If you want to see this year's fall foliage in the North Carolina mountains, this weekend should be a perfect time for a visit!
Recent warmer-than-normal morning temperatures have delayed this year's peak foliage by about a week compared to an average year. The peak foliage around much of the high country should occur over the next five to seven days or so.
That means there should be some beautiful views to see this weekend!
In addition to Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock, locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway like Mount Mitchell, Craggy Gardens, Mount Pisgah and Graveyard Fields should have a lot of colors this weekend.
You may briefly need your rain jacket in the mountains Saturday morning. A cold front moving into the state will produce a quick band of showers across the area. That rain should move east of the high country by late morning and midday.
Behind the front, morning lows will drop to the 30s around Boone and some of the state's highest elevations for Sunday morning.
The chilly air should help lead to peak foliage into next week.
If you're looking for something to do in the mountains besides just seeing the beautiful foliage, there are plenty of fall festivals planned!
That includes the 44th annual Wooly Worm Festival in Banner Elk. Residents and visitors will gather to get this year's outlook for winter based on wooly worm folklore.
Another mountain tradition -- the annual Apple Festival will also be held this weekend in downtown Waynesville.
If you're spending the weekend in Asheville, you may want to check out the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands.
And, if you're near the Great Smokies, you may want to make a stop in Maggie Valley for the 2021 Arts and Crafts Festival.
Check out some of these live cameras to see if you can spot some fall colors!
