Grandfather Mountain
Viewpoint · North Carolina
America's highest suspension footbridge, the 228-foot Mile High Swinging Bridge, crosses to Linville Peak at 5,305 feet, with sweeping Blue Ridge views that turn color at the summit by early October and in the valleys through mid-November.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 23–October 27
Color builds from October 17 · mostly bare by November 17
Sampled at Grandfather Mountain’s own coordinates and elevation (1327 m) rather than a regional average.
This window comes from 25 weather points across North Carolina, nudged 6 days later to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com and almanac.com. North Carolina is running 7 days earlier than its own average this year. How the forecast works
When to go to Grandfather Mountain
You get about 17 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly November 3. At 4,354 ft, it turns before the lower ground nearby.
Grandfather Mountain on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of North Carolina, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Grandfather Mountain peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 23–October 27 (best estimate October 25). Color starts around October 17 and is mostly bare by November 17.
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