It’s officially Fall! Yesterday, 9/22/2022, was the first day of Fall and we could not be more excited! We continue to see more color popping up around town, but are still a week or more away from any vibrant color. Most of the trees are still mainly green with some color changing on specific branches.
It’s beginning to look more like fall past milepost 298 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The mileposts can be found on the right side of the road if you are traveling South and on the left side of the road if you are traveling North. They are short, wooden posts that are gray in color with numbers carved into them. At the moment, elevation is key, so the best color can be found at the Beacon Heights Parking Area (Elevation 4,220 ft) and the Stack Rock Parking Area (Elevation 4,286 ft) facing toward the mountain. If you are traveling to the area for leaves in early October, it is going to be imperative to visit Grandfather Mountain and get the most elevation to see the first changes.
Please note: While on the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are rules and etiquette to follow.
- Do not stop on the road. Anywhere, ever, but especially not on the Linn Cove Viaduct.
- You may pull off of the road anywhere as long as all four tires are off of the pavement. Please do not stop with your vehicle half on the road. The only exception is in places previously marked No Parking.
- If you are going to be driving well below the speed limit, utilize the overlooks to pull off and allow faster traffic to pass. The Parkway is a scenic drive but is also used for commuting. In some instances it is the only way for locals to get from point A to point B.