For many in North Carolina, fall is the most invigorating time of year. 

It’s not just that the harsh summer heat fades. The air changes. It almost crackles. It smells alive. It’s a feast for the eyes, too, especially in our rolling, old mountains, which become a melange of greens and browns and reds. 

At Cardinal & Pine, we honor all the things about North Carolina, a state that’s blessed to have four distinct seasons. (Sorry, not sorry, Southern California and Florida.) We celebrate those seasons every year, but one of our favorites to celebrate is fall.

Today, we’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to bring you our 2025 fall guide.

Look for the best festivals, fall foliage, recipes, and much more. Keep reading and make sure to share this newsletter with your friends and family. That’s how we grow!

Fans of fall foliage don’t need to wait for peak season to view the yellows, oranges, and reds of Pisgah National Forest, located in western North Carolina near Asheville. (Bill Russ/Visit NC)

Here’s what you’ll find in our 2025 fall guide:

Just outside Bryson City, the Road to Nowhere is a historic, six-mile drive that abruptly ends in the mouth of a dark tunnel. (Sarah Leek/Visit NC)

To say that the North Carolina mountains are a fall-lover’s paradise is an understatement. 

The spring and summer belong to our coast; the autumn to our mountains.

Western NC, which is home to some of the oldest mountains you’ll find anywhere, is a lush green in the spring and summer. They turn a delicious brown and red in the fall months, though. 

We’re not kidding. The place is one big postcard. There’s no need for any filters, editing, or modern computer tricks. Take a picture anywhere in this region and you’ll look like a genius. 

To help you prepare for this season of beauty, we have picked out NC’s best locations and times for fall foliage.

Because timing is everything (views like this don’t last forever), this is a must-read and share.

P.S. Western NC, which is still recovering from Helene, needs your dollars, so go rent a place there, shop the local farmers’ markets, and, in general, spend your money there. 😀

We’re grateful you’re reading our work at Cardinal & Pine.

Support from readers like you powers our journalism. As our fall fundraising drive continues, please consider making a gift.

Benson’s Mule Days festival, captured here in 2022, is a multi-day celebration of this eastern NC town’s agricultural tradition, features rodeos, parades, food, and more. (Madeline P. Gray/Cardinal & Pine)

We are a state with four distinct seasons. Fall—with its foliage, bountiful crops, and cooler temperatures—is an ideal time for gathering in the street and celebrating what makes your town great. 

That’s why the calendar fills up this time of year with local festivals in North Carolina. 

We’ve run through the calendar and picked out eight of our favorites, which you can read by clicking below—including Benson’s Mule Days, the Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, the Cape Fear Kite Festival in Kure Beach, and a whole lot more. 

Cardinal & Pine’s North Carolina team picks out its favorite fall recipes, including a delightful mushroom risotto. (Shutterstock)

Everyone has a few good fall recipes. You know what I mean. The cozy, heavy, sumptuous stuff that we tend to shut down when the temperature climbs outside. 

This year, at Cardinal & Pine, we want to honor those autumn favorites that make the kitchen light up when the sun starts going down early. 

We asked members of the Cardinal & Pine team, as well as our colleagues at COURIER, to share their favorite fall recipes. You’ll get Jessica F. Simmons‘ favorite mushroom risotto, a relaxing citrus and herb tonic tea preferred by Michael McElroy, Alexis Lawson‘s homemade sweet potato bread, and more. 

1. The 2025 guide to leaf peeping in North Carolina: When & where to go to see fall colors. Click here.

“The Tar Heel State comes alive every fall as leaves begin to change colors. Discover when and where to go leaf peeping in North Carolina to witness the transformation.”

2. The Blue Ridge Parkway: Which Helene-damaged areas might reopen in late summer, early fall? Click here.

“Heading into the summer season, large sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s winding path through the mountains of Western North Carolina remain closed for Tropical Storm Helene-related repairs, but many are open.”

3. Why Black Mountain is the best small town in NC to spend a fall day in. Click here.

“From its myriad fall festivals to its seasonal treats and stunning scenery, Black Mountain, North Carolina, is one place you need to visit this autumn.”

4. Fall’s a bummer to some people. Here’s what to do if it brings you down. Click here.

“Lots of people greet fall like an old friend. For others, the dying leaves and shorter days are one big bummer. Here are some tips if the season’s change is getting you down.”

5. Oktoberfest, North Carolina-style: 19 German heritage celebrations across the state. Click here. 

“Grab your dirndl or lederhosen and get ready for some German-style food and fun at these Oktoberfest events in North Carolina.” 

The Linn Cove Viaduct in the fall is simply one of the most spectacular places to be in autumn in NC. (Shutterstock)

Now we want to hear from you.

We want to see your favorite autumn views from North Carolina, like this jaw-dropping shot from the Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Send them our way, give us your name and location, and you might see it featured in this newsletter. 

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m an NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Today’s edition includes stories from Tyler Francischine, Billy Ball, Britteny Dee, USA Today via Reuters, and Dorothy Scott. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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