See the Fall Colors in Chattanooga, Tennessee (FALL 2024!)
Fall in Chattanooga, TN is Magical
Roads covered in leaves, waterfalls and mountains filled with color —
it’s a sight to see in the Scenic City.
Fall is in full swing and you’re seeing it everywhere: in pumpkin spice flavored anything, in your local grocery stores & shops, in your Instagram & TikTok feeds, maybe even in your dreams! But where can you truly experience fall? We would recommend visiting our city of Chattanooga, Tennessee and booking a guided hiking tour with us at Experience Chattanooga — complete with professional photography, transportation, snacks, waters, and expert local guides! If you’re overwhelmed with planning the perfect fall trip, we make it easier than ever to explore the beautiful Chattanooga outdoors with our all-inclusive guide service.
Here’s why to visit Chattanooga this fall:
Waterfalls, Waterfalls, Waterfalls
Tennessee is home to over 500 waterfalls and Chattanooga is the perfect place to set as a home base for exploring! Within an hour of Chattanooga are some of the state’s best waterfalls… and Experience Chattanooga will drive you to them and make sure you get ALL the best photos! You can check out our seasonal waterfall tour here! Nothing beats a waterfall hike on a crisp morning surrounded by gorgeous fall colors. ***Disclaimer: Due to ongoing droughts, waterfalls may not be flowing well or at all. In 2023, we had this same drought pattern and waterfalls were dry until late November! Check our Instagram for current waterfall levels.
Views, Views, Views
Take to the endless trails around Chattanooga and you’ll get to enjoy some of the best fall hikes in Southeast Tennessee! Chattanooga’s mountains are home to a great variety of trees, which means a great variety of color. Not to mention that with autumn comes the perfect hiking weather in Chattanooga - averaging 70 degrees. When the waterfalls are dry, the mountain overlooks are the place to be!
Since we have so many different elevations nearby, colors start to change at different times on different mountains, and peak in some areas before others. It’s a lot of fun chasing down the best colors on each surrounding mountain! You may go to one area & not see much change, while another across town is popping with color.
Swinging Bridges, Fairytale Roads, Leafy Trails
It’s not all about the waterfalls and mountain views. We gotta show some love to the scenery along the way too! A few hiking trails near Chattanooga feature swinging bridges. And with a lot of scenic mountain roads, sometimes the best part of the adventure is the road trip that leads to the hiking trail! Lastly, who doesn’t love that crunch beneath your feet as you pass through the peaceful autumn woods? It’s giving us all the feels just thinking about it!
When Are The Peak Fall Colors in Chattanooga, TN?
The best time for fall colors in Chattanooga is late October / early November. Very few leaves may start to change by the end of September. Then throughout the entire month of October, various trails will start to show color, depending on elevation. There are many different factors that affect when exactly the leaves will peak, such as rainfall & temperatures.
In 2023, the peak fall colors were the last week of October (specifically Oct 26-29!) The fall colors were faded and falling by November 3rd. Chattanooga had a prolonged drought affecting the change and the colors were not as vibrant. The leaves seemed to drop faster than usual because of the lack of rain.
— 2024 UPDATES! —
Latest update - November 5th, 2024: The mountains 45 minutes to 1 hour outside of Chattanooga are past peak. The mountains 15-20 minutes from Downtown Chattanooga are at peak or almost at peak. This weekend will probably be the last chance to see great color!
October 24, 2024: Peak color has started in the mountains! Today through the first week of November, the best colors will be showing. We are seeing a LOT of colors coming in fast. Everyday there is more change.
October 9th, 2024: It’s now October and the color change is not doing much / very little color is showing at this moment. The colors that had started early in September have already fallen, leaving a lot of green currently. The trees that ARE turning color are pretty dull due to ongoing droughts straining the trees. Hurricane Helene did bring 5+ inches of rain but the ground was already too dry to absorb it properly.
August 31, 2024: The mountains are starting to show fall color change 2-3 weeks earlier than past years. This is NOT NORMAL and could be due to lack of rain/severe drought conditions we are having. It could also mean the foliage may be less vibrant and be on a shorter timeline this fall. Stay tuned for more updates!
Do yourself a favor and follow us on Instagram to be in the know as we post weekly updates on the leaf color progression this fall season!