On September 4, the popular Smoky Mountain vacation website, Visit My Smokies, released its 2014 Smoky Mountain Fall Colors report. In this report, the travel resource revealed its top predictions and forecast of what guests to the area can expect to see this season.

“The biggest question we get asked this time of year is, ‘when are the leaves going to change?’” said a spokesperson for Visit My Smokies. “The Smoky Mountains fall colors bring visitors from all across the country to our area, and everyone who visits wants to see the leaves when they are at their peak.”

On average, the fall leaves draw over 2 million visitors annually to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the months of September and October. It is the influx of visitors that inspired Visit My Smokies to release this year’s Smoky Mountains fall colors forecast.

In the report, Visit My Smokies predicts that the peak of this year's Smoky Mountains fall colors will come between mid-late October, beginning at the higher elevations and working its way down. For guests looking to catch the leaves at their peak, the travel website suggests that they plan to enjoy their vacation between October 10-27.

According to the Smoky Mountain vacation site, the best way to predict when the leaves are going to change is to understand what causes the change in the first place. The leaves change colors when the days grow shorter and there is less sunlight to fully-complete the photosynthesis process. The leaves eventually stop the process all together, and therefore lose their green tint.

As with every year, the leaves in the higher elevations of the park will begin to transition first, and eventually it will works its way to the valleys by the end of October.

For travelers who have never seen the Smoky Mountains fall colors, Visit My Smokies also includes a preview of what to expect this season. The preview includes a breakdown of which trees turn which colors to help visitors identify their favorite Smoky Mountain fall foliage.

Those interested in reading the full 2014 Smoky Mountains Fall Colors report from Visit My Smokies can find it here: http://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/smoky-mountains/2014-smoky-mountains-fall-foliage-forecast/

About: Established in 2009, Visit My Smokies is the premier Great Smoky Mountain destination lodging website. The program is owned by Sevier County, Tenn., and developed to build revenue through the promotion of travel and tourism, in relation to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville area lodging, attractions, dining and shopping. All offices are located at: 125 Court Ave., Suite 102 E, Sevierville, TN 37862.