Photos: Fall colors in NC mountains

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Oct. 28, 2022: Sunlight shines through the foliage on a tree and illuminates the remaining fall color in this view looking toward Grandfather from Blowing Rock.
Fall color in the N.C. High Country is now past its peak, but plenty of beautiful trees and landscapes remain. Routes into the area from lower elevations like Lenoir, Morganton, Marion and Wilkesboro also offer nice color. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 28, 2022: Sunlight shines through the foliage on a tree and illuminates the remaining fall color in this view looking toward Grandfather from Blowing Rock. Fall color in the N.C. High Country is now past its peak, but plenty of beautiful trees and landscapes remain. Routes into the area from lower elevations like Lenoir, Morganton, Marion and Wilkesboro also offer nice color. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 27, 2022: A northern red oak and red maple frame a landscape of rolling mountains at this vantage point in Blowing Rock. Fall color in the N.C. High Country is now past its peak, but plenty of beautiful trees and landscapes remain. Routes into the area from lower elevations like Lenoir, Morganton, Marion and Wilkesboro also offer nice color. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 27, 2022: A northern red oak and red maple frame a landscape of rolling mountains at this vantage point in Blowing Rock. Fall color in the N.C. High Country is now past its peak, but plenty of beautiful trees and landscapes remain. Routes into the area from lower elevations like Lenoir, Morganton, Marion and Wilkesboro also offer nice color. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 25, 2022: This photo comes from U.S. 221, along the section of the road that cuts across the flanks of Grandfather Mountain below the Blue Ridge Parkway. Routes into the High Country from lower elevations, such as U.S. 321 between Lenoir and Blowing Rock, N.C. 181 between Morganton and Pineola and U.S. 421 from Wilkesboro to Boone, are offering nice color right now. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 25, 2022: This photo comes from U.S. 221, along the section of the road that cuts across the flanks of Grandfather Mountain below the Blue Ridge Parkway. Routes into the High Country from lower elevations, such as U.S. 321 between Lenoir and Blowing Rock, N.C. 181 between Morganton and Pineola and U.S. 421 from Wilkesboro to Boone, are offering nice color right now. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 17, 2022: While thunderstorms and hail in the area last night means that some leaves are now on the ground, there is still beautiful color to be found in the NC High Country. Grandfather is past peak and expecting a chilly week ahead due to a cold snap moving in, but the park continues to provide prime locations for viewing vibrant fall foliage. This photo was taken at Woods Walk -- a picnic area with a gentle walking trail, it’s the perfect place for families and those not looking for a rocky trek. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 17, 2022: While thunderstorms and hail in the area last night means that some leaves are now on the ground, there is still beautiful color to be found in the NC High Country. Grandfather is past peak and expecting a chilly week ahead due to a cold snap moving in, but the park continues to provide prime locations for viewing vibrant fall foliage. This photo was taken at Woods Walk -- a picnic area with a gentle walking trail, it’s the perfect place for families and those not looking for a rocky trek. (Leslie Restivo/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 16, 2022: One way to enjoy fall color is via a scenic drive with a kaleidoscope of color overhead or grand views of the surrounding landscape in the distance. Some of the best routes right now are from Blowing Rock to Grandfather Mountain via the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC 105 from Boone to Linville and NC 194 from Valle Crucis to Banner Elk. This image was taken along NC 194 near Valle Crucis. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 16, 2022: One way to enjoy fall color is via a scenic drive with a kaleidoscope of color overhead or grand views of the surrounding landscape in the distance. Some of the best routes right now are from Blowing Rock to Grandfather Mountain via the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC 105 from Boone to Linville and NC 194 from Valle Crucis to Banner Elk. This image was taken along NC 194 near Valle Crucis. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 13, 2022: This photo shows one of the resident black bears, Carolina, in her scenic home at the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats at Grandfather Mountain. The trees within the Animal Habitats have developed nice color, as have those along the paved paths in this location of the park. The vantage points from the viewing areas around the bear and elk habitats are especially nice and provide long-range glimpses as the color moves down into lower elevations. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 13, 2022: This photo shows one of the resident black bears, Carolina, in her scenic home at the Mildred the Bear Animal Habitats at Grandfather Mountain. The trees within the Animal Habitats have developed nice color, as have those along the paved paths in this location of the park. The vantage points from the viewing areas around the bear and elk habitats are especially nice and provide long-range glimpses as the color moves down into lower elevations. (Landis Taylor/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 10, 2022: The shadow of the Mile High Swinging Bridge appears on a canvas of fall color at the top of Grandfather Mountain. A long (and continuing span) of sunny days and chilly nights have made the colors progress quickly and the mountainsides beautiful. This is the “peak week” for colors at Grandfather Mountain and surrounding areas. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 10, 2022: The shadow of the Mile High Swinging Bridge appears on a canvas of fall color at the top of Grandfather Mountain. A long (and continuing span) of sunny days and chilly nights have made the colors progress quickly and the mountainsides beautiful. This is the “peak week” for colors at Grandfather Mountain and surrounding areas. (Leslie Restivo/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 6, 2022: A particularly great spot for seeing fall color right now is outside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, looking up at Linville Peak. The sugar maples near the parking area and habitats have turned a mix of orange and red (as illustrated in this photo), and the striped maples on the paths to the habitats are now turning yellow. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 6, 2022: A particularly great spot for seeing fall color right now is outside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, looking up at Linville Peak. The sugar maples near the parking area and habitats have turned a mix of orange and red (as illustrated in this photo), and the striped maples on the paths to the habitats are now turning yellow. (Monty Combs/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 5, 2022: Nice pockets of fall color are developing at the highest elevations (above 4,000 feet) in the NC High Country, as illustrated by this image from the Rough Ridge area. An extremely popular spot in fall for long-distance views, the trail to Rough Ridge is located at Milepost 302.8 along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Grandfather Mountain. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 5, 2022: Nice pockets of fall color are developing at the highest elevations (above 4,000 feet) in the NC High Country, as illustrated by this image from the Rough Ridge area. An extremely popular spot in fall for long-distance views, the trail to Rough Ridge is located at Milepost 302.8 along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Grandfather Mountain. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

Oct. 4, 2022: This photo was taken at the top of Grandfather Mountain, near the Top Shop parking area. Typically a showstopper early in the season, the wild blueberries, also known as huckleberries, have turned a beautiful red at higher elevations. Grandfather Mountain and its immediate area are still mostly green with hints that a nice fall season is ahead of us. The weather this week is picture perfect with sunny days and chilly nights, also great ingredients for fall color progression. — Fall color at Grandfather Mountain Oct. 4, 2022: This photo was taken at the top of Grandfather Mountain, near the Top Shop parking area. Typically a showstopper early in the season, the wild blueberries, also known as huckleberries, have turned a beautiful red at higher elevations. Grandfather Mountain and its immediate area are still mostly green with hints that a nice fall season is ahead of us. The weather this week is picture perfect with sunny days and chilly nights, also great ingredients for fall color progression. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

October 07, 2022 at 1:41 pm EDT

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