More than 100 native tree species grow in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and each starts to boast fall foliage on its own schedule. Eden Crest Vacation Rentals puts you within reach of all of it, with cabins and condos in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Wears Valley.
When Is the Best Time to Visit the Smoky Mountains?
Because the park ranges from 875 to 6,643 feet, fall foliage in the Great Smoky Mountains arrives in waves, so the best time to visit the Smoky Mountains depends on how high you go. The National Park Service and the Gatlinburg Fall Colors Report both track it:
- Early October: At elevations above 4,000 feet, American beech, yellow birch, and yellow buckeye turn golden, while mountain maple and pin cherry add red hues. The best views are from Kuwohi Road.
- Mid-October: Color is developing in the valleys on black gum, dogwood, and sourwood, although the peak color at lower elevations is still over a week away.
- Late October to Early November: View the vibrant colors at middle and lower elevations, including Gatlinburg, as sugar maples, scarlet oaks, and hickories change.
Where To See Fall Foliage in the Great Smoky Mountains
Scenic Drives Through the Park
- Newfound Gap Road: Climbing from 1,400 feet in Gatlinburg to over 5,000 feet at the state line.
- Kuwohi, Formerly Clingmans Dome: The park’s highest point and the first place you can view fall foliage in the Great Smoky Mountains. A half-mile paved path climbs to the observation tower.
- Cades Cove Loop Road: An 11-mile, one-way loop peaking in late October, framed by open pasture, historic cabins, and a working grist mill.
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail: A one-way road from stoplight #8 in Gatlinburg.
Embark on Autumn Hikes
- Alum Cave Trail to Inspiration Point: About two miles one way through old-growth forest to a rocky outcrop above the valley.
- Cove Hardwood Trail: A 0.75-mile loop at Chimneys Picnic Area, just off Newfound Gap Road, with a set of stairs at the start.
- Porters Creek Trail: Two miles round trip in Greenbrier to a historic barn and cabin, and quieter than most park trails.
Fall Colors From Above in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
Would you rather ride than drive? Three spots lift you above the breathtaking scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains for fall foliage viewing:
- Anakeesta: Take a chondola ride to a mountaintop park whose TreeTop Skywalk strings more than 800 feet of bridges through the treetops.
- Gatlinburg SkyPark: Ride a chairlift to Crockett Summit and the SkyBridge, billed as North America’s longest pedestrian cable bridge.
- The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel: A 200-foot wheel lifts glass gondolas above The Island for wide mountain views.
Where to Stay for Leaf-Peeping Season
Eden Crest Vacation Rentals offers cozy hideaways and luxury cabin rentals in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains with hot tubs, fireplaces, and ridge-facing decks where the Great Smoky Mountains, painted in fall foliage, are the view from your morning coffee.
Your stay also unlocks our Passport to Paradise program, with up to $600 per night in free activity tickets (review current guidelines).