Fall in Central Appalachia

Fall in Central Appalachia

Backroads of Appalachia

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Spring sprung, Summer came and went, and now we have come to our favorite time of the year to Ride here in Central Appalachia! Fall has arrived and our leaves are changing colors daily and as the temperature cools down we are gearing up here at the WCMG for the last month of our season and it is going to be unforgettable! We are known here in Appalachia for our stunning fall colors as our mountains begin to display every shade imaginable over the next month and we get all of it we can before they are gone! Our fall foliage typically peaks in mid-to-late October and so does our regular season schedule as riders come to join us here again this year from all over the globe! Last month we told you about some of our favorite overlooks here on the Backroads of Appalachia and which of our Trail Routes, you can find them on but if you really want to experience the Autumn Colors here all you have to do is attend any of our Events in October! 

We kick off October each year with our “Ride for the Cure” Event for Breast Cancer with our Partners at Wildcat Harley Davidson in London KY. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and our whole group rides with our WCMG Lady Riders to raise awareness and take donations for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. We have several Breast Cancer Survivors in our Lady Riders Group and this is a very important event for us each year and all are invited to attend our events as usual! Cars, Bikes, Slingshots, and Jeeps! In Mid-October we host our first of two annual “Fall Leaves” events and each is designed to show you the absolute best colors Kentucky and Tennessee have to offer! All brought to you by the Riders of our Region who know where to find these overlooks and colors better than anyone! 

October 5th – WCMG Lady Riders Ride For the Cure – This event kicks off our October schedule each season and also showcases our early color changes as we “Ride for the Cure” for the National Breast Cancer Foundation with our Lady Riders and Breast Cancer Survivors. 

October 12-13th – Our second annual Mountain Mainstreet Invasion is our “Fall Leaves” ride here in Kentucky and this year we are doing it with our partners at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park! The most visited state park in Kentucky and for good reason! Also one of our top spots to see our Fall Colors! On Day 2 we have a Poker Run to Red River Gorge with our partners at Lee County Tourism and the Beattyville Hillbillies from Discovery’s Moonshiners! See the pattern here?

October 17-20th – BOA LIVE! Presents Biketoberfest with Bikers Info USA! No fall colors here but wanted to throw that in. Come and see us and our partners at the Legendary Boot Hill Outpost and Sign our “BOA MOBILE WALL OF FAME”! We will have “Crazy Chuck” and Friends from Discovery’s Moonshiners and our annual “Traveling Hogs Beauty Contest’! This is our Last Rally of the 2024 Season!

October 26th-27th– Our fourth annual “Tennessee Fall Leaves Ride” for St Judes with our partners at the Dragon City Motorcycle Resort! This event starts in Kentucky, and we ride over 250 miles the first day through our mountains to the North end of the Tail! This is our last event of our season each year and one of our best! This event and ride showcase both Kentucky and Tennessee’s incredible Fall Colors at their peak and in the right places! It’s all for a good cause and we have a great big end of season Halloween Party with our Partners at the Dragoncity Motorcycle Resort! This includes a bonfire and a costume contest! 

Now let’s have mother nature do the talking like we do on our fall colors rides! Here is our Fall/Autumn overview and when to expect those colors!

Timing:

  • Eastern Kentucky: Fall colors generally peak earlier, around mid-October.
  • Eastern Tennessee: Colors tend to peak later in late October or early November.

Foliage Colors and Trees:

  • Red: Maple, Dogwood, Oak
  • Yellow: Hickory, Birch, Beech
  • Orange: Sugar Maple, Sassafras
  • Gold/Bronze: Oak, Hickory

Whether you’re using our Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application to come and experience this incredible season transition, or you decide to come and ride with us for the full effect, you simply cannot go wrong and what you will experience riding here in the Fall you will never forget! There is nothing out there that even comes close to what we have right here in KY, TN, WV, and VA!! So what are you waiting for? Find these events right now by visiting our website at www.backroadsofappalchia.org/events.  You can also find them in the Calendar in our Mobile Application! What are you waiting for? Come ride with us in October and let us show you what we already know..

Best Riding and Fall Colors in the U.S! Period!

Jay Fryman (Frydaddy)
Founder, Whitley County Motorcycle Group
Backroads of Appalachia Journalism Team