Wild and Scenic River·Tennessee·3,160 acres
Obed Wild and Scenic River
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 Obed Wild and Scenic River in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Obed Wild and Scenic River around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3.
The river runs from about 999 to 1,478 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 3 days: the high stands around Nov 1, the low ground around Nov 3. That's 5 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the river | 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 | 1,250 to 1,500 ft |
| Nov 2 to Nov 8 | Peak color | 750 to 1,000 ft, 1,000 to 1,250 ft |
| Nov 9 to Nov 15 this week | Just past peak |
- 1,250–1,500 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 162%
- 1,000–1,250 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 229%
- 750–1,000 ftJust past peakpeak Nov 35%
Height off 3DEP inside the river’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the river 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.
Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, November 1
You’ll find it peak color.
That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.
- 1,250–1,500 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 1
- 1,000–1,250 ftPeak colorpeak Nov 2
- Where to drive
- Cherohala Skyway, about 69 miles · Newfound Gap Road, about 82 miles · Blue Ridge Parkway (NC Section), about 144 miles
- What turns
- white oak, northern red oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, tulip poplar
What turns, and when
- white oak30%
- northern red oak21%
- red maple20%
- 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 Obed Wild and Scenic River
- When is peak fall foliage at Obed Wild and Scenic River?
Our forecast puts peak color at Obed Wild and Scenic River around Nov 1, and the four days to aim for are Oct 31 to Nov 3.
- Where is the best fall color at Obed Wild and Scenic River right now?
On Nov 10 the river is just past peak. The last band to peak was 750 to 1,000 feet, around Nov 3.
- How long does peak last at Obed Wild and Scenic River?
About four days at the top, Oct 31 to Nov 3, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the river's elevations the color moves over about 3 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 7 days.
- Is Obed Wild and Scenic River past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Nov 1, and on Nov 10 it's just past peak.
- What trees turn color at Obed Wild and Scenic River?
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
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Great Smoky Mountains are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 23 best Oct 22 to 25
- Peak Oct 25 best Oct 24 to 27
- Peak Oct 19 best Oct 18 to 21
Fall color roads near Obed Wild and Scenic River
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the river, 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.