Fall Foliage in Virginia
Fall in Virginia is one of the most beautiful times of year, and traveling throughout the Commonwealth during this season can reveal an abundance of color. Virginia’s expansive woodlands, famously blue-tinged mountains, and rambling scenic byways are the place to be when fall leaves are at their fiery peak.
Virginia's diverse landscape, from the highest mountains to the Eastern Shore, provides a long fall foliage season, starting earliest in the higher elevations and moving eastward. Generally peak fall foliage is sometime between October 10 and October 31; however, dates can vary from year to year. Want to know when and where to see the best fall colors in Virginia this autumn?
Virginia Fall Foliage Report for the Weekend of Sept. 23
September 23 marks the first official day of fall! Virginia’s forests are still mostly green, but many trees have begun their “great fade,” a dulling of green color as chlorophyll production slows. This effect is happening earlier than usual in areas that had lacked summer rainfall. Look closely, and you’ll notice a few tree species beginning to change already showing shades of red and yellow.
Fall will soon progress beginning in the highest mountains of southwest Virginia and the Alleghenies. Meanwhile, many of our roadways are awash in the golden yellow of tickseed and goldenrod, some of our most noticeable fall wildflowers.
View our 2023 fall foliage prediction map and sign up for updates.
