Virginia Fall Foliage Colors Arrive With A Bang, Best Drives

VIRGINIA — Cool weather this week brought fall colors out "with a bang" in more of the Commonwealth, making this weekend a great time to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, or any of western Virginia’s roads to take in the brilliant views.

The weekend of Oct. 26 and 27 should be near peak coloration for the mid- to higher elevations throughout the western mountains, said the Virginia Department of Forestry. Lower Blue Ridge elevations, the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont are behind the mountains, but there are good patches of color throughout those regions.

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

• Charlottesville area: Greene County tour directions
• Harrisonburg area: Rockingham County tour directions | Shenandoah County tour directions
• Lexington area: Bath County tour directions
• Front Royal area: Warren County tour directions
• Roanoke area: Bedford County tour directions | Craig County tour directions | Franklin County tour directions
• Staunton area: Highland County tour directions

The Fall Foliage Prediction Map, found on the Smoky Mountain National Park website, includes predictions not just for the Smokies, which rise above the Tennessee-North Carolina border, but for all 50 states.

Find a full rundown of leaf conditions across the state on the Virginia Department of Forestry website.

SEE ALSO: DC, NoVA Weekend: World Series, Mac And Cheese Festival

How To Check On Foliage

• Fall Foliage Report - 1.800.424.LOVE (begins around September 23 each year)
• Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park - 540.999.3500 (press "6")
• Blue Ridge Parkway (between Waynesboro and the North Carolina border) - 828.298.0398 (press "3")

Our state offers some stunning vistas, including several in state parks suggested by the Virginia Department of Forestry:

• Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC.
• Monticello Artisan Trail (Nelson & Albemarle Counties). Nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains, Albemarle and Nelson counties offer an abundance of cultural, historical, recreational and leisure opportunities for our visitors enjoyment.

And Visit Fairfax offers these suggestions for nearby foliage:

• The George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Great Falls Park, 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean
• Burke Lake, 7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station
• Lake Accotink, 7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield
• Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria
• Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls
• Mason Neck State Park, High Point Rd, Lorton
• Fountainhead Regional Park, 10875 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station
• Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna
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