Linville, NC
October, 2025

Insider Tips For Visiting The Linville, N.C., Nature Preserve This Fall 

The first day of autumn arrived on Sept. 22, and the foliage on Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is ready to put on a show for guests with its seasonal color change. 

“We are already starting to see a slight touch of fall color on Grandfather Mountain,” said John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education for Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “The weather conditions during spring and summer were very favorable for a great fall season. Recently, we have experienced warm days and cool nights, which is another essential part of the formula for great fall weather.” 

“Grandfather Mountain’s elevation gives us a very interesting view at fall color,” added Caveny. “The highest elevations change first and then the colors begin to make their way down the mountain and into the valley below. This means that we are going to have gorgeous views of color for well over a month!” 

Grandfather Mountain offers an ample display of fall color due to the park’s dramatic elevation change. Leaves begin turning at the highest elevations and gradually work down the slopes into the surrounding areas over several weeks. Typically, in mid-to-late September, the earliest colors at the mountain’s highest elevations begin to appear on the shrubs and low-growing flora that call the mountaintop home. Peak color toward the summit is usually early October. The lower sections of the park will often peak in mid-October. The views of fall color brightening up the low-lying valleys below can last through October, and possibly beyond.

For more information about the science behind Grandfather’s fall leaf season, visit www.grandfather.com/science-behind-fall. 

Photo by Leslie Restivo. Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation