Can anybody tell me what the leafcolor situation isaround and just north of the Cherokee NC area? We are planning to ride up to Cherokee then up the BR pkwy to Asheville this weekend. I believe in may be a little early but thisourweekend to get away.
Thanks in advance.

 

I was in the area the first week of Oct. Rode the Dragon, and the Smokey Mountian parkway, Color is just starting in that area. Should be a few more weeks to hit peak. Enjoy the trip

 

Not much going on yet, I was up near Ashville, NC last Sunday and there were only a few splashes of color around.

 

you'll see them in full color within 2 -3 weeks...i just left, about 20% have changed...daily you notice the move to gold and red..then reds have come out but the golds and yellows are still at least 10 days out....locals are sayin it wont be a long leaf season bc of the drought...i also noticed lots of leaves beginning to drop

 

I was up there 3 weeks ago. Theywere in a bad drought and they think that might impact the changing of the leaf colors.
Tom

 

Usually, when the temperature drops to 39 F, the leaves begin turning. We are 35 miles from Cherokee and this morning it was 43 here at the house. I am on the Tennessee side of the mountains, but if it is 43 here, it was probably 39 in the higher elevations. It's going to be colder tonight than it was this morning, so count on some color. We rode to the Allardt Pumpkin Festival last weekend up on the Cumberland Plateau, and their was significant color along Tn. 52 and U.S. 27.

 

Yep. I live in NC and we have been very low on rain. The only leafs that are changing around here are turning brown...a few red ones here and there.

The temp today is down by about 15-20 degrees of what it was last week, so maybe some cold air is here to stay. If so, they should start changing anytime now.

 

I ride these mountains most every weekend all year
round and I ride plenty of roads that are not on maps
as well as the great maped roads.

I'm going up again this weekend for the last weekend
of camping at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle camp ground
as they are closing for the season.

http://www.blueridgemotorcyclecamp.com/

I've only lived here 10 years, but I can tell you from
riding these mountains over 50,000 miles a year every
year this year is pretty darn good for leaf change colors
compared to other years I've seen. The colors are very
bright in lots of areas, brighter then any year I've seen
in the past on my favorite roads.

As far as comercial high traffic tourist roads go, the BRP
from NC. HWY 276 @ the BRP to NC. HWY 19 @ the BRP
is very beautiful right now. But it is at it's best going from
276 to 19 which is going to Cherokee which is the wrong
way for you on your ride. The good news is that ride from
19 to 276 is only just over 40 miles, so you could ride over
the top and back for a total of 80 or 90 miles and it would
be well worth it IMO..

Theres a bunch of great roads that are changing very
nicely right now, if you would like some info. or to tag
along with us give me a call my Shop/Cell is
704-236-2885 we will be at the BRM/CCG which is
about45 minutes from Cherokee, Fiday night and
Saturday night.

Good luck and enjoy your ride!

 

OK, next subject. I love it up there so much that I'm getting vacation-sick hearing all that. 13 years to retirement and I'll be a resident of Maggie Valley.

---Chris

 

Chris;

In 13 years you won't be able to retire in Maggie Valley
unless your a multi millionaire. I've whatched prices go
thru the roof in the last 10 years and I could not even
imagine what it will be in 13 more years.[&o]

Maggie Valley will be a full sized city one day at the rate
Florida and North East people are moving in there! [:'(][&o]