Editor’s Note: To celebrate the City of Gainesville turning 200 years old on Nov. 30, 2021, Gainesville Georgia Government is sharing interesting highlights from its centuries-old history. This is the 11th installment in a series, which will be featured monthly through November 2021 on gainesville.org and social media. For October, we present to you another autumn-themed spotlight on Gainesville – when the leaves impress beyond measure.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Oct. 30, 2021) – For many, the autumn season marks a favorite time of year for more reasons than one. With fall festivals, pumpkin patches, pick-your-own apple orchards and corn mazes abound, there's plenty of things to be excited about come September on. But what about the leaves?
"Leaf-watchers" or "leaf peepers" as they're called, defined by Merriam-Webster as "a person who visits wooded areas in autumn to view the changing colors of the foliage," flock to Northeast Georgia during the peak of fall to explore Mother Nature in all its fiery-hued glory.
Farmers' Almanac shares peak color for Georgia in 2021 runs from late October to early November. And as luck would have it, North Georgia residents never have to travel far to get a gander at glittering leaves colored in shades of yellow/gold, copper/orange, red/crimson and plum/purple.
Don Carter State Park*
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) State Parks & Historic Sites Division lists Gainesville's Don Carter State Park as one of the most popular state parks for fall color.
"Georgia’s only state park on Lake Lanier offers more than 14 miles of forested trails, boat ramps, cabins and campsites," DNR states of the "hidden gem". "Equestrians will especially enjoy autumn views from the trails."
Other 'hidden gems' nearby*
DNR also included the following in its 2021 list of greats, all of which are located within driving distance from Gainesville-Hall County:
Enjoy a 2021 photo gallery from these parks and others here.
*Information shared from DNR via https://gastateparks.org/LeafWatch
To learn more about Gainesville, visit gainesville.org or "Like" and follow the following City-managed social media pages: @GainesvilleGeorgiaGovernment, @DowntownGainesvilleGA, @ExploreGainesville, @gainesvillegeorgiafire, @GainesvilleParkandRec, @GainesvillePoliceGeorgia and @LakeLanierOlympicVenue.
