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Compare · 148 straight-line miles apart

Great Smoky Mountains vs Little River Canyonfall color

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee or Little River Canyon: which comes first?

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee usually comes first (Oct 1–Nov 10), Little River Canyon about 10 days later (Oct 21–Nov 10), going by each place's own sources. Their usual windows overlap Oct 21–Nov 10. They're 148 miles apart in a straight line.

Checked Sep 27. Sources (4)

Usual windows, side by side

Each place's own sources; not a forecast
Oct 1Oct 15Nov 1Nov 15

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee · usually oct 1–nov 10

Little River Canyon · usually oct 21–nov 10

Shaded: Oct 21–Nov 10, in both usual windows.

Side by side

Straight-line miles; roads are longer
Great Smoky Mountains, TennesseeLittle River Canyon
UsuallyOct 1–Nov 10Oct 21–Nov 10
This seasonNo official report yetNo official report yet
Elevation1,739 ft1,137 ft
First fall frostOct 25 Gatlinburg 2 SW, 1.8 miNov 8 Ft Payne, 6.3 mi

Elevation at the point we map (USGS). Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, the average first 32 °F night at the nearest station.

Where to go at each

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

  • Cades Cove Loop RoadBusy one-way loop drive
  • Roaring Fork Motor Nature TrailBusy one-way drive
  • Foothills ParkwayThree sections just outside the park
  • Lakeview DriveQuiet drive with views of Fontana Lake

Little River Canyon

  • Canyon Rim Parkway11-mile drive with eight overlooks
  • Little River FallsThe 45-ft falls where the canyon begins
  • Canyon View OverlookThe river about 400 ft below
  • Grace's High FallsA 133-ft seasonal waterfall, usually dry in summer
Sources (11)

Questions people ask

Which has fall color first, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee or Little River Canyon?

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, usually Oct 1–Nov 10; Little River Canyon usually Oct 21–Nov 10. Each place's own sourced window, not a forecast.

Can I see both on one trip?

In a typical year, Oct 21–Nov 10 falls in both usual windows. They're 148 straight-line miles apart; roads are longer.

Which is higher?

Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee: 1,739 ft at the point we map, against 1,137 ft (USGS). Higher places often turn earlier, but latitude matters as much.