NC Fall Foliage And NC Elevations
The importance of fall foliage and elevations. When you read a fall foliage report, the experts and meteorologists always mention mountain elevations. Why is mountain elevation so important? And where are the highest, mid, and lowest elevations in the NC mountains? This post will explain the reason elevation is so important. And list the different popular mountains in each elevation range.
NC Fall Foliage
Fall foliage colors always begin in the highest elevations, those over 5,000 feet. How and why the leaves change color is pretty complicated. But when the change does start taking place, elevation is significant. Higher elevations have cooler air temperatures. The cooler temperatures result in trees preparing to enter their winter dormant period. To add to that, the highest trees change color first, and the highest leaves in a tree change first. At the start of autumn, the air temperatures cool, and a tree’s growth cycle slows down. Since the leaves at the very top of the tree are furthest from the roots, nutrients stop reaching them first. Fewer nutrients mean less chlorophyll. Without chlorophyll, the leaves lose the green. No chlorophyll results in the color change. The type of tree depends on the color of the leaves. Different tree species have different colors their leaves change into during the fall foliage season.
Fall Foliage Leaf Color Chart (image by WV Division of Forestry)
Elevations In The North Carolina Mountains
- Mount Mitchell – The highest mountain elevation in NC is Mount Mitchell. Mount Mitchell is 6,684 feet. It is located north of Asheville in Yancey County. At 6,684 feet, Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.
- Cold Mountain (6,030 ft)
- Richland Balsam – Height: 6,410 feet part of the Great Balsam Mountains. The highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 431
- Waterrock Knob – elevation of 6,292 feet. Located in both Haywood and Jackson counties in the western mountains of North Carolina. Located along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Grandfather Mountain – Grandfather Mountain is 5,946 feet. It is near Linville, North Carolina.
- Beech Mountain – Peak Elevation: 5,506 feet.
- Sugar Mountain – summit elevation of 5,300 feet.
- Banner Elk – 3,895 feet
- Blowing Rock – 3,566 feet
- Boone – elevation of 3,333 feet
- Mount Jefferson – is located in Ashe County, North Carolina. The mountain is part of the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. The mountain has an elevation of 4,665 feet.
- Highlands is at 4,500
- Cashiers – 3,484 feet. Located in Jackson County
- Pilot Mountain – elevation at the peak is 2,421 feet. Located near Mount Airy.
- Chimney Rock – Chimney Rock State Park is located in Rutherford County. The elevation is 2,280 feet.
- Valle Crucis – 2,858 feet. Located in Watauga County
- Asheville – is at 2,200 feet
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- Mount Mitchell
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- Grandfather Mountain
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- Mount Jefferson
Where To Go
Looking at the locations of the mountains you can understand why the Blue Ridge Parkway is so popular during the fall foliage season. The parkway runs right through some of the highest mountain ranges in North Carolina. Other areas to visit would be Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk. More south the areas of Cashiers, Highlands, and Franklin have some great views of the Nantahala National Forest. Bryson City and Cherokee are close to the Great Smoky Mountains. Views of the Great Smokies during the fall foliage season are very nice. And Asheville is a popular destination during October.
Typical Timing To View Peak Fall Foliage in NC Mountains
Late September – Spotty color begins at elevations over 6,000 feet in the highest mountains.
First week of October – Color appears at or above 5,000 feet elevation, including Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain.
Second week of October – color appears at the 4,000-5,000 feet elevations.
Third week of October – color spreads to the 3,000-4,000 feet elevations.
Fourth week of October – color makes it to the 2,000-3,000 feet elevations.
Early November- color spreads into the 1,000-2,000 feet elevations.
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