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Autumn 2018 is just around the corner, and fall foliage North Carolina is graced by a vibrant palette of colors you just can’t find tucked into the back-to-school Crayola box.  Leaf peeping has become an annual tourist event that has surged over the years and for many good reasons.  Psychology Today ran an article three years ago, “How Autumn Leaves Change Our Inner Lives,” so aptly describing how “the memory persists, enriching your life in ways that may last long after the final leaf has fallen.”

It’s clear that folks who bask in Lenoir North Carolina weather get to reap the gift of living in the region day after glorious day.   When we stare out over a colorful vista, we feel the emotion and connection of being part of an awe-inspiring universe.  The Banner Elk elevation is the perfect spot to soak in all the colorful changes—the yellows, oranges, reds, and deep purples illuminated by the mountain sun.  No wonder this region of the country has been the rich source of inspiration for so many talented poets, painters and other renowned creative souls.  There is no doubt that slowing down to observe the transition from green to a splendor of color is good for us–mind, body and soul.

For those of you who are worried that our August rainfall will dampen the foliage, put your worries aside.  According to the Biology Department at ASU, rainfall does not lessen the vibrancy of fall foliage North Carolina.   Instead what truly makes for a gorgeous fall season is the sunshine and temperatures in September.  Howard Neufeld from ASU in Boone runs the Fall Color Guy Facebook page for those of you who like to keep informed.  “If we start to get a cool down, with sunny days and cool nights,” he explains…this will make for a spectacular and colorful show.  Meteorologists are calling exactly for that—normal fall temperatures and less rain will make for some incredible mountain displays.

Some experts have also studied the effects of elevation and latitude on our fall color, which would help explain the beauty of the foliage at places that share the same Banner Elk elevation.  This means that taking a spin down the Blue Ridge Parkway can give you a different colorful landscape from one location to the next.  Boone is 1000 feet higher in elevation than Asheville, so its trees have a colorful head start.  The region also has many micro climates which help create a diverse and visually stimulating landscape.

Wondering when to start your leaf peeping travels?  Anytime from here on into November.  The reds are already showing up in the higher elevations. Aim for the higher elevations first, like Banner Elk elevation, where all the magic starts.  We are fortunate in this region to have some of the highest peaks in the eastern US, and also to have such an extreme variation in elevation that our season lasts much longer than other areas of the country.  If you miss the peak change at one elevation, you can take a short excursion to a lower elevation and catch the highlights there the next week.

Those of us who are living a charmed life at The Coves, enhanced by Lenoir North Carolina weather, can hop onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and plan a fall adventure with ease.  The colors in this region will be most vivid in mid-October.  Take a colorful and leisurely ride to Grandfather Mountain, Boone, or Linville Falls and bring your camera to snap those astounding panoramic views from any number of convenient overlooks. 

Remember that the softer light of morning and evening are ideal for capturing the leaves.  Grandfather Mountain is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge and contains a variety of wildlife and flora and fauna, as well as hiking trails to raise your pulse along with your spirits.  The Linville River originates at Grandfather Mountain and cascades into two breathtaking falls.  The Linville trails are the perfect spot to be surrounded by autumn’s bright hues.

An abbreviated leaf peeper checklist for the area:

• Last week of September—higher elevations—Grandfather Mountain

• First week of October—high mountains of Asheville

• Second week of October—Mount Pisgah

• Third week of October—Banner Elk, Pisgah National Forest and Linville Gorge

So make sure you step outside your dream house at The Coves Mountain River Club and share the magic of the autumn season with your fellow neighbors and nature lovers.  Take a relaxing stroll beneath a canopy of brilliant hues and feel your stress slip away with every step. Bask in the temperate Lenoir North Carolina weather.  There is nothing more cathartic than focusing on the beauty that surrounds you at The Coves as well as the fall foliage North Carolina.

Call us at 828.754.0700 to schedule a visit!