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Cherohala
Scenic Byway |
Weekly Fall Color Update 11/03/08 Color is absolutely beautiful now across the mountain valleys and foothills of western North Carolina. The drive on I-40 from Old Fort to Asheville is really nice now and Highway 74A from Asheville to Bat Cave is spectacular with the golds and reds of hickories and oaks putting on quite a show. Nantahala National Forest Botanist Duke Rankin wrote in on Tuesday "I just got back from Robbinsville, where the colors were outstanding -- full and bright, with the brilliant, fire red of the maples contrasted against the muted yellows of the poplars and hickories. It appears, however, that we're having a patchy fall -- some areas of the mountains, especially at low elevations and around Franklin -- have already lost their leaves. But if the leaves are still there, it's an excellent time to be in the woods." Forest botanist Gary Kauffman observed scattered patches of color from mid to low elevation, generally below 3000 feet. "The trees I have noted include yellow hickories, yellow birches, yellow poplars with scattered red blackgums, red to reddish orange maples and some lingering red dogwoods." Teresa Eisenbraun on the Grandfather District in Marion, NC reports that "going north on Hwy 181 a lot of the color has faded to very dull colors and many trees are already bare or halfway bare. With the trees that still have leaves, the color coming out is very muted and dull." Typically the last two weeks of October are best, but "leaf lookers" should still be able to find places with good color extending this year into mid November in the lower elevations and protected south facing coves. Check out some of the links below to get the latest recommendations on other good color spots in NC. Fall Color Information Links
USDA Forest Service Fall Color Update
Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau
Color Report
The Official Visit North Carolina Travel
Web Site The Weather Channel Fall Foliage Report
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This page was last updated 11/03/08 |
