I have sketched out our map for our trip from north Alabama to North Carolina. This includes seeing all the beautiful leaves we can .
There’s just something about a fall road trip.
The cooler temperatures, the smell of leaves in the air, winding mountain roads, little towns along the way, and—of course—the anticipation of seeing those beautiful reds, oranges, yellows, and golds covering the mountains.
This fall, we’re heading out from North Alabama and making our way across Tennessee and North Carolina, with one goal in mind:
See as many beautiful fall leaves as we possibly can! 🍁 Stopping for pumpkin patches and fall festivals . Trying a new road game called “ Destiny’s nation Unknown: Rural Explorer “
I sketched out our route before we left, and looking at the map made me even more excited about the adventure ahead.
Our Route
Our journey will take us from North Alabama up through Northeast Tennessee, across the mountains toward Asheville, North Carolina, and then we’ll continue across the state toward Jacksonville, North Carolina.
The route is almost like two completely different trips in one.
First, we’ll be chasing mountain views and fall color. Then, as we make our way east, the scenery will gradually change as we get closer to the coast.
And that’s one of my favorite things about road trips—you never really know what you’ll see around the next curve.
🍂 North Alabama to Northeast Tennessee
We’ll start our adventure in North Alabama and head northeast toward Tennessee.
This is where the anticipation really begins.
As we climb toward Northeast Tennessee, we’re hoping the scenery starts showing off some of those early fall colors. The farther we travel into the mountains, the more we’re looking forward to seeing the trees change.
I have a feeling there will be plenty of stops along the way. We never go the direct route anywhere, the back roads are our path.
You know those places where you suddenly see a gorgeous mountain view and think, “We have to stop here!”
Yep.
We’re planning for plenty of those.
🍁 Through the Mountains Toward Asheville
From Northeast Tennessee, specifically Roan Mountain Tennessee, we’ll continue toward Asheville, North Carolina.
This is one of the parts of the trip I’m especially excited about.
The mountains around this area are absolutely beautiful in the fall, and we’re hoping to catch as much color as possible.
Our plan isn’t necessarily to rush from one destination to another.
We’re going to enjoy the drive.
We’ll watch the scenery change, look for overlooks, take pictures, explore when something catches our eye, and hopefully find some of those beautiful backroads that make a fall road trip memorable.
Sometimes the best part of a trip isn’t the destination.
It’s the road getting there.
I have very fond memories of northeast Tennessee, traveling as a child to see a best friend of my Dad. As a child and an adult, we travelled there . The latter trip was the most memorable, as Dad had Alzheimer’s and it was the best time to visit his long time friend David. His family were settlers in Roan Mountain from way back. I am hoping to share some of the beautiful places with my David.
We’re not interested in simply jumping on the interstate and watching the miles disappear. As our tagline says “ Taking the Back Roads”
We’re chasing fall. 🍁
Our route will take us from North Alabama through Scottsboro, Alabama, into Georgia and around Chattanooga, then north through East Tennessee before heading into the mountains around Roan Mountain.
From there, we’ll cross into North Carolina, make our way toward Asheville, continue through Hickory and Greensboro, and eventually head all the way to Jacksonville.
It’s a road trip that takes us through several completely different landscapes—from Alabama countryside to Appalachian mountains and eventually the coastal plain of North Carolina.
And we’re hoping to see as many beautiful fall leaves as possible along the way.
Follow us here or on Facebook or Instagram for updated photos and places we’ve seen!!
The beauty of this route is that we’re going to experience the changing landscape instead of staying on one interstate the entire way.
🗺️ Our Fall Road Trip Route
This could change at any time!
Here’s our general route:
North Alabama
↓
Scottsboro, Alabama
↓
Summerville, Georgia
↓
Chattanooga area
↓
U.S. 11 through East Tennessee
↓
Maryville area
↓
Sevierville area
↓
Roan Mountain, Tennessee
↓
Roan Mountain State Park
↓
Asheville, North Carolina
↓
Hickory, North Carolina
↓
Greensboro, North Carolina
↓
Jacksonville, North Carolina
And because fall color arrives at different elevations and locations at different times, North Carolina is particularly good for a leaf-chasing trip. Official tourism information notes that fall color generally starts in the mountains and moves across the state toward the coast, with mountain color beginning as early as September and coastal color sometimes lasting into November.
Won’t you follow us!!!
Happy Fall Ya’ll 🍁🎃👻🕷️🍂
