The leaves are turning and The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is helping travelers enjoy all that Virginia has to offer, including peak foliage. Virginia’s annual color change starts at the highest elevations and proceeds downslope and eastward throughout the fall months.
But how can peak fall foliage be predicted? DOF uses historical data plus current weekly reports from staff from late September through early November. The agency even helps plan routes for the best leaf-peeping, including suggestions for scenic driving tours with consistently stunning fall foliage year after year.
“We are often asked whether dry conditions will ruin the fall foliage for the year,” said Conservation Education Coordinator Ellen Powell. “While this year’s drought will cause some trees to drop leaves early, there will always be fall colors to enjoy. Time and again, our trees prove to be resilient and put on a lovely show. Although predicting the exact timing of fall colors and intensity is difficult, a best estimate is that most key leaf-peeping areas will reach peak color on the earlier side. Trees on exposed mountain ridgetops and in urban areas also tend to turn sooner.”
DOF’s fall scenic driving tours include routes that cover parts of northern, western and central Virginia: https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/fall-foliage-driving-tours/.
For weekly updates on Virginia’s fall foliage progress, follow on Facebook and Instagram (@ForestryVA) and bookmark fall foliage page: https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/fall-foliage-in-virginia/.
