Autumn is a truly magical time of year for those who enjoy witnessing the changing colors of the season. If you’re a traveler with a passion for vibrant scenery, heading to Mount Airy, North Carolina is nothing short of breathtaking each fall. Situated in North Carolina’s captivating foothills, Mount Airy takes on hues of yellow, red, and gold across its landscape in a way that’s truly hard to top. Whether you’re making your way this direction to pair your time admiring fall foliage with wine tastings or hiking, you’ll find that there are plenty of terrific places to enjoy the view. The following are some of the best spots to check out changing fall leaves in the North Carolina Mountains this time of year.
Make Time on the Itinerary for Leaf Peeping at Pilot Mountain State Park
You don’t have to travel far at all from the center of Mount Airy to enjoy an afternoon immersed in incredible fall foliage over at Pilot Mountain State Park. It could be said that this is one of the top-rated leaf peeping destinations in the area with good reason! You’ll find Pilot Mountain State Park located just 15 minutes from town, and it’s a place that never fails to impress with its panoramic seasonal views out over the stunning Yadkin Valley. Peak foliage season here typically falls around mid-October when the local hardwood forests come to life in yellows, reds and impressive deep orange hues, too.
One of the very best routes to really relishing the scenery across Pilot Mountain State Park is from a place on one of the many fantastic hiking trails that are found here. There are routes that are suitable for all skill levels, but a fan-favorite tends to be the Grindstone Trail. If you’d rather drive to the best views, you can always make your way up to the summit of Pilot Mountain by car and enjoy a bird’s eye view from the observation point instead.
When you make room on your itinerary for seeing fall leaves change from Pilot Mountain State Park, you’ll be thrilled to find that this is an idyllic place to match leaf peeping with bird watching. It’s also a terrific place for landscape photography if you happen to be someone who enjoys capturing the best of it all on film..
Visit the Ararat River Greenway This Fall
Yet another one of the best places to see fall foliage in NC this year is the Ararat River Greenway. Here, visitors will find a paved trail following the river right through town to explore and enjoy at their own preferred pace. The Ararat River Greenway is shared by walkers, cyclists, and joggers alike year-round, but in the fall, it comes to life prominently with foliage seekers excited to take in all the colors in good company. The Ararat River Greenway stretches for several miles and is a wonderful fall foliage journey for adventurers of all ages.
As you walk or run along the path, you’ll be treated to a canopy of changing colors overhead put on display across sycamores, oaks, and maples. Making this trail even more interesting and insightful this time of year are the interpretive signs along the route, which shed light on the region’s ecology and history. Enthusiastic birders heading out to enjoy the fall foliage along the Ararat River Greenway will find that this area is also densely populated with a variety of bird species this time of year, with fall migration well underway. This makes it worth your while to have a pair of binoculars in your pack when the Ararat River Greenway is your leaf peeping destination of choice.
If you find yourself with a craving to curb along the way, don’t hesitate to pack a picnic lunch, as this route has designated benches and picnic areas built into its design. That makes it easy to make the most of an al fresco meal with the colorful fall surroundings working as an idyllic backdrop for your picnic with family and friends. This path is also well connected to local parks and playgrounds if you’re admiring the fall foliage with little ones who might enjoy making stops to run and climb off some excess energy along the way.
Check Out the Colors at Hanging Rock State Park for Yourself
If you don’t mind a bit more of a drive in the name of seeing the fall leaves changing color around Mount Airy this year, we would highly recommend gathering your fellow travelers and making your way to Hanging Rock State Park. Hanging Rock State Park sits just about 40 minutes east of Mount Airy by car.
Once you arrive, you’ll find yourself immersed in stunning scenery with easy access to over 20 miles of hiking trails right on-site. Hanging Rock State Park is adored by fall travelers for its kaleidoscope of seasonal colors that cascade across sandstone cliffsides, mesmerizing waterfalls, and gorgeous lakefront areas, too. If you’re looking for a hiking route here that’s earned a reputation for excellence among leaf peeping enthusiasts, you’ll find it in Moore’s Wall Loop Trail. This is often pointed to as the crown jewel for fall foliage, thanks to its many observation points that put a firm frame on breathtaking panoramic park vistas to check out.
In addition to hiking your way to leaf peeping fun here, Hanging Rock State Park is a picture-perfect place for a fall picnic by the lake. If you happen to be looking for a way to pairing time admiring fall foliage with heart-pounding thrills, this is a popular rock climbing destination near Mount Airy as well. For those visitors who are excited to learn more about their natural surroundings, booking a place on a ranger-led tour during peak fall foliage at the park is always the right choice.
Spend Quality Time Admiring Fall Leaves in the North Carolina Mountains
Technically, you’ll move beyond the North Carolina border to enjoy time seeing the fall leaves change at the Blue Ridge Parkway near Fancy Gap, but it’s a short journey that’s well worth your while. This colorful area is found just a short drive north into Virginia, and it’s a prime place for seeing trees putting on their finest seasonal display. Taking time to explore this area for yourself promises to be an unforgettable fall adventure.
