The federal government shutdown has gone into effect as of October 1,2025 — but the good news is that your fall trip to Asheville is still very much on.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Pisgah National Forest remain open to drivers and hikers, so you can experience the iconic scenic drives, overlooks, and mountain trails that make autumn in Asheville so special.
Here’s what you can expect right now:
- Pisgah National Forest: The Pisgah Visitor Center remains open, and garbage services are continuing as usual. For most visitors, Pisgah will look and feel just as it always does in fall.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Most roads, trails, restrooms, and campgrounds are open. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is also open, and trash collection is continuing. A few areas, including Cades Cove Loop Road and Picnic Area, Cades Cove Visitor Center, Chimneys Picnic Area, and Sugarlands Visitor Center, are currently closed.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: The Parkway remains open for scenic drives, overlooks, and trail access, offering some of the best fall color in the country. Thanks to support from the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, several key visitor facilities are open, including the Asheville Parkway Visitor Center (milepost 384), the Museum of North Carolina Minerals in Spruce Pine (milepost 331), and the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia (milepost 213). These sites will operate daily or on select days through mid-October, providing maps, exhibits, and local cultural experiences.
And remember: fall color in Asheville doesn’t stop at federal lands. Across the region, seasonal beauty is on full display:
- Biltmore Estate: Late-summer wildflowers and blooming mums fill the gardens, while dogwoods, sourwoods, and maples show their first flashes of fall color across the estate.
- North Carolina Arboretum: The Bonsai Garden offers a miniature reflection of the region’s seasonal shift.
- Downtown Asheville: Cafés, breweries, rooftop bars, and galleries are all buzzing, providing plenty of cozy stops after a leaf-peeping drive.
🍂 For the latest fall updates, check our Fall Color Report and Fall Planning Pages.
Tip: Book your lodging now—fall weekends sell quickly, and the colors are already starting to turn.