On a leaf-peeping trip to Tennesse and North Carolina I bit off a big chunk and did both the Newfound Gap and the Cherohala Scenic Byways in the same day. Whew! But the weeather was so gorgeous, I couldn't stop. I just had to keep going, every turn better than the last..

I keep pondering which I liked better, and still have not come up with an answer. The leaves had not yet peaked; I was a week early, but being from the south of Texas where we have no autumn change, I was completely in awe of what colors I saw.

Certainly, the big draw to the Newfound Gap Road is Clingman's Dome. It's a half-mile hike from the parking lot to the dome, and when the brochures say it's steep, believe them. It IS a paved walk, but at times you feel as though you're walking a straight-up incline. With that said, I was amazed at the people who had the wherewithall and ability to make the trip. The reward is not only the 360-degree sweeping vistas from the dome, but the dome itself, as, despite its support, appears suspended in mid-air, the deep blue sky a stunning backdrop.

Otherwise, the two drives are pretty much the same. The driving miles and the number of pullouts are comparable. Maybe the Cherohala had a few more pullouts, and they were named. Other than toilets at a couple of stops along the way, there were no amenities, including gas stations or eateries at either

There's no doubt: Driving these scenic byways in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina is a must-do, but in the autumn, the beauty is unsurmountable.