Best places to enjoy fall leaves in Tennessee
Leaf-Peeping Tips for Fall!
Many national travel experts rate the Asheville, NC and the Smoky Mountains as the best place to see
fall colors in the United States. But with such designations come lots of people, traffic, congestion and
higher prices. So we have a great suggestion for you: Do your fall “leaf peeping” this year in
Tennessee’s South Cumberland!
Our version of “fall hospitality” doesn’t involve waiting for a buzzer to tell you there’s a table available for
dinner, nor getting a noisy 5th floor room in a monolithic chain hotel, nor hiking in a conga line of tourists,
where you see more derrières than deer.
In Tennessee’s South Cumberland, the smaller number of fall visitors pales in comparison with the miles
of wild and wonderful trails that lead to dozens of jaw-dropping overlooks, where you can see millions of
stunning trees showing off their fall foliage, draped over our bluff-capped hillsides like beautiful yellow,
orange and red blankets. And, although springtime is ‘prime time’ for our many spectacular waterfalls, if
there’s sufficient rainfall, their rushing, sparkling water adds an eye-catching bonus to your fall foliage
itinerary!
So let’s get peeping! Here are the essentials:
WHEN: Fall colors in Tennessee’s South Cumberland can begin as early as mid-October in some of the
higher elevations, such as Altamont, Gruetli-Laager and Beersheba Springs. Colors area-wide tend to
peak during the first week of November, but can be beautiful all the way to Thanksgiving, if weather
cooperates.
WHERE (without hiking): There are dozens of great places to see fall colors at their best. Some you
can drive to, like Green’s View, at the end of Green’s View Road in Sewanee, or the Sewanee Memorial
Cross, at the end of Tennessee Avenue. The University of the South Overlook, on Highway 41A just
south of Sewanee, involves a short rock staircase to a spectacular natural vantage point.
South of Tracy City, check out the Foster Falls Overlook, an easy 500-foot walk from the parking area
that’s ADA-accessible. In Beersheba Springs, the Laurel Gulf Overlook — easily one of the most
dramatic fall overlooks in Tennessee — is less than a quarter mile from the parking area via the Savage
North trailhead, a paved trail, which is also ADA-accessible. A special feature of this location is that it’s
equipped with a special binocular viewer designed so persons who are color-blind can see the actual fall
colors, thanks to some amazing tech that’s built into the viewer!
WHERE (with a short hike): They say getting there is just as good as being there, and in the fall foliage
of Tennessee’s South Cumberland, that is an absolute truth. If you’re up for hiking a mile or two in
nature’s fall wonderland, there are many trails in each of our three State Parks that will inspire you, every
step of the way!
Just south of Sewanee, in Tennessee’s newest State Park, Head of the Crow (named for the river that
originates within its boundaries), check out the easy Sherwood Day Loop Trail at the Lost Cove East
trailhead, which has two spectacular overlooks along its 3-mile length. The north-facing overlook, less
than a half mile from the parking area, has one of the longest and most panoramic views in any of the
State Parks, while the south-facing overlook, another mile and a half along the trail, provides magnificent
views of nearly a dozen ridge-lines, extending all the way down the Crow Creek Valley into Alabama.
In South Cumberland State Park, near Tracy City, check out the Grundy Forest Day Loop at the Fiery
Gizzard North trailhead. Here, it’s not about the big panoramic views, but the majesty of golden
hardwoods against deep hemlock evergreens, in ravines filled with rushing water and smaller, but no less
beautiful waterfalls (guaranteed they’ll be running, any time of year!).
Back at Beersheba Springs, a two-mile round-trip hike from the Savage Gulf North trailhead will take you
out past the Laurel Gulf Overlook to the granddaddy of overlooks in Tennessee’s South Cumberland at
the Great Stone Door. Not only can you get those stunning 270-degree glimpses of gold, but you can
check out the unique cleft in the sandstone bluff line that has provided everyone from the first Native
Americans ’til today with a spectacular staircase to all that lies below.
WHERE (with a longer hike): If you’re up for a hike with multiple overlooks and a bit more hiking, the
famed Fiery Gizzard Trail in South Cumberland State Park fills the bill. But a note of caution — as the
days get shorter, if you want to hike all12 miles of “The Gizz” from end-to-end, you’ll need to leave cars at
both the Fiery Gizzard North and Fiery Gizzard South trailheads, AND you’ll need to hit this somewhat
strenuous trail at dawn, if you want to get to the other end before dark. That said, there is a great overnight
campground, Little Cove, near the midway point of The Gizz. Advance reservations are
required — check out tnstateparks.com/parks/campground/south-cumberland for details.
All of the other multiple-overlook hikes can be found in Savage Gulf State Park, near Beersheba
Springs. There, too, you can find backcountry campsites if you want to turn your “quest for gold” into a
multi-day adventure: tnstateparks.com/parks/campground/savage-gulf. Some of the best leaf-and-
overlook hikes include the Big Creek Rim trail (Savage North trailhead); the South Rim and North Rim
trails (Savage East trailhead); and Collins Rim trail (Savage South trailhead). Many of these trails
interconnect, so grab the Savage Gulf trail map and start planning your golden season adventure now!
APRÈS-COLOR — Where to Eat and Stay: The best part of your Fall Color Adventure in Tennessee’s
South Cumberland is the delicious array of down-home, mouth-watering items available at any of the
dozens of eating establishments in our area. Just check out the Food & Drink section of this website!
The second best part about your Fall Color Adventure are the hundreds of secluded and very cool cabins
and homes available through any of the major short-term rental sites. Find one by searching for the
Tennessee South Cumberland town nearest the trailhead where your Tennessee’s South Cumberland
Leaf-Peeping Adventure takes you:
Looking for accommodations?
On your favorite short-term rental site, for the following trailheads, search these towns:
Green’s View: Sewanee, Monteagle
Memorial Cross: Sewanee, Monteagle
University of the South Overlook: Sewanee, Monteagle
Savage Gulf North: Beersheba Springs, Altamont
Savage Gulf West: Beersheba Springs, Altamont
Savage Gulf South: Gruetli-Laager, Coalmont, Altamont
Savage Gulf East: Gruetli-Laager, Coalmont
Fiery Gizzard North: Tracy City, Monteagle
Fiery Gizzard South: Tracy City
Lost Cove West*: Sewanee, Monteagle
*Head of the Crow State Park