Autumn is a beautiful and busy 3-4 weeks. The period of middle October to early November will bring an average of an astounding 40,000 leaf peepers a day to the Smokies. Plan your trip accordingly. When you get here, try one or more of the following auto tours:

Gatlinburg, Tennessee & Roaring Fork Motor Trail - In downtown Gatlinburg, turn at stoplight #8 onto Airport Road. At the intersection, continue straight into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Continue on until you see the sign for Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. It's a narrow one-way road that curls through great forests and parallels Roaring Fork Creek. Because it's narrow and winding, motor homes, buses and trailers are prohibited. There are several pullovers where you can stop and enjoy or photograph the brilliant colors. Nature trails and hikes also originate from the main road if you want to enjoy the area at an even more leisurely pace. Several historical pioneer structures have been preserved along the road for explration, and other points of interest include the Reagan tub mill where corn meal is ground and a waterfall called "Place of a Thousand Drips"--an extraordinary sight when it has been raining. This drive is roughly ten miles and takes the better part of two hours depending on traffic.

Cherokee NC and Balsam Mountain - Just north of Cherokee NC, on U.S. 441, turn onto the Blue Ridge Parkway--very near to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This scenic parkway follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 469 miles--to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. But that's another trip. About 11 miles along the Parkway turn left onto the road to Balsam Mountain campground. Turn at the campground and a little ways down the road you'll see Heintooga Picnic area. Walk to the far end of the picnic area and enjoy the autumn views from Heintooga Overlook. From the picnic area, take the one-way, unpaved Balsam Mountain Road. At this point, you are 27 miles from Cherokee NC. Enjoy the color from the northern hardwoods and eventually the souther hardwood color as you work your way back to Cherokee. Take note--Balsam Mountain Road closes November 1 and it is not recommended for larger vehicles such as buses, trailers and large campers. This tour takes about 3 hours and covers approximately 48 miles.

Townsend TN and Cades Cove - From Townsend, Tennessee, enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and turn right at the "Y" onto Laurel Creek Road towards Cades Cove. Cades Cove is the most popular attraction in the Park--visited by approximately 2 million enthusiasts each year. Enter the 11-mile loop road and follow it for six miles. If you can break yourself away, turn onto Forge Creek Road, following it to Parson Branch Road. Parson Branch Road is unpaved but maintained in excellent condition for passenger cars. You can enjoy the color and scenery for 8 miles until it ends at Hwy 129. Turn right onto Hwy 129 and wind your way past Chilhowee Lake to the Foothills Parkway. According to Park officials, this drive offers some of the best--and earliest--color in October. The Parway ends after 17 miles where you can turn right on Hwy 321 and enjoy some of the offerings in Townsend--the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies". This auto tour takes about 4-1/2 hours to cover 65 miles. It's a treat!

In the meantime, enjoy the fall color photos we've found for you.