2021 GA Fall Foliage: Colors Inch Across Northern Counties

GEORGIA — While it's officially fall, Georgia needs more sunny days and cool — but not freezing — nights to kickstart bright leaf color and put on a show for leaf-peepers.

"Right now, only a few trees are starting to pop, but it won’t be long before gorgeous fall hues blanket our forests," the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said in its Friday Leaf Watch. "Only Mother Nature knows when trees will peak, but the most vibrant color usually begins in mid- to late October at the higher elevations in north Georgia, extending into early November at lower elevations."

In Georgia, the week of Oct. 25 looks good for a fall leaf viewing trip in north Georgia and metro Atlanta, while the peak in most of middle and south Georgia isn't until the week of Nov. 1, according to the Fall Foliage Prediction Map.

Some of the top places to see fall leaves in Georgia to consider:

• Lookout Mountain: You can see up to 400 native plants in the main gardens and watch them change over the autumn months. If you go up to Lover’s Leap, they say you can see foliage across seven states — but if you're trying to avoid the hikes, you can take a ride on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.
• Tallulah Gorge State Park: Tallulah Gorge brings in crowds all season. But for the fall, hiking along the rim trails, on the 80-foot tall suspension bridge and down the canyon are all great places to see the changing leaves (but you'll need a permit to hike into the canyon).
• Red Top Mountain State Park: Explore the park on the 15 miles of trails through the forest, or gaze at the leaves from Lake Allatoona — you can even bring your own watercraft or rent a boat from the marina. If you’re looking for a bit of both, check out the Iron Hill Trail for a 4-mile lakeside hike.

The Georgia DNR also suggests visiting these parks for great foliage:

• Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge — Dawsonville
• Black Rock Mountain State Park — Clayton
• Cloudland Canyon State Park — Near Chattanooga
• F.D. Roosevelt State Park — Pine Mountain
• Fort Mountain State Park — Chatsworth
• Moccasin Creek State Park — Lake Burton
• Smithgall Woods State Park — Helen
• Unicoi State Park & Lodge — Helen
• Vogel State Park — Blairsville

To help leaf peepers plan their fall escapes, Georgia State Parks has launched “Leaf Watch 2021” to track autumn color as it moves across the Peach State.

Found at GaStateParks.org/LeafWatch, the travel planner is filled with top trails and overlooks, mountain cabins and campsites, fall events and safe hiking tips. Shutterbugs can share their favorite shots on Instagram, tagging #GaLeafWatch and @GaStateParks for a chance to have their photos featured by the park system.

With a variety of trails and accommodations, state parks have been especially busy during the past year, so rangers encourage guests to visit on weekdays or to explore lesser-known destinations like Victoria Bryant, James H. Floyd or Don Carter state parks.

Most years, Georgia’s mountain parks peak toward the end of October. Color continues to blanket lower elevations into early November. Even some locations in southern Georgia sport beautiful hues into late November, such as George L. Smith and Providence Canyon state parks, the DNR said.

Officials suggest visitors make reservations as soon as possible, even for October 2022, since mountain cabins can be booked more than a year in advance. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-864-7275 or at GaStateParks.org.

David Angotti, an expert on statistics, created the first Fall Foliage Prediction Map to help visitors plan their Great Smoky Mountains vacations when autumn leaves are the most brilliant. Later he expanded the site to collect data for the entire country.

To use the map, simply slide the scale to the right to see when leaves will peak in your state. Zero in on your county, and you'll be able to decide whether it's best to plan a northern, southern, eastern or western route.

Map credit: SmokyMountains.com

The tool has developed as a fall vacation planning essential. Last year alone, it received more than 5 million views on SmokyMountains.com and about 30 million more on the news websites, including Patch.

What Causes The Different Colors

You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to thrive — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.

But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a halt. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.

Beta carotene, the same pigment that makes carrots orange, reflects the yellow and red light from the sun and gives leaves an orange hue.

The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.

And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?

They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.