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!

Sewanee Memorial Cross

Foster Falls overlook

Laurel Gulf Overlook

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, at Head of the Crow State Park (named for the river that originates within its boundaries), check out the easy Sherwood Day Loop Trail at the Head of the Crow State Park's Pack Hollow 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 our three 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 Fiery Gizzard State Park, near Tracy City, check out the Grundy Forest Day Loop at the Fiery Gizzard State Park's 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.

Sherwood Day Loop

Grundy Day Loop

Stone Door overlook

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 Fiery Gizzard State Park fills the bill. But a note of caution — as the days get shorter, if you want to hike all 12 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

Head of the Crow State Park: Sewanee, Monteagle