A North Carolina town is bursting with adventure — but you may want to slow down to soak in the views.
That’s because Bryson City ranks No. 7 on a list of the nation’s best places to see fall foliage.
“It’s that time of year when Mother Nature is gearing up for her annual spectacle of fall color. And what better way to enjoy it than leaf peeping?” USA Today’s 10Best wrote in a report published Wednesday, Sept. 16. “These 10 destinations — nominated by an expert panel and voted by our readers as the top spots in the U.S. — are ideal for viewing the entire spectrum of fall foliage.”
To create the list, 10Best said it also had editors review the nominees. Then, readers had a month to pick their favorite places to see the signature hues of autumn.
Why Bryson City is a fan favorite
On the resulting list of readers’ choice award winners, Bryson City was the only place in North Carolina to land in the top 10. The town, a roughly 65-mile drive west from Asheville, was called the “perfect base camp” for mountain activities.
“Bryson City is especially beautiful in autumn, when the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains blaze with brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold,” 10Best wrote in its report. “Outdoor enthusiasts can hike and bike miles of scenic trails, paddle peaceful waterways, and take in sweeping mountain views set against peak fall color.”
Also receiving a nod was the area’s Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, which passes through the changing leaves, according to a photo from Explore Bryson City. The tourism website’s Instagram page also shows nearby waterfalls and mountain ridges steeped in fall colors.
If you want to see the region in all of its fall glory, you may want to plan ahead. At the highest elevations, leaf colors typically start to change in late September and peak in early October. Then, around the end of October, downtown Bryson City becomes a “must see,” according to the tourism website.
Bryson City — home to roughly 1,500 people — isn’t a stranger to receiving acclaim. In April, the destination was praised as an outdoor adventure hub as it ranked among the best small towns in the South.
The town also has been named a top place for beer lovers and is home to one of the nation’s most-loved destinations for “glamping,” or glamorous camping, CharlotteFive previously reported.
Other top fall destinations
Bryson City joins other places in North Carolina that have been recognized as standout fall destinations. Similar best-of lists have included Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
This year, the park and the Blowing Rock area both made it onto Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of the nation’s top destinations to visit early in the season, before crowds gather for leaf peeping. And the vacation rental website Airbnb ranked Blowing Rock among the nation’s trendiest places for fall weekend getaways, CharlotteFive previously reported.
In the latest rankings from 10Best, North Carolina attractions earned top 10 spots in other categories focused on fall fun. Here are highlights:
When it comes to seeing fall foliage, 10Best said the Upper Peninsula of Michigan ranks as the No. 1 place in the country. Here are the other destinations that round out the top five:
In the past, 10Best has told The News & Observer it doesn’t reveal the number of people who vote in its contests.