From: The Alabama Bureau of Tourism;
An interactive map on the Alabama Tourism Department's
website allows visitors to see the predicted fall color change for each weekend
this fall. The map, a list of
recommended viewing sites and a fall colors driving route are all available on
the state tourism website at www.alabama.travel.
Large concentrations of hardwoods make Alabama State
Parks some of the best places to enjoy the fall color change. Joe Wheeler has an excellent viewing spot
next to the dam and near the cabin area on the Lawrence County side. Autumn scenery can be found at DeSoto State
Park at Little River Canyon and DeSoto Falls.
Monte Sano has views of the Tennessee Valley along the Warpath Ridge
Trail and its overlook. Cheaha's Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock trails both have
excellent views. Cheaha is the highest
point in the state at 2,407 feet above sea level.
With cooler days and lower humidity, autumn hosts a
variety of outdoor festivals. Lee
Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, recommends several events
designed around being outdoors and enjoying the fall weather.
Outdoor events scheduled for this fall include the 75th
Anniversary of the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur on Oct. 5 that will
feature guided bird-watching field trips and nature hikes, wildlife education
presentations, children's nature programs, hay rides and more. Cullman's
Oktoberfest celebrates the city's German heritage with food, music and arts on
Oct. 5-12. The National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores on Oct. 10-13 is one of
the nation's premier outdoor festivals with fine art, arts & crafts and
plenty of shrimp.
Belle Chevre in Elkmont celebrates the grand opening of
their new goat cheese creamery on Oct. 12 with the Southern Reinvention
festival featuring Southern artisans and live entertainment. Break'n Bread at Birmingham's Railroad Park
on Oct. 13 features signature dish tastings from nearly 40 local restaurants.
The city of Mentone celebrates its annual Colorfest on Oct. 19-20 with a
weekend of arts & crafts, family activities and live entertainment.
The Alabama Renaissance Fair in Florence on Oct. 26-27
transforms the city's downtown park into a medieval experience. The National
Peanut Festival in Dothan on Nov. 1-10 celebrates its 70th anniversary this
year and is the nation's largest peanut festival. The Pike Road Arts and Crafts
Festival in the city of Pike Road on Nov. 2 features an arts and crafts market
on the grounds of the historic 19th century Marks House.
Alabama Frontier Days in Wetumpka on Nov. 6-10 features
reenactments from French Colonial times to the Early American period. Nearly
200 songwriters from across the country will be performing in venues all along
the Alabama Gulf Coast during the Frank Brown International Songwriters
Festival on Nov. 7-17. The 6th annual
Oyster Cook-Off featuring all-star chefs and live entertainment is Nov. 9 in
Gulf Shores.
A complete list of fall events is available at www.alabama.travel.
The Science of Fall
Several different factors go into producing Alabama's
wonderful fall colors. During the summer,
leaves are given their green color by the chemical chlorophyll that the tree
sends its leaves in order to conduct photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which trees
take in sunlight and convert it into chemical energy while releasing oxygen. The shorter days and cooler temperatures of
fall reduce the amount of chlorophyll the tree sends to its leaves. Since the chlorophyll is less and less in the
leaves, the leaves begin turning from green to hues of yellow and orange.
The vibrancy and variation of leaf color is determined by
how much sugar is "trapped" in the leaf.
The tree produces sugar during the warm afternoon, but it becomes
trapped in the leaf when the night turns cool.
The more sugar a leaf has trapped in it, the brighter its color will be
and the more variations you will see of reds, bright oranges, and purples. The best colors result when there are sunny
fall days, cool nights, and enough rainfall to keep the leaves from falling too
soon.
Alabama State Departmentof Tourism
