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Little River Gorge

1,700 ft 35 min from GatlinburgCrowd level 3/5

Deep, shaded, and full of water. Color reflects off pools here in a way it does not anywhere else in the park, and overcast days are an advantage rather than a problem.

Color today · Aug 25

4/100

Still green

Canopy is summer green with only scattered early turners.

Predicted peak

Oct 29

Window Oct 25 – Nov 3

Historical median

Oct 29

+0.1 day weather shift

Peak probability today

0%

78% model confidence

Expected vibrancy

68/100

0 cold nights, 0 frosts logged

This location vs. its own normal year

Little River Gorge is running on schedule compared with its own ten-year day-by-day climate record from the ERA5-Land reanalysis, downscaled to this elevation.

Timing shift
+0.1d

Peak pushed later

Daytime temperature
+1.8°F

Warmer than normal here

Rainfall
88% of normal

4.3 in observed · 5.0 in typical

Cold nights logged
0

Nights below 45°F · air dryness 1.81 kPa

How far to trust this

Strong evidence

Forecast-grade through Sep 10. After that the curve is this location's historical average, not a prediction of this year's weather.

  • Numerical weather forecast through Sep 8
  • Cloud-free satellite canopy scene 4 days old
  • Timing corrected against 9 scored past seasons

Leaf-drop risk

Next 14 days

No warnings or leaf-stripping weather in the window. Color that arrives should hold.

Aug 25Sep 7

Next three weeks here

4

Aug 25

0

Aug 26

0

Aug 27

0

Aug 28

0

Aug 29

0

Aug 30

0

Aug 31

0

Sep 1

0

Sep 2

0

Sep 3

0

Sep 4

0

Sep 5

0

Sep 6

0

Sep 7

0

Sep 8

0

Sep 9

0

Sep 10

0

Sep 11

0

Sep 12

0

Sep 13

0

Sep 14

Peak dates, recent years

How this year's prediction compares with observed peaks here.

  • 2023
    Nov 2
  • 2024
    Oct 30
  • 2025
    Oct 26
  • 2026
    Oct 29

What turns here

  • Hemlock
  • Sycamore
  • Red maple
  • Beech

Weather notes

  • The fall season has not started yet, so timing is on the historical baseline. Weather adjustments begin once September observations accumulate.
  • Past seasons scored here ran 0.1 days later than the model expected, so that correction is applied.

Plan around it

Green

Hike

Laurel Falls

2.6 miles paved round trip, the most accessible waterfall in the park.

Photography

Meigs Falls pull-off

Roadside waterfall visible from the car, framed by color in late October.

Scenic drive

Elkmont spur

Historic cabin district under heavy hardwood canopy.

Plan a trip around thisAlert me before peak here