Blue Ridge Fall Leaves & Holiday Season 2026
Prices & schedules checked October 18, 2026
Fall color and apple season run into the holidays here. Nobody can promise a peak-color date, since it depends on the weather. Here’s what’s scheduled, from the organizers’ own pages.
Fall: leaves by train
The Chamber lists the railway’s Fall Foliage Tours from October 18 to November 3, 2026 on the 2-hour Express and 4-hour Extended rides, 26 miles round trip along the Toccoa River. It also says fall foliage rides run “during September through early November” and that Southern Living named the railway one of the top five attractions for fall color. Rides sell out weeks ahead, the railway says, so check the calendar now.
Booking the train: buy from the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway’s own site. We found no affiliate program, and the GetYourGuide train listings redirected when opened with our partner link, so the train links on this site earn us nothing. The railway’s FAQ says that if you book through a third party, changes and refunds go through that third party.
Fall: apples and cider
At Mercier Orchards, apple picking typically runs August through October, depending on weather and harvest, and the Chamber says crowds peak in late September and early October. In fall there are hayrides and fresh-pressed cider. Mercier is closed on Thanksgiving. Nearby Ellijay holds the Georgia Apple Festival over two weekends every October (Chamber).
Fall: waterfalls
The short hikes to Fall Branch Falls (half a mile) and Long Creek Falls (2 miles) make a good leaf walk. See our waterfalls guide.
Holiday dates, 2026
| Event | When | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Christmas Tour of Trees (Serenity in the Mountains) | Sun, Nov 8 and Sun, Nov 15, 2–5 p.m. | $20 |
| Holiday Market (Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association) | Nov 15 – Dec 19, Tue–Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | 420 W Main St |
| Light Up McCaysville tree lighting | Fri, Nov 27, 5–7 p.m. | Riverwalk Shops, 100 Blue Ridge Dr, McCaysville |
| Light Up Blue Ridge & Christmas Parade | Nov 27–28 | Santa at the City Park Gazebo, Gingerbread Village, Santa’s Mailbox; Great Tree lighting Nov 28 |
| The Nutcracker Ballet | Sat, Dec 12, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. | Tickets $15 (see listing for venue) |
| Holiday Express train (1 hour) | Select dates in the holiday season | See the railway’s holiday page |
Dates are from the Fannin County Chamber’s event listings and the railway’s site as of October 18, 2026; confirm closer to the date.
The Holiday Express
The railway’s 1-hour holiday ride has holiday music and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Children get a jingle bell and a candy cane, with a chance to see Santa. Dates and fares are on the railway’s holiday page.
Light Up Blue Ridge
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Santa visits the City Park Gazebo for photos, a Gingerbread Village goes on show, and children can leave a letter in Santa’s Mailbox and get a handwritten reply by mail. The Great Tree lighting is Saturday, November 28, per the Chamber.
Sources
- Fannin County Chamber — Fall Foliage Tours (Oct 18 – Nov 3, 2026; 26 miles; Southern Living; Sept – early Nov)
- Blue Ridge Scenic Railway — Tickets and FAQs (sell-outs)
- Blue Ridge Scenic Railway — Holiday special rides (1 hour, music, story, jingle bell, candy cane, Santa)
- Fannin County Chamber — Mercier Orchards guide (apple season, crowds, hayrides, Georgia Apple Festival)
- Mercier Orchards — home (holiday closures)
- Fannin County Chamber — Annual Christmas Tour of Trees (Nov 8 & 15, 2–5 p.m., $20)
- Fannin County Chamber — Holiday Market, Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association (Nov 15 – Dec 19, 420 W Main)
- Fannin County Chamber — Light Up McCaysville (Nov 27, 5–7 p.m., Riverwalk Shops)
- Fannin County Chamber — Light Up Blue Ridge & Christmas Parade (Nov 27–28, 2026)
- Fannin County Chamber — The Nutcracker Ballet (Dec 12, 2026, 2 & 6 p.m., $15)