Foliage map › National parks and forests › Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway fall foliage
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge and other Appalachian ranges, from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Elevation drives the timing: the highest stretches in North Carolina typically peak in early October, the Boone and Blowing Rock area in mid-October, and the lower sections in Virginia in late October.
- Typical peak
- Oct 7 – Oct 30
- Location
- Virginia and North Carolina
- Length
- 469 miles long
- Elevation
- About 650 to 6,053 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 19 at Blowing Rock. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for Blowing Rock, at 3,570 feet. See below for other parts of the parkway.
Peak by place and elevation
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each place. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s status.
The season at Blowing Rock
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.
Where to see the color in the Blue Ridge Parkway
In Virginia, Humpback Rocks, near the northern end, and the Peaks of Otter, where Sharp Top rises above Abbott Lake, are classic stops, along with Mabry Mill, an old gristmill beside a pond. In North Carolina, the Linn Cove Viaduct curves around the side of Grandfather Mountain near Blowing Rock, and the Rough Ridge trail nearby crosses a boardwalk with long views. Farther south are Linville Falls, Craggy Gardens, Graveyard Fields, and the Looking Glass Rock overlook, and Richland Balsam, at 6,053 feet, is the highest point on the parkway.
Scenic drive
The parkway divides naturally into day trips: Rockfish Gap to Roanoke, past Humpback Rocks and the Peaks of Otter; Blowing Rock south past Grandfather Mountain and Linville Falls toward Mount Mitchell; and Asheville south past Graveyard Fields to Waterrock Knob. Sections of the parkway can close, so check its status before you go.
Trees you’ll see turning
Scenic drive guides
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway?
It depends on where you are. The highest sections in North Carolina, above 5,000 feet, typically peak in early October; the Boone and Blowing Rock area in mid-October; and the lower Virginia sections around Roanoke and the northern end in late October.
What is the best section of the Blue Ridge Parkway for fall color?
For a single day, the stretch from Blowing Rock past Grandfather Mountain to Linville Falls, and the high country south of Asheville around Graveyard Fields, are two of the most popular.