Fall Foliage Peak Map 2019: When Autumn Leaves Are Best In GA

GEORGIA — As summer wanes, it's a good time to begin planning road trips to see one of nature's greatest shows: the fall foliage peak, when leaves change color to blazing reds, vibrant oranges and sunny yellows. When will that happen in Georgia? You can't know precisely, but there's a handy tool to help you plan excursions when fall foliage should be at its most spectacular.

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map, found on the Smoky Mountain National Park website, includes predictions not just for the Smokies, which rise above the Tennessee-North Carolina border, but for all 50 states.

In north Georgia, leaves will start turning around Oct. 12, with peak viewing around Nov. 9.

The Peach State offers some stunning vistas with hikes and trails to get into nature, including these state parks suggested by the Georgia State Parks website:

• Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge — Dawsonville: Just an hour north of Atlanta you'll find the Southeast's tallest cascading waterfall.
• Black Rock Mountain State Park — Clayton: At an altitude of 3,640 feet, Black Rock Mountain is Georgia's highest state park. Roadside overlooks and the summit Visitor Center offer sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
• Cloudland Canyon State Park — Near Chattanooga: A favorite hike takes you down a staircase to the bottom of the canyon, where you'll find two waterfalls.
• F.D. Roosevelt State Park — Pine Mountain: Many people are surprised to find hardwood forests and rolling mountains south of Atlanta. For a touch of history, drive to Dowdell's Knob to see a life-size bronze sculpture of President Franklin Roosevelt and views of the forested valley.
• Fort Mountain State Park — Chatsworth: This park is best known for a mysterious rock wall along the mountain top, plus a variety of trails. For the easiest walk, take the 1.2-mile loop around the park's green lake.
• Moccasin Creek State Park — Lake Burton: Georgia's smallest state park sits on the shore of a deep-green lake. Guests can choose from the 2-mile Hemlock Falls Trail or 1-mile Non-Game Trail with a wildlife observation tower.
• Smithgall Woods State Park — Helen: Protecting more than 6,000 acres around Dukes Creek, this is the perfect spot for fly fishing while enjoying fall color. Day visitors can picnic near the creek, and overnight guests can hike a private trail to Dukes Creek Falls.
• Tallulah Gorge State Park — Near Clayton: Find one of the most spectacular canyons in the Southeast, and choose from easy or difficult trails. Hike along the rim to several overlooks with waterfall views, or get a permit from the park office to trek all the way to the bottom.
• Unicoi State Park & Lodge — Helen: New ziplines take you high above the forest canopy for a unique view of leaves.
• Vogel State Park — Blairsville: The 4-mile Bear Hair Gap Trail makes a nice day trip for experienced hikers, offering a birds-eye view of the park's lake. For an easier walk, follow the Lake Loop to a small waterfall below the dam.
• George L. Smith State Park — Twin City: Join Mill Pond Kayak for a guided paddle trip under Spanish moss and tupelo trees. Photographers will appreciate exploring a covered bridge built in 1880.
• James H. Floyd State Park — Summerville: This quiet park in northwest Georgia has five miles of hiking trails, plus access to the 60-mile Pinhoti Trail.
• Victoria Bryant State Park — Royston: Located just minutes from I-85 in north Georgia, this little known gem has eight miles of hiking trails, a pretty stream and small fishing ponds.

If you're planning a trip somewhere else, the Fall Foliage Prediction Map can help you pinpoint the best dates for a visit. And The Foliage Network posts regular updates on when leaves start to drop and the colors start to turn.

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 stay healthy — 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.

For example, beta-carotenes reflect the yellow and red light from the sun and give 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.

"The predictive fall leaf map helps potential travelers, photographers and leaf peepers determine the precise future date that the leaves will peak in each area of the continental United States. By utilizing the date selector at the bottom of the map, the user can visually understand how fall will progress over a region," data scientist Wes Melton, the website's chief technical officer, said in a statement.

"We believe this interactive tool will enable travelers to take more meaningful fall vacations, capture beautiful fall photos and enjoy the natural beauty of autumn," he said. "Our nationwide fall foliage prediction map is unique — it is one of the only fall leaf tools that provides accurate predictions for the entire continental United States."

The major factors that determine the fall foliage peak are sunlight, precipitation, soil moisture and temperature.