Alberta to Tennessee

Check out the Cherohala Skyway. I'd suggest the Indian Boundary campground, it's really beautiful.

If you have extra time, or are interested in other options, look into Transylvania County North Carolina too. Land of Waterfalls, great fall colors also.

What part of TN do you plan to visit? East TN has beautiful fall colors just like New England. Our NC home is just 3 miles from the TN line and our best color was the first week in Nov this year so I agree that Oct 15 to Nov 15 is the best. lizzie

Being from Alberta you know when the first snow starts to fall in those parts. Weather will be the biggest variable until you get out of the higher elevations and more south. It seems like the most direct route south is I-15 then cut over on either I-90 or I-80 and point it toward St. Louis, then south from there over into TN. Keep an atlas handy because you have many choices in routes to take. The best one is a matter of opinion.

Any particular area of TN you interested in seeing? Memphis, Nashville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg? Color is mid October to mid November and we still have some lingering here yet, but the trees are losing their leaves fast now. Weather could be a bit cool for bike riding unless you are perpared for it.

From the people we know from Alberta that "snowbird" to WA state be careful you don't get a heat stroke while in Tennessee:)

Peak color is usually mid-October in higher elevations, to the end of October in lower elevations. Elevations in the Smokies range from 1000-6000 feet.

Temps are also highly variable and can change drastically in a very short time. You might have great weather for riding and it might be awful. If you bring your bikes, bring cold-weather gear.

Yes or No. ????

Most often November is very pleasant in TN, but yesterday 11/21 we had a low of 25 F outside Nashville. There was snow in the Eastern part of the state around Great Smoky Mountains. I think we may have a high of the low 60's for Thanksgiving (the 4th Thursday in Nov) which is different than in CA.

Google to see the average first day of frost. When I was a farmer in TN we planned on the first frost on Oct 20th thus all the leaves will be brown by this time.

While the fall colors are nice, they are not as brilliant as the colors in New England.

If fall colors are what you wish for, I would suggest that around early-October to mid-October you travel east to New England (when I lived in MA the peak color was around Oct 12 -- CA's Thanksgiving) and then south (with the colors) to Pennsylvania. I know that this will add 100's of miles to your trip.

The leaf color season varies. This year it was late. Who knows what next year will bring. I would plan on mid October to mid November.
Bring your bike and ride the Dragon. One ride you will never forget.

probably too cold for a bike unless you have heated suits