by Graham Averill

It’s a bitter-sweet time of year. On the one hand, summer’s over, which means no more skinny dipping in your neighbor’s pool when they’re out of town. On the other hand, autumn has arrived and the mountains are in full bloom. Trees are scoffing their formal green attire in exchange for bold reds, oranges, and yellows like a businessman experimenting with cross dressing on a lonely Friday night.

We at Blue Ridge Outdoors suggest you throw yourself headfirst into the fleeting spectacle of fall foliage. Buy some binoculars, pack a picnic, and head to the mountains where the breathtaking transition is most accessible. Just keep in mind you won’t be alone. Thousands of leaf peepers will converge on the Blue Ridge because of the mountains’ vibrant color scale. Luckily, most of these visitors will be sitting in their cars along the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you take a page from our guide that follows, you’ll miss most of the crowds and also enjoy a little outdoor adventure along the way. Remember, just because you’re going on a fall foliage tour doesn’t mean you can’t get out of the car and play.

Chimney Rock: Taken for Granite

Okay, so Rutherford County isn’t exactly off the beaten path. Home to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Park, tourism is the county’s life-blood. Still, it’s worth rubbing elbows with fellow tourists for the chance to see Hickory Nut Gorge decked out in bright fall colors.

US 64/74 winds through the gorge and over the Eastern Continental Divide, which means if you stop to pee at the top of the divide, it’ll flow into the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River. The route gives you a great opportunity to experience the fall dance up close and personal as you drive beneath a thick canopy of hardwoods. The view opens up as you begin to follow the Rocky Broad River near the town of Chimney Rock, where you’ll have plenty of chances to picnic on oversized boulders along the bank of the river.

One of the best spots to check out the foliage is the middle of Lake Lure. You can take a pontoon boat cruise from Lake Lure Tours or explore the private lake on your own with a sit on top kayak. Feel free to reenact the famous water ballet scene from “Dirty Dancing.”

I know what you’re thinking: fall weather and paddling don’t mix. But you couldn’t be more wrong. Lake Lure is nestled inside an isothermal belt that traps heat inside the valley. While the mountains surrounding the area grow colder each day, the temperatures in Lake Lure stay mildly warm, making the lake a perfect spot for a fall paddling excursion. On the other side of the gorge, Chimney Rock offers color lovers exactly what they want: panoramic views. The park centers around a thousand-acre granite mountain, which offers a stark contrast to the lush forest within the gorge. If you’ve got the leg strength and lung capacity, you can traverse the entire park via an extensive system of wood stairs and tight single track. If you just want the paycheck without the work, check out the views from the top of the Chimney and then take the Skyline-Cliff Trail Loop. You’ll get a little of everything on this 1.5-mile loop, from hardwood canopies to broad, expansive vistas of the gorge below.

Of course, if you’re worn out from paddling the lake and just want to take in the views with a minimal amount of exercise, just take the elevator to the top of the Chimney. No stairs, no hiking, same views.

An abundance of souvenir shops and restaurants occupy the one-street town of Chimney Rock. For a good bite in a great atmosphere, try the Tiki Bar and Grill’s outdoor patio, which is perched along the Rocky Broad River. Or you could head to Larkins on the Lake. Paddlers and pontoon boaters pull right up to the outdoor patio for cocktails and a great grouper sandwich.

You can’t shake a stick without hitting a hotel or bed and breakfast in Hickory Nut Gorge, so you’ll be able to find whatever you want in a variety of price ranges. Check out Fairfield Mountain Resorts or the Lodge on Lake Lure for an upscale experience and great mountain views. If you want something more rugged, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from along the river, or you could head for the seclusion of your own cabin at Mountain View Cabins. Each little cottage has views of the lake and valley below as well as access to hiking trails.

From Asheville: Take Alt 74 for about 20 miles straight into Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. It’s a winding road, so plan on a 45-minute drive.

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest: Backwoods Wonder

It’s all about getting up close and personal in the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Area, part of the rugged Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina. Sure, there are plenty of scenic views along the Smoky Mountain Expressway, but the real gems of this trip are the trees. The massive, old trees.

The Joyce Kilmer Wilderness is one of the largest stands of virgin hardwoods in the East offering visitors an array of hemlock, sycamore, basswood, beech, and oak-but you’re here to see the enormous yellow poplars, some of which are over 500 years old, 100 feet tall, and 20 feet in circumference. The area was named after Joyce Kilmer, the poet and war hero who wrote the one poem that every school kid has to memorize and recite, “Trees.” (It begins, “I think I shall never see / a poem as lovely as a tree.”) The forest was slated for logging in the early 1900’s, but the lumbermen saved it for last because of their overwhelming respect for the giant hardwoods. Luckily, the lumber company went bankrupt before an axe could be swung in the forest.

The Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail winds beneath the big trees. It’s an easy two-mile loop hike that occasionally crosses Little Santeetlah Creek, but if you want a wilder wilderness experience, you can hop onto the Naked Ground Trail, a 5.7-mile out and back that offers a more rugged and isolated trek.

Joyce Kilmer is in the middle of nowhere, so don’t plan on a post-hike spa treatment from a B&B. Remember to bring your own lunch (I find that Slim Jims and Skittles compliment the trail nicely). If you want to spend the night, plan on camping at one of the forest’s many campgrounds, or save enough time to drive back to Bryson City.

From Asheville: Follow 40 West until it meets the Smoky Mountain Expressway (exit 27). Head south on the expressway and then north on Highway 28. Follow the signs to the memorial forest and wilderness area.

Helen: A Little German Anyone?

Helen is one of those towns you come across in a David Lynch movie. The citizens wear lederhosen, the buildings look like candy palaces, and German marching music is piped out of the bushes. Yeah, weird. But don’t let the kitsch fool you. Helen borders the Chattahoochee River and offers outdoor enthusiasts an array of unpopulated adventures. It’s also one of the best places to check out the reds, yellows, and oranges during the fall season.

Take the long way to town via the Russell/Brasstown Scenic Byway. The best stretch of this scenic road runs between Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee and Helen. Vistas abound along the 20 miles that twist and roll between the two mountain towns. For a short side trip, head to the top of Brasstown Bald. At 4,784 feet, Brasstown Bald is the highest peak in Georgia and offers a great view of the lichen-covered yellow birch forest that covers the mountainside.

Feel free to traverse any of the hiking trails that cross the byway, including the Appalachian Trail, or head down to Unicoi State Park. Get settled in Helen and hike to Unicoi via a 3-mile trail that begins in downtown. For a great trail run over rolling terrain, combine the three-mile hike with the two-mile Smith Lake Loop. Unicoi also has an impressive collection of fall wild flowers that often get overshadowed by the changing leaves.

Bratwurst is a specialty in the Alpine village, and any restaurant in town will hook you up with a giant sausage and extra kraut. If you want something a little less German chic, try Chattahoochee Barbecue. It’s located just outside of town before all the German hoopla starts and has picnic tables along the Hooch. Pork sandwich anyone?

If you’re planning an overnighter, you can pick your own cabin in Unicoi State Park or bed down at the fancy Unicoi Lodge. Keep in mind: Fall means Oktoberfest, when thousands of tourists converge on Helen for Bavarian Bier, dancing, and Bavarian Bier. So lodging will be tight and expensive.

From Atlanta: Take Hwy 575 North and follow it as it turns into 515 North. Look for the Brasstown/Russell Scenic Byway at Lake Chatuge. Head south on the byway until you run into Helen.

Tri-Cities: Three Times the Fun

When you think fall foliage, you probably don’t think of the Tri-Cities area first. Johnson City, Bristol, and Kingsport-the three cities that make up this portion of Northeastern Tennessee-are plagued with industrial sites and plumes of power-plant exhaust. But the area is also home to the Nolichucky River, hundreds of miles of remote hiking trails crisscrossing a gorgeous stretch of the Appalachians, and some of the best mountain biking in the Southeast.

The easiest way to get there is along the newly completed section of I-26-one of the prettiest interstates in the South-which offers a buffet of fall colors as it winds through the mountains. But it wouldn’t be appropriate to take an interstate for your fall foliage tour. Instead, hop onto Tennessee 81, which parallels the interstate while taking you deep into the woods for a cornucopia of reds, yellows and oranges. It might take you longer, but you’ll be glad you did it…as long as you don’t get car sick.

Warriors Path State Park is located right smack dab in farm country on the outskirts of Kingsport. It has nine miles of hiking trails surrounding the quiet Patrick Henry Reservoir, but you’d be remiss if you didn’t explore the park’s brand new mountain bike trails. The system is comprised of a series of loops totaling eight miles of singletrack that take you through a quiet, deer-filled hardwood forest. Be warned: These trails are not for the meek. They’re fast, highly technical, and so freaking fun you’ll find yourself doing lap after lap until the sun goes down.

History buffs and Daniel Boone enthusiasts can come out of the closet in Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town and one time home to the famous Southern wild man. The Dogwood Lane Café has great specials in the heart of town, or try Bistro 105 if you want something on white tablecloths.

If Jonesborough isn’t officially the bed and breakfast capital of America, it’s certainly in the running. There are plenty of quaint inns to choose from, but for a little something extra try the Cherokee Mountain Llama B& B. You can explore their 20 acres of mountain property on your very own llama.

From Knoxville: I-81 north will take you right into the Tri-Cities area. Warrior Path State Park is accessible from the interstate and so is Tennessee 81 if you’re looking for a scenic drive. Take Tennessee 81 South to Jonesboro.