Discover Tennessee in New Hues This Fall

Explore Tennessee’s under-the-radar leaf-peeping destinations

Photos for media use here. Courtesy of @TNVacation unless otherwise noted.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 8, 2026) – Tennessee is home to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited national park. The park welcomes approximately 12 million visitors a year – and with great reason. Notes of orange, red and yellow hues blanket more than 800 miles of trails, providing stunning views of scenic vistas, waterfalls and forest horizons.

While Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a must-see destination for fall leaf peepers, Tennessee has a treasure trove of more under-the-radar fall leaf-peeping destinations statewide.

East Tennessee:

Experience 360-degree views of downtown Gatlinburg and the Smokies from AnaVista Tower, the highest point in downtown Gatlinburg. Anakeesta is also home to the BearVarian Fall Festival, with local and regional brews warming spirits to match the golden hues of fall.

Ober Mountain Cloud Catcher Zipline in Gatlinburg gives true bird’s-eye views while flying high at over 3,400 feet. Racing down Mount Harrison, guests soar down the 3,200 feet zipline, the highest zipline in the Smoky Mountains, taking in the vibrant fall foliage all around.

Seven Islands State Birding Park in East Knoxville is a peaceful haven for those seeking an autumnal birdwatching retreat. Fall migration offers birdwatchers an opportunity to seek out the sights and sounds of wildlife, all while being immersed in the park’s seasonal hues.

House Mountain State Natural Area immerses visitors in over 500 acres of fall color, offering a hike through lush forests, opening into beautiful views of rolling farmland as well as scenic views of the Cumberland Mountains, Smoky Mountains and Clinch Mountain Range. The natural area offers bird’s-eye views just half an hour from downtown Knoxville, boasting Knox County’s highest point.

Roan Mountain State Park in Carter County, features a blaze of fall color in the cooler months, peaking in mid-October. The park is home to parts of the iconic Appalachian Trail, offering one-of-a-kind views for hikers and nature enthusiasts as well as charming cabins and serene campsites. Pro tip: After dark, the park shifts from soft golden to dazzling silver with viewpoints along Tennessee’s Night Sky Trail.

Foothills Parkway spans 33 miles throughout Cocke, Blount and Sevier counties. The scenic stretch offers some of the most stunning views right outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, perfect for a sunset drive. The parkway offers several overlooks for visitors to park their vehicles and take in the crisp fall air of the Smoky Mountains.

Explore fall beauty via train car during the one-mile journey along the Incline Railway in Chattanooga. After summitting Lookout Mountain, guests can discover several popular attractions nearby including Ruby Falls, Point Park, and SoHi Pizza and Mountain Top Bar.

Middle Tennessee:

Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau offers a plethora of history and harvest colors during the autumnal months. Cumberland Mountain State Park, houses Crab Orchard Stone Bridge, a picturesque structure that looks straight out of a Hallmark movie. The stunning bridge dates to the late 1930s, as the largest structure ever built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Onsite, the park is also home to The Restaurant at Cumberland Mountain, seated at the edge of Byrd’s Lake, offering tranquil views. Perfect for cooler weather, the park is also home to Bear Trace Course at Cumberland Mountain. Not just any golf course, this award-winning Jack Nicklaus-designed course boasts 6,928 yards of green and is seated in Crossville, known as “The Golf Capital of Tennessee.”

Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer not only offers one of the most iconic waterfall-viewing experiences in Tennessee and one of the tallest waterfalls in the Eastern U.S., but also a kaleidoscope of fall color spanning 29,800 acres, with 56 hiking trails and plenty of scenic overlooks, as well as an award-winning golf course. The park is perfect for immersing yourself in the fall landscape, offering overnight stays such as cabins, campsites or The Lodge at Fall Creek Falls for a more elevated stay.

A drive along the Natchez Trace Parkway is a fall bucket-list item when road-tripping through Tennessee. This 444-mile historic corridor spans Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, following the path that Native Americans cultivated and used by “Kaintucks”, soldiers and other settlers. The parkway offers magnificent views of Middle Tennessee’s rolling farmland and rich fall foliage. Historic sites, hiking trails, scenic overlooks and even a somber 200-year-old mystery pertaining to explorer and statesman Meriwether Lewis can be found along the way. Know before you go: The iconic Double Arch Bridge at Birdsong Hollow is closed for the fall season but is slated to be open to the public in Spring 2027.

West Tennessee:

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park offers a natural oasis just minutes from downtown Memphis. The park provides a peaceful lakeside retreat, with Poplar Tree Lake surrounded by vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red as fall settles in. Guests can immerse themselves in the scenery with guided canoe and kayak trips, offering a perfect picture perspective of the season’s changing colors. Cabins and campsites are also available throughout the nearly 13,000-acre park, making it easy to slow down and savor the beauty of fall.

Memphis Botanic Garden offers a peaceful escape across 96 acres of beautifully cultivated gardens and natural landscapes. While the garden is vibrant year-round, fall brings its own seasonal display, with Japanese maples, holly and osmanthus adding rich color and texture to the landscape. Visitors can also discover sculptures, art installations and harvest-themed displays throughout the gardens, creating plenty of Instagram-worthy moments along the way.

Reelfoot Lake State Park in Tiptonville offers a scenic setting for experiencing fall in West Tennessee, with warm autumn hues surrounding the lake and peak color typically arriving in mid-to-late October. Fall also coincides with the arrival of migratory birds, including bald eagles and ducks, which make Reelfoot Lake their winter home. Guests can take a pontoon ride led by an experienced naturalist, offering an up-close look at the lake’s fall scenery while learning about the area’s history, flora and fauna.

Natchez Trace State Park in Wildersville offers no shortage of ways to experience the season, from hiking and birding to horseback riding and kayaking. For a more leisurely way to take in the scenery, head to Brown’s Creek Levee at sunset, where the sky casts a fiery glow over the park’s vibrant fall foliage.

Statewide:

Tennessee was the first state in the world to introduce colorblind technology to scenic viewfinder lenses with Colorblind Viewfinders. These viewfinders give travelers with color vision deficiency the opportunity to experience the state’s stunning fall foliage using EnChroma’s patented lens technology, which enhances the contrast and vibrancy of reds and greens – the colors most affected by forms of color blindness. Today, Tennessee Tourism oversees 15 viewfinders at scenic locations across the state, from mountain overlooks and waterfalls to iconic parks and stunning vistas. Tennessee State Parks has installed additional viewfinders, creating even more opportunities for visitors of all abilities to connect with Tennessee’s natural beauty.

About Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD) is dedicated to driving economic growth and tourism in all 95 counties. TDTD’s global marketing efforts increase visitation to Tennessee, which boosts tax revenue, creates jobs and attracts new investment across the state. Tennessee is a global destination of choice offering visitors world-class music, live entertainment, family-friendly experiences, charming communities, innovative and classic culinary creations, renowned scenic beauty and outdoor adventure—all centered at the crossroads of rich history and unrivaled hospitality. Vacations “sound perfect” in Tennessee. Visit TNVacation.com and follow @TNVacation on social media for travel inspiration.

Media Contacts:

Amanda Murphy
amanda.murphy@TN.gov

Jill Kilgore
jill.kilgore@TN.gov

Chelsea Trott
chelsea.trott@TN.gov

Shelby McAuley
shelby.mcauley@TN.gov