Salt and Light - Fall Foliage in the Smoky Mountains

Fall Foliage in the Smoky Mountains

大雾山的秋叶

Source: https://www.yourcabin.com/blog/complete-guide-to-fall-foliage-in-the-smoky-mountains/

大雾山国家公园有着丰富的历史和令人惊叹的自然景观。公园是各种动植物的家园，其中有许多小径可供探索，是呼吸新鲜空气和难忘回忆的绝佳去处。这就难怪每年有数百万人参观。

盘旋在山峰上的迷人雾是大雾山的标志性名称。Cherokee人称这个山脉为“Shaconage”意思是“蓝烟之地”。但它实际上并不是烟。蓝色的雾是由本地植物释放出一种叫做挥发性有机化合物或 VOC 的物质所产生的。随着 VOC 的增加，它们聚集在一起形成蒸气，当释放出来时，会从天空散射蓝光。那时你会看到许多人前往大雾山观看的独特而难忘的景象。

坠入大雾山

没有什么比大雾山的秋天更美妙了！国家公园拥有 100 多种原生树木，提供人所见过的最壮观的大雾山秋天色彩。事实上，城市Gatlinburg, TN被评为北美十大秋季旅游圣地之一。每年的这个时候因为大雾山的红叶都特别受欢迎，你可能想知道应该去哪里看到令人难以置信的颜色变化。继续阅读你将以了解有关大雾山秋叶的更多信息。

为什么叶子会变色

虽然树叶的变化几乎具有神奇的特性，但它是科学，而不是魔法，它解释了是什么导致了美丽的大烟山落叶。在春季和夏季，叶子是绿色的，因为光合作用是植物将来自太阳的能量转化为“食物”的过程。作为光合作用的一部分，一种叫做叶绿素的色素会吸收光线并使叶子呈现绿色。

当秋天的日子开始变短时，树木无法吸收充足的阳光。这种光合作用的减慢最终会破坏叶子的叶绿素并让其他色素发光。在大雾山，秋天带来了各种各样的如红色、黄色和橙色叶子。

在大雾山看红叶的最佳时间

据专家介绍，10月中旬左右，大烟山的秋色将在高海拔地区达到最佳状态。然后，大约一周后，低海拔的树木将展现出它们最鲜艳的色彩。秋天的树叶通常会持续到 11 月中旬。

在大雾山国家公园近距离观察美丽树叶的最佳方式是徒步旅行。当然，你也可以开车看到大雾山的红叶！

根据秋叶发现树木的指南

树叶的变化使识别大雾山中的树木变得更加容易，因为每个物种都有自己独特的颜色。以下是大雾山一些最著名的树木品种的快速浏览：

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is rich in history and stunning natural beauty. Home to a huge variety of plants and animals, with plenty of trails to explore it all, the park is an amazing escape into fresh air and unforgettable memories. It’s no wonder that millions of people visit every year.

The mesmerizing (mes-muh-ry-zing) mist that hovers over the mountain peaks is what gives the Smoky Mountains its iconic name. The Cherokee call this mountain range “Shaconage” (Sha-Kon-O-Hey). It means the “Land of Blue Smoke.” But it’s not actually smoke. The blue-hued fog is created by native plants that give off something called a volatile organic compound, or VOC. As the VOCs increase, they come together to form a vapor, which when released, scatters blue light from the sky. And that’s when you get the distinctive and unforgettable sight that so many people travel to the Smokies to see.

Fall in the Smoky Mountains

There is nothing like fall in the Smoky Mountains! With over 100 species of native trees, the national park offers some of the most spectacular Smoky Mountain fall colors you’ll ever see. In fact, Gatlinburg, TN was named one of the top 10 autumn destinations in North America. This time of year is especially popular because of the Smoky Mountains fall foliage, and you may be wondering where you should go to see the incredible color changes. Read on to know more about the fall foliage in the Smoky Mountains.

Why the Leaves Change Color

While the changing of the leaves has an almost magical quality to it, it is science, not magic, that explains what causes the beautiful Smoky Mountains fall foliage. During the spring and summer, the leaves are green because of photosynthesis, the process in which plants turn energy from the sun into “food.” As part of photosynthesis, a pigment called chlorophyll (klo-ro-fil) absorbs light and gives the leaves their green coloring.

When the days start to get shorter in the fall, trees aren’t able to absorb as much sunlight. This slowing of photosynthesis ultimately destroys the leaves’ chlorophyll and allows other pigments to shine through. In the Smoky Mountains, the fall brings a gorgeous variety of red, yellow, and orange leaves.

The Best Time to See the Fall Foliage in the Smoky Mountains

According to the experts, the Smoky Mountain fall colors will be at their best in high elevations around mid-October. Then, about a week later, the trees in the lower elevations will show off their most vibrant colors. The autumn foliage typically sticks around into early-mid November.

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the best way to get an up-close look at the lovely leaves. Of course, you can also see the Smoky Mountains fall foliage right from your car!

Guide to Spotting Trees Based on Their Fall Leaves

The changing of the leaves makes it much easier to identify trees in the Smoky Mountains because each species has its own unique shade of color. Here is a quick look at some of the most well-known varieties of trees in the Smokies: