By Susan Pierce

Staff Writer

In a few weeks, the Tennessee Valley will become Mother Nature's palette, splashed in shades of red, gold and orange. Hillside blankets of color will draw families out for Sunday drives, picnics and festivals to savor the natural beauty.

We asked five regional tourism officials, whose job it is to know prominent tourist attractions as well as scenic spots off the beaten paths, for their suggestions on where and how to leaf-watch.

Their tips ranged from hikes to hang gliding in sites from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Etowah River Valley in Georgia.

"Soaring through the air on a hang glider is an exciting and adventurous way to see the colors," said Candace Davis, marketing and public relations manager at the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"Hike the Appalachian Trail from Clingman's Dome to Siler's Bald, about four miles one way," suggests Sarah Weeks, a Chattanoogan who is now director of development for Friends of the Smokies.

"A nostalgic favorite I take on apple- and pumpkin-picking drives with my family is Georgia Highway 136, heading east from Jasper, intersecting with Georgia 52 just west of Amicalola Falls State Park," said Regina Wheeler of Georgia's Historic High Country Travel Association.

Before you leave home, dial the Tennessee Fall Color Hotline, (800) 697-4200, to hear weekly updates on color in the Tennessee Valley.

E-mail Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com