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Tennessee fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in Tennessee peaks from about October 8 around Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome, 6,643 ft) to about November 4 around Memphis (340 ft).
Based on a typical season
Tennessee fall foliage map
- Mostly green
- Starting to turn
- Moderate color
- Near peak
- Peak color
- Past peak
- Leaves down
Dots show the 8 Tennessee destinations we track, colored by today’s estimated stage. Select one for its forecast, or open the full foliage map to check any city or ZIP code.
Peak calendar
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each destination. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s estimated status.
How fall color moves through Tennessee
Tennessee’s color starts at the top of the Great Smoky Mountains and works its way down and west across the state. Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome), at about 6,640 feet, typically peaks around October 8, weeks ahead of everywhere else. The valleys and foothills of the Smokies follow in late October: Cades Cove around October 28, Gatlinburg around October 30, and Knoxville and Pigeon Forge around October 31. The lower ground finishes the season, with Nashville and Chattanooga around November 2 and Memphis around November 4.
Scenic drives
Newfound Gap Road (US 441) crosses the Great Smoky Mountains between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, North Carolina, climbing through several bands of color on the way to Newfound Gap. The Cades Cove Loop Road is an 11-mile one-way loop around a broad mountain valley. The Foothills Parkway runs along the edge of the Smokies with long views across the mountains, and its western section starts in Wears Valley, just west of Pigeon Forge. Farther south, the Cherohala Skyway crosses into North Carolina from Tellico Plains.
Planning around elevation
The Smokies can show every stage of fall color at once. Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome) typically peaks about three weeks before Gatlinburg, only about 10 miles away but more than 5,000 feet lower. Cades Cove and Newfound Gap Road are among the busiest places in the park in October, and Gatlinburg is crowded too, so starting early in the day helps.
If you miss peak
If the high Smokies are past peak, stay low: the valleys and foothills typically peak in late October. After that, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Memphis often have good color into early November.
Trees behind the color
National park and forest guide
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Tennessee?
In a typical year, fall color in Tennessee peaks from about October 8 around Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome, 6,643 ft) to about November 4 around Memphis (340 ft). Timing can shift by about a week in either direction depending on the weather.
Where does fall color peak first in Tennessee?
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome) is usually first among the Tennessee destinations we track, with peak around October 8. Higher and more northern spots turn before lower and more southern ones.
Where is the latest fall color in Tennessee?
Memphis usually peaks last, around November 4. Later color here is usually found lower down, so if you miss peak in the higher country, head toward places like Memphis.
What trees give Tennessee its fall color?
The biggest contributors at the destinations we track include red maple, tulip tree, shagbark hickory, sweetgum, sourwood, and American beech.
Check any city or ZIP code in Tennessee.
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