Here, there are opportunities to move into higher elevations and see the gold, scarlet, and amber hues from a bird’s eye view. The area is rich in hickories, maples, and oaks, providing the landscape with a true tapestry of color for visitors to enjoy. One of the most popular pull offs and observation points in the area is Mabry Mill, which is also a top spot for photographs. You can also spend some time in this area checking out Rocky Knob, which is particularly captivating in the early morning hours and connects seamlessly to some top-rated hiking trails, too.
Make Sure to Make the Absolute Most of Wine Country Views While You’re Here
Whether you’re a certified wine enthusiast or you’re just looking for some of the best fall colors around, a visit to Mount Airy provides the unique opportunity to pair the best of both across the greater Yadkin Valley Wine Country. In fact, Mount Airy sits right in the heart of the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area, which has earned the well-suited nickname “Napa of the East.” Here, visitors can enjoy access to well over 45 local wineries, thriving in a place with rich soil and ideal climate patterns for growing grapes of all kinds. The rolling hills in this region highlight the changing colors of the season across the Yadkin Valley Wine Country, making your trip this way during this time of year even more memorable, meaningful, and photo-worthy.
While you likely won’t have time to check out every single winery in the area on your next fall getaway, spending time at as many as possible is certainly worth your while if you’re an avid scenery seeker. Places like the Shelton Vineyards in Dobson have earned the title as the largest estate winery in the state, so if it’s ultra-impressive surroundings you’re after, you’re sure to find them here. Shelton Vineyards hosts an on-site eatery, a beautiful pond, vineyard tours, and stunning manicured grounds to enjoy that offer up a pristine place to savor time leaf peeping this fall.
If you’re spending time exploring downtown Mount Airy, you’ll only have to travel a few minutes to find yourself enjoying the fall leaves of the North Carolina Mountains at places like Round Peak Vineyards. This is a must-visit for admiring fall foliage across the Blue Ridge Mountains with opportunities to pair your viewing with world-class Italian and French varietals along the way.
Add More Flavor and Fall Foliage to the Agenda Around Mount Airy
If you have even more time to spare to enjoy fall foliage and local wine flavors as well, we highly recommend making your way to the Elkin Creek Vineyard while you’re in Mount Airy this year. You’ll find that this inviting winery specializes in estate-grown whites and reds that can be sipped from a place near the creek with colorful leaves creating a canopy overhead. Elkin Creek Vineyard also has a waterfall to admire, making your fall foliage journey this way that much more romantic. Over at Golden Road Vineyards, you’ll find you have 25 acres of Blue Ridge foothills to explore and enjoy the changing colors of the season when you’re not enjoying their iconic Petit Verdot. Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery is just as alluring thanks to its place on a former dairy farm within easy reach of Carter Falls.
Spend Time Leaf Peeping Right from the Luxury and Comfort of Your Vacation Rental
Getting out and exploring the local trails, parks, and vineyards is always a treat when you’re in Mount Airy to enjoy seeing the fall leaves changing. That said, for travelers who choose to book their stay through Carolina Getaway Cabins, there are just as many opportunities to make the most of colorful surroundings right from the comfort of their luxury home-away-from-home!
At Carolina Getaway Cabins, we treat our guests to time in stunning properties located within the exclusive Paradise Mountain Estates. This gated community offers the privacy travelers are looking for with access to amazing views out and over the Blue Ridge Mountains at every turn. You can count on a serene escape here as well as proximity to the vineyard and wineries that make this region so flavorful.
Our cabins aren’t far from Pilot Mountain or Hanging Rock State Park for those moments when you’re ready to find the best places to see fall foliage in NC. However, if you decide to stay on-site, you can match mesmerizing and colorful surrounding views this fall with time enjoying a private hot tub, heated pool, or taking it all in from a place on a wrap-around porch in good company.
Count on Having Plenty of Room to Relish Your Fall Getaway to the Max
When you choose to book your fall getaway through us, we’ll make sure you have the space you need to feel right at home upon arrival. Our property options are just as inviting for solo travelers and couples as they are for groups of upward of 22 at a time. Here, we truly have a place for everyone, and the unmatched views to make your stay that much more inspiring. The vast majority of our luxury cabins come with inviting open floor plans in place, ideally paired with vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. When you’re looking for a retreat to enjoy this fall that comes complete with cozy fireplaces, impressive master suites, a gourmet kitchen, and great game rooms, we have it covered.
Book Your Mount Airy Stay Today
Whether you’re planning a trip to Mount Airy this fall to make the most of the changing seasonal colors, or you’re excited to vacation here another time of year, Carolina Getaway Cabins is waiting to help you find the luxury rental property to match the moment. Reach out today to learn more about our stunning homes and how we can help you tailor the details of your next trip that matter most to you.
