“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus
Last weekend, the ladies in my family went in search of some Halloween excitement by heading to Cherokee, North Carolina, for “The Sleepy Hollow Experience.” The tiny mountain town’s “most thrilling Halloween attraction” promised an immersive experience with fire, live animals and axes. While it did deliver those things, it was more of a comedy than expected.
The three-hour drive each way, meanwhile, gave us more than anticipated. The mountains were aglow with fiery reds and blazing yellows.
Now, I’ve religiously followed the smokymountains.com interactive map that predicts peak leaf color, but I did not dare hope following the last few years of dreary leaf change. So that winding route was more thrilling than any fire and axes.
I’ll most likely be making the drive again this weekend, when the map predicts the height of color. But don’t fret if you’re staying put for more-typical Halloween action. There will be plenty for you to do – and our peak isn’t predicted until the following week.
-Jennifer Bardoner, editor