Nat park closed, where to go

Well we are going to Hot Springs for a couple of days, then head a bit north to try and find some color. Headed out around 13th or 14th, so we will be habit early but still hope to see some.

We stayed at Daisy state park a few years ago and I would recommend it.

The colors will still change whether or not the park is still open. There are many roads across the southern part of the Appalachians, and many RV parks open.

But from western Tennessee, for fall colors I would go into the forests of the Ouachita Mountains in SW Arkansas and SE Oklahoma, or anywhere in the forests that remain in the Ozark Plateau (southern Missouri, or NE Arkansas to actually find the Ozark Mountains).

Our I would drive around in the forests of western Tennessee, western Kentucky, southern Indiana. Not everything has been cut down and farmed.

You need to get the timing right. E.G. no point in coming to SW Arkansas, SE Oklahoma in two weeks, because you will be too early for color. Still green, temps in the mid-80s here, fall comes here in late October to late November.

Timing is why I'm suggesting where you are, and further north. I just got back from southern Michigan, and colors were just starting to come out, in a small way, last week.

magnusfide wrote:
You can still do the Smokies over the state line in NC. Try Fontana Village Campground. In NC Robbinsville, Stecoah, and Bryson City have spectacular fall color.

Tellico Plains, TN and area are still in the Smokies and is on the other end of the Cherohala Skyway with it's spectacular views. Tellico Plains is a nice little town and has cgs nearby as well.

Bryson City/Fontana Lake is a beautiful area. Several other campgrounds nearby + in Cherokee, NC. Harrah's, casino, is there. B. City has a great train ride (adults) Great Smokey Mtn Railway. They have a website. Should have great leaf colors too!

There are lots and lots of campgrounds and RV parks in/around the GSMNP area, so your plans could still stand. Our camping club is having a get-together at Panther Creek State Park, about 45 minutes northeast of GSMNP. Come and join us, several arriving on Thursday, and others arriving on Friday and staying until Sunday.

You will still be able to experience the "leafing", but just not driving through the park.

We stay at Catherine's Landing RV Resort in Hot Springs. Lots of day trips around that area. Petit Jean State Park is also nice as is Eureka Springs.

You can still do the Smokies over the state line in NC. Try Fontana Village Campground. In NC Robbinsville, Stecoah, and Bryson City have spectacular fall color.

Tellico Plains, TN and area are still in the Smokies and is on the other end of the Cherohala Skyway with it's spectacular views. Tellico Plains is a nice little town and has cgs nearby as well.

And if you're looking for something in the area that's a huge draw, Beavers Bend State Park is just a little south and across the border. The tree color there is about the first 2 weeks of Nov, but 1st week is a festival - second is probably easier/better.

There are a wealth of state parks out there if the federal ones close, and some of they are exceptional gems. You can get on the state websites and find them. Here's the one for Oklahoma.

Its not too shabby on I59 south of Chattanooga about 20 miles at the Trention GA Exit for CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK up on Lookout Mtn.


The WEST RIM campground have the wood rails around the camp site... Pretty neat...


Roy Ken

We stay in Hot springs a couple of time a yr , but was thinking further north towards No, was wanting to see some new area. Oct is usually our Gatlinburg trip for our anniversary, so want to make it nice for DW.