Peak Fall Leave Color Arrives Across VA This Weekend: See Foliage Map

VIRGINIA — No matter where you travel this weekend, you're likely to get a glimpse of vibrant fall colors throughout most of Virginia, the state Department of Forestry said Wednesday.

Virginia's diverse landscape, from the mountains to the Eastern Shore, provides a long fall foliage season, starting earliest in the higher elevations before moving eastward. Fall colors generally peak sometime between Oct. 10 and Oct. 31, forestry officials say.

However, dates vary based on temperature and rainfall, which has made the fall color season in Virginia longer than usual this year and provided "a slow progression of colors rather than a big bang all at once," the Department of Forestry said in an update.

"Shades of yellow to gold are the predominant colors statewide," officials said. "In the east, you are sure to notice the bright red maples and the sweetgums showing multiple colors on each individual tree. Hickories and maples continue to be standouts in the Piedmont and mountains."

According to state officials, the higher mountains of the southwest, the Alleghenies and parts of the Blue Ridge are still golden, but interspersed with brown and nearly bare trees.

Some of the season’s most colorful trees have been urban red and sugar maples, forestry officials said. Other street and park trees coming into their colors now are sweetgum and ginkgo.

"Oaks stubbornly hold onto their green coats the longest," officials said. "While many are finally beginning to change, green oaks can still be seen in the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and even the Blue Ridge."

The USDA Forest Service says three primary factors influence autumn leaf color: leaf pigments, length of night, and weather.

The Virginia Department of Forestry's recommended fall foliage driving tours designed by local foresters include:

• Charlottesville Area - Greene County
• Harrisonburg Area - Rockingham County
• Harrisonburg Area - Shenandoah County
• Lexington Area - Bath County
• Front Royal Area - Warren County
• Roanoke Area - Bedford County
• Roanoke Area - Craig County
• Roanoke Area - Franklin County
• Staunton Area - Highland County

Other top places to see fall leaves in Virginia to consider:

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park features beautiful fall scenery across its entire landscape. Bold autumn hues await your arrival in the wooded hollows, fields of wildflowers, and all around the scenic vistas. For the best fall views, visit Old Rag Mountain to see the tree canopies create a quilt of color. Don't miss the Big Meadows either to find fall blooms and watch the tall grasses change their hues.

Whitetop Mountain

With a trip up to the summit of Whitetop Mountain, you can gaze in wonder at the colorful grasses, shrubs, and trees. If you go early in the season, you can also enjoy the wondrous calls of songbirds, including black-throated green warbler and dark-eyed junco. All it takes to get there is a leisurely drive up the gravel road right off State Route 600, near the Tennessee border. Once you reach the top, there's nothing between you and the patchwork of reds, oranges, and golds as far as the eye can see.

Potomac Heritage Trail

Looking to stay closer to D.C., the Potomac Heritage Trail lets you meander along the riverside at your leisure. Whether you choose to hike or ride your bike, you can stay on the main trail to follow the Potomac River's journey. Or you can opt for the side trails to loop through the forests full of tulip poplars, sycamores, and oak trees. The views are perhaps even more impressive right on the Potomac River, so don't hesitate to bring down your canoe or kayak.