Foliage map › Destinations › North Carolina › Boone
Boone, North Carolina fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Boone area peaks around October 20, with the best viewing from roughly October 18 to October 27.
- Typical peak
- October 20
- Best viewing
- Oct 18 – Oct 27
- Color starts
- Around Oct 8
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 2
- Elevation
- 3,330 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 20. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Boone on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Boone
Boone sits in a high valley at about 3,300 feet. For a view over town and the surrounding mountains, Howard Knob, more than 1,000 feet above Boone, looks out over the valley and the Appalachian State University campus. About 11 miles north, Elk Knob State Park has a trail to a 5,500-foot summit with views that reach Grandfather Mountain and, on clear days, Mount Mitchell and Virginia’s Mount Rogers. South of town, the Rough Ridge area along the Blue Ridge Parkway has a boardwalk across open rock with long views.
Scenic drive
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a few miles south of Boone. Head south past Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and Price Lake to the Linn Cove Viaduct, which curves around Grandfather Mountain, with Rough Ridge along the way. Sections of the Parkway can close, so check its status before you go. For more on the stretch near Blowing Rock, see that page.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Mount Mitchell, NC (45 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 13 days earlier, and Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome), TN (112 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 12 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Asheville, NC (65 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 6 days later, and Charlotte, NC (83 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 13 days later.
National park and forest guide
Scenic drive guide
Nearby destinations
- Blowing Rock, NCTypical peak Oct 19, about the same time. 6 miles away.
- Mount Mitchell, NCTypical peak Oct 7, 13 days earlier. 45 miles away.
- Asheville, NCTypical peak Oct 26, 6 days later. 65 miles away.
- Charlotte, NCTypical peak Nov 2, 13 days later. 83 miles away.
- Blacksburg, VATypical peak Oct 24, 4 days later. 99 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Boone?
In a typical year, fall color in the Boone area peaks around October 20, with the best viewing from roughly October 18 to October 27. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
When is peak week for fall color in Boone?
In a typical year, peak week in Boone falls around October 20, and the best viewing usually runs from about October 18 to October 27. Higher spots nearby, like Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway above town, often turn a few days sooner.
How long does peak color last in Boone?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 10 days. Color starts to show around October 8, and most leaves are down by about November 2.
Is Boone early or late compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Boone typically peaks about 3 days earlier than the North Carolina average of Oct 22. It ranks 4 of 7 North Carolina destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Boone?
The main fall color in this area comes from red maple, sourwood, tulip tree, and shagbark hickory. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.