Sunrise over autumn ridgelines in the Great Smoky Mountains

2026 seasonal report

Know Exactly When The Leaves Peak

Live color readings, elevation-by-date peak forecasts, and day-by-day plans for Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Cades Cove, Newfound Gap and Kuwohi.

Plan My Trip See Today's Color Map

Regional index: 7
Stage: Green
Tracked points: 13
Season shift: On time

Live leaf color meter

What will the leaves look like?

Pick where you are going and when. Hover any stage or day for what it looks like on the ground.

Your area

Your datesArriveDepart

Whole region from Aug 24 to Aug 30 (7 days): best reading is still green at 7/100 on Monday, August 24. Great for hiking and empty roads, not for color photos.

Whole region color index

7/100

Still green

Canopy is summer green with only scattered early turners.

Best day inside Aug 24 - Aug 30.

Chance of peak: 0%
Model confidence: 73%
Predicted peak: Oct 4 at Kuwohi(in 41 days)
Best day in window: Green

Day by day in your window

Aug 24Aug 30

Strongest color in your window: Monday, August 24 at 7/100.

National foliage map

Fall color across the country, week by week

Scrub the season to see when color reaches every county, then zoom back into the Smokies for the detailed forecast.

Week of

Aug 24

Loading county map...

Aug 24Dec 7

No changePatchyNear peakPeakPast peakMinimal

Checking this year's weather...

Peak dates start from a climatological model built on latitude, terrain and regional climate, then shift with this year's observed weather. Smoky Mountains readings on this site add hourly station data and webcam checks, so they stay the most precise.

Open the full foliage map

Live ridge color map

Great Smoky Mountains · 13 tracked points · 2026 season

Expand map

0Kuwohi · 6,643 ft 11Newfound Gap · 5,046 ft 9LeConte · 6,593 ft 5Roaring Fork · 2,600 ft 11Cades Cove · 1,800 ft 11Cataloochee · 2,650 ft 0Foothills Pkwy · 2,100 ft 7Gatlinburg · 1,289 ft 0Pigeon Forge · 1,010 ft 13Townsend · 1,050 ft 17Wears Valley · 1,400 ft 5Chimney Tops · 3,400 ft 5Little River · 1,700 ft

Color stage scale

GreenPeakPast

Cold nights

Vibrancy

Season shift

On time

Regional index

7/100

Green

Canopy is summer green with only scattered early turners.

Cold night index0 nights under 45°F

Rainfall deficitNormal

Full weather driver breakdown

Best color right now

Aug 24

Peaks coming up next

Full grid

6,643 ft

Kuwohi

Oct 4

On schedule

6,593 ft

LeConte

Oct 5

On schedule

5,046 ft

Newfound Gap

Oct 11

On schedule

3,400 ft

Chimney Tops

Oct 19

On schedule

Color by elevation band, today

Color descends this range roughly 1,000 feet per week.

5,500 ft +

High country

Green · 2 locations

4,000 – 5,500 ft

Upper slopes

Green · 1 location

2,500 – 4,000 ft

Mid elevation

Green · 3 locations

1,500 – 2,500 ft

Lower coves

Green · 3 locations

under 1,500 ft

Valley floor

Green · 4 locations

Plan your Smoky Mountain fall trip

Everything you need to time the color right.

Score your travel dates

A 0-100 trip score, a day-by-day route, and the elevation to chase each morning.

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Verify with real eyes

Live park webcams plus dated visitor photos that ground-truth the model.

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Where to go this weekend

Ranked picks for Friday through Sunday, plus quieter alternatives.

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