Asheville Fall Color Report

Fall Color Report: Week of October 12, 2026

Fall color is arriving closer to home. This week our Fall Color Hunters found the first golds and oranges popping up around downtown Asheville, yellow-lined trails on Bearwallow Mountain less than 20 miles away, and a fast-changing stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Pisgah National Forest. A warm September pushed the season about a week behind schedule, and Fall Color Guy Howie Neufeld expects good color along much of the Parkway through next weekend before it moves down into the foothills. All signs point to a long, drawn-out fall.

Downtown Asheville and The Omni Grove Park Inn
Elevation: about 2,130 ft

Color is starting to pop up around the city. Reggie Tidwell's Oct. 13 drone shots over downtown and The Omni Grove Park Inn show the first golds and oranges mixing into the green. "It's looking like we'll have an extended fall this year," Reggie says. "I think we've earned it!"

Bearwallow Mountain
Elevation: 4,232 ft at the summit

About 19 miles from downtown, Bearwallow Mountain is an easy win for color right now. MsPearl Productions took the gated gravel fire road to the top, just under a mile and steep in places, lined with yellow and orange the whole way. At the summit, a grassy bald opens to 360-degree views. Park along Bearwallow Mountain Road without blocking the gate, and for a loop, hike the trail up and the fire road down. Cattle graze the summit, so keep pups leashed and pack out what you bring.

Hot Springs
Elevation: about 1,330 ft

Along the French Broad River, Hot Springs is showing a beautiful mix of green and fall color. Reggie Tidwell flew over town on Oct. 10 and 11 and says it's attractive at all hours, sparkling extra brightly on sunny days. As one of the lower-elevation spots in the region, Hot Springs should keep getting more colorful over the next few weeks.

Pink Beds, Funnel Top and Looking Glass Rock Overlooks
Mileposts 409.3 to 417, elevation 4,492 to 4,925 ft

This stretch of the Parkway near Pisgah National Forest is coming on fast. Reggie Tidwell returned to Looking Glass Rock two weeks after his last visit and found it noticeably more colorful, with some time still left. At Pink Beds Overlook, he caught the ridgelines against a fiery sunrise. "Sunrises and sunsets seem to look more spectacular in the fall," Reggie says. "Maybe it's just me." Funnel Top Overlook, just north, is another easy pull-off for the same view.

Big Ridge Overlook
Milepost 403.6, elevation 3,820 ft

For sunset, MsPearl Productions came down from Bearwallow and headed south on the Parkway to Big Ridge Overlook, where the view stretches across a wide valley to row after row of ridgelines. They caught the full spectrum, from gold to pink to deep blue, with fall color glowing in the foreground. Arrive about 30 minutes before sunset and stay for the afterglow. Bring a headlamp and a warm layer, because it gets dark and cold fast on the Parkway. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is reachable from the overlook.

Linn Cove Viaduct and Stack Rock
Mileposts 304.4 to 304.8

For a day trip, MsPearl Productions drove north on the Parkway toward Blowing Rock, and the color got brighter the higher they climbed. At Stack Rock Parking Area (Milepost 304.8), a short walk along the Parkway opens to valley views with color climbing Grandfather Mountain. Just north, the Linn Cove Viaduct curves around the mountain's slopes, ringed in red and orange. Park at the Linn Cove Visitor Center and take the short trail beneath the viaduct for a view from below, or hike the Tanawha Trail to Rough Ridge for the view from above. The Stack Rock lot is small, so arrive early.

Price Lake
Milepost 296.7

At Julian Price Park, color now wraps around the 47-acre lake, and on a still day the water doubles it in the reflection. Park at Price Lake Overlook and walk the easy 2.7-mile loop, which hugs the shoreline and stops at piers for wildlife watching. Dogs are welcome on a leash, and there's no admission fee. MsPearl Productions also stopped at nearby Green Mountain Overlook, where storm clouds rolled over ridges full of color.

Fall Color Photo Tip: Chase the Golden Hours

Fall light is low and warm, and sunrise and sunset make ridgelines and foliage glow. Reggie Tidwell's favorite shots this week came at sunrise from Pink Beds Overlook, and MsPearl Productions caught a full-spectrum sunset at Big Ridge Overlook. Get there 30 minutes early to set up, and don't leave the moment the sun drops: the afterglow often brings the best color in the sky. On foggy days, be patient. At Grandfather Mountain Overlook (Milepost 306.6), MsPearl Productions watched the clouds shift every few minutes before the slopes came into view.

Expert Insight from the Fall Color Guy

Howie Neufeld says this season is running 5 to 7 days behind schedule because of the unusually warm September and October. He expects this week and the weekend of Oct. 17 and 18 to offer the best color along much of the Parkway, with color persisting into the weekend of Oct. 24 and 25 before it moves into the foothills. Last week, Howie projected Asheville would peak in the last week of October, with lower elevations holding color into early November. The remnants of Hurricane Isaias knocked down some leaves last weekend, but plenty of reds, oranges and yellows remain.

Looking Ahead

Color in and around Asheville is just getting started, so the coming weeks should bring more to the city and the foothills. The weekend forecast calls for a slight chance of rain Friday, then cooler temperatures and sunny skies starting Saturday. If you're heading to the Parkway, go on a weekday if you can and start early to beat leaf-season traffic. Turn your headlights on before the tunnels and download maps before you go, since cell service is spotty. For the latest, follow our interactive fall color map and check back next week.

Views From the Field: October 9 - 14

Scroll through the gallery below for pictures from this last week's color hunting. Click into the photos and videos for date stamps, descriptions and location info.

Views From the Field: September 17 - October 1

Scroll through the gallery below for pictures from all prior 2026 weeks of color hunting. Click into the photos and videos for date stamps, descriptions and location info.

Meet Asheville's 2026 Fall Color Hunters

Meet Asheville's Fall Color Hunters, a group of talented local photographers passionate about capturing the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each week, they'll share updates on when and where to catch the region's best and brightest fall color, plus local insights on what to expect when visiting Asheville during the fall.