Have you noticed how stunning the fall colors are this year? A plethora of factors affect the autumn hues, making some years rather drab and others, like this one, pop with kaleidoscope vibrancy. Every day I’ve stood in awe at the splendor. 

The annual corn maze and pumpkin patch will continue through Oct. 31 at Darnell Farms in Bryson City. 

Early October, and these mountains are already beginning to put on their glorious garments of autumn. A splash of red here or orange there, the green sleeves of many trees shading to yellow. In just a few weeks, we will be treated to that familiar splendor that beckons tens of thousands of people to get in their cars every year and drive for hours or even days just to get a glimpse of it. 

Fall is a beautiful but busy time in the Smokies. Great Smoky Mountains National Park visitors should plan their trips and expect crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park. 

As days grow shorter in the Great Smoky Mountains, the colorful landscape hums with life. Creatures large and small scurry through the blanket of fallen leaves gathering nuts and berries, crafting intricate homes to wait out the winter, and preparing for the stillness of the season ahead. 

There are many different wildflowers that signal the seasonal transition from summer into fall. 

I used to be overcome with the melancholy of fall when I would see the goldenrods (Solidago spp.) start to bloom, thinking “No, it’s too early for the end of the blooming season and the start of winter!” That’s how I used to think of fall. Goldenrods no longer usher in the sadness for me as I have successfully reframed them as a summer wildflower that blooms into fall. 

The following are the Cradle of Forestry’s fall events: 

Sept. 28: National Public Lands Day

Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Free 

Hello from Cabin 156 at Tryon International, the massive equestrian center and event facility along U.S. 74, just down the mountain from Saluda. The mountains in the distance remind me of the beauty of my home that is Western North Carolina.

The Lake Junaluska Fall Plant Sale will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Nanci Weldon Memorial Gym at Lake Junaluska. 

Once Labor Day has come and gone, I lean fully into fall. I know that technically autumn does not officially begin until Sept. 22, but for my own personal joy, I’ve decided to initiate the season sooner.