Skip to main content
Illustration

State guide

When to catch Tennesseethrough the year

The peaks we can name in Tennessee are the Great Smoky Mountains': spring wildflowers in mid- to late April at lower elevations, azaleas on Gregory Bald in late June or early July, and fall color below 4,000 feet between mid-October and early November. The park spans Tennessee and North Carolina.

When are you going?

Fall in Tennessee

Also good in fall

From each place's own sources; no peak claimed.

Places in Tennessee

Pick a part of the state; the map follows
  • Fall
  • Winter
Places on this map, as a list
Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census.

Planning a Tennessee trip

Everything here from each place's own sources

Park guides

Towns to stay in

Nearest place we follow, straight-line miles.

Fees, passes and reservations

Current park alerts (NPS)

Browse by season and event

Questions people ask

When do wildflowers peak in the Smokies?

Usually in mid- to late April at lower elevations, and a few weeks later on the highest peaks.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains wildflowers ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is fall color best in the Smokies?

Below 4,000 feet the most brilliant displays usually come between mid-October and early November; the timing varies from year to year.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Should I book camping in the fall at Big South Fork?

Yes: fall is one of the most popular times to camp at Big South Fork, so book early.Source: National Park Service, Big South Fork fall card ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When do the wildflowers bloom at Big South Fork?

The Park Service's wildflower guide lists early spring flowers such as bloodroot and trout-lily in March, more through April and May, and asters and goldenrod in September and October. Weather and terrain shift bloom times.Source: National Park Service, Wildflowers of the Big South Fork ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is the best time to go at Cherokee National Forest?

North River Road from late March through April, when the bloom moves along the mountainside with the elevation; the Lost Creek trail in April and May.Sources: US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: North River Road ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Lost Creek Campground Wildflower Trail ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Where on North River Road are the best flowers at Cherokee National Forest?

Often in the first few miles of the higher elevations, just off the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Gap.Source: US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: North River Road ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Plan a Tennessee trip for your dates →Alerts for Tennessee

Nearby state guides: Alabama · Kentucky · Indiana · Mississippi

Tennessee in pictures

Illustrative photos, not current conditions
Green moss cushions and a small tan mushroom on a forest floor of pine needles and a fallen branch
Moss and a small mushroom among pine needles on the Unicoi Turnpike Trail, Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee, August 16, 2018 (no flowers shown). Photo: National Trails Office, US National Park Service · public domain · resized
A curving road under tall trees with golden yellow leaves
A road through fall color in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: (WT-en) Benjiho at English Wikivoyage · public domain · resized
Birding at Pace Point on Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
Birding at Pace Point, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (date not given).. Photo: Joan Howe/USFWS · public domain · resized

How we know

Every timing on this page, from these pages; checked Sep 30
Show all 10