Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — For businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains, fall colors mean lots of green. October is typically the second-highest revenue period other than July for businesses in the area. Last October, the city of Pigeon Forge's Department of Tourism reported around $235 million in revenue for businesses.
That money comes from all over the country, from New Jersey to Texas and beyond as visitors make their way to East Tennessee to see the changing of the seasons.
Fran and Ken Weller said they made the 660-mile journey from Stanton, Michigan, to Cades Cove, on Thursday just so they could look at the fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains for the first time and celebrate their wedding anniversary.
"This is God's creation at its best," Ken said. "The drives, the colors — it's been perfect."
Another couple came from Stillwater, Oklahoma, and split the 15-hour drive up into two days.
"Coming here is like a whole different place. There's so much green and so many colors here," Madison Rathman said. "It seems like there are seasons here. In Oklahoma, you've got leaves and the next day everything is dead."
The park estimates over 1 million people will visit the park in October.
