Fall colors increase tourism in North Carolina mountains

BLOWING ROCK, N.C. — Fall is starting to show its vibrant colors in the North Carolina High Country and leaf-lookers are taking notice.

Channel 9 checked with several hotels in Boone and Blowing Rock on Friday and discovered only a handful of rooms were available and many were booked up. In downtown Blowing Rock, most of the parking spaces were filled up and popular overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway were busy.

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Fall color in Grandfather Mountain Oct. 30, 2022: A Blue Ridge sunset is seen from Boulder Field Overlook at Milepost 302.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway last week. (Skip Sickler/Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)

A recent article by Appalachian State University estimated the economic impact of visitors to western North Carolina during the fall is around $1 billion.

>> In the video at the top of the page, Channel 9′s Dave Faherty talks to visitors and local business owners who are expecting large crowds this weekend.

(Watch below: App State professor talks about fall foliage with Meteorologist John Ahrens)

App State professor talks about fall foliage with Meteorologist John Ahrens App State professor talks about fall foliage

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