What turns
- northern red oak, white oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, sugar maple
What turns, and when
- northern red oak29%
- white oak22%
- red maple21%
- shagbark hickory14%
- sugar maple7%
- tulip poplar3%
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 Cherokee National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Cherokee National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Cherokee National Forest around Oct 25, and the four days to aim for are Oct 24 to 27.
- Where is the best fall color at Cherokee National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is fading. The last band to peak was 1,000 to 1,500 feet, around Oct 31.
- How long does peak last at Cherokee National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 24 to 27, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 12 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 16 days.
- Is Cherokee National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 25, and on Nov 10 it's fading.
- What trees turn color at Cherokee National Forest?
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
Nantahala and Pisgah are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 21 best Oct 20 to 23
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
Fall color roads near Cherokee National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- 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.
- 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.