HELEN, Ga. — Visitors heading to Helen this weekend will find two of the mountain town’s big draws at once: autumn leaves close to their best and the last days of its annual Oktoberfest, which runs every day through Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Georgia Forestry Commission’s newest Leaf Watch update puts color change at about 87% on slopes higher than 3,000 feet across northeast Georgia and around 55% on lower ground. Forestry staff expect the region to hit peak during the back half of the first week of November.
This fall has run slow. Color is arriving roughly a week behind recent years, though oaks have finally started turning, mostly to yellow and orange, and the views along roadsides and in the understory are strong at both high and low elevations. The commission does not expect the coming weather to hurt the display.
Across the north Georgia mountains, the agency said the best viewing window runs from Halloween weekend into the opening weekend of November for the higher elevations. Sourwood, dogwood, maple, birch and sweetgum are adding red, yellow and orange at lower elevations, while yellow-poplar, black walnut and sycamore have already peaked and are fading. Clear, chilly nights and many recent frosts at the higher elevations helped speed the change.
For a drive, foresters pointed to the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway, where overlooks and roadside color are both holding up well, and to Black Rock Mountain State Park and its lake. Rabun County also holds its Fall Farm Day on Saturday.
Color is expected to move down into foothill towns such as Dahlonega and Gainesville from early to mid-November.