GAINESVILLE - The autumnal equinox is less than a week away, and officials with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests say to expect some different leaf colors this year.
Holly Krake, spokeswoman for the Forest Service, said leaf season starts when trees stopping making chlorophyl , which makes the leaves green, and the leaves turn colors and fall to the ground.
"This year in North Georgia, we anticipate right around October 24, the week before and the week after, to be peak fall color in Georgia," Krake said. "The primary color that we're going to see this year should be some brilliant reds and yellows, particularly because of a dryer summer, we're going to see some really intense red color across the higher elevations."
Krake suggests heading up towards Blairsville to see the varying leaf colors in those higher elevations.
"A great place to go would be Helton Creek Falls, just south of Blairsville. It's a short, less than a half-mile hike and there's an 80 foot waterfall here too," she said.
"If you don't want to get out of you car, there's some simple driving tours - Russell Brasstown Scenic Byway, U.S. Highway 76 between Blairsville and Clayton, or State Highway 197 between Clarkesville and U.S. Highway 176."
While you're up there, check out one of the many fall festivals in there area - a full list of fall festivals is available here.
If you don't want to leave the comfort of your home, you can keep up with leaf colors online. Krake said updates will be featured on the Forest Service's Facebook Page, Twitter, or by texting "Follow Chattoconeenf" to 40404.
