When do the leaves change in Virginia?
Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway carry travelers through oak-hickory ridges and scattered sugar maples in Shenandoah National Park, with color typically peaking in mid-October at higher elevations.
Peak: October 14–October 30
Color builds from October 14 · mostly bare by November 14
16 weather points cover Virginia, and the model shifts their answer 4 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against Virginia's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 6 days earlier. Virginia does not turn all at once, and the gap from the earliest corner to the latest runs about 15 days. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in Virginia
20 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Skyline Drive
Scenic drivePeak October 16
Shenandoah National Park's 105-mile ridge-top drive along the Blue Ridge crest strings together 75 overlooks of the Shenandoah Valley and…
Old Rag Mountain
TrailPeak October 15
The 9-mile circuit to Old Rag's 3,284-foot summit climbs through a mile-long boulder scramble that's become Virginia's most popular hike…
Cox Farms
FarmColor nearby peaks October 26
This Centreville farm runs a daytime Fall Festival of slides, hayrides, and pumpkins alongside Fields of Fear, a nighttime haunted…
Great Falls Park
National parkPeak October 28
The Potomac drops 76 feet over jagged bedrock cascades at this 800-acre National Park Service site near McLean, with cliffside trails past…
Graves Mountain Farm
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 15
Family-run since 1965 at the foot of the Blue Ridge in Madison County, this 1,800-acre farm and lodge holds its Apple Harvest Festival…
Hunt Club Farm Harvest Fair
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 13
Virginia Beach's long-running harvest fair on London Bridge Road, where $18 admission covers the petting farm, a treewalk adventure and…
Hanover Vegetable Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 26
A Hanover County farm north of Richmond that has been selling produce since 1902 and opens its pumpkin field each autumn.
Haunts of Richmond Ghost Tours
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks October 28
Billed as Richmond's original ghost tour company since 2004, running six walking tours at $27 a head through Shockoe Bottom, Church Hill…
Leaves & views
Farms & harvest
Halloween
Guides
2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State
Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.
5 Leaf-Peeping Road Trips for 2026
Five real fall road trips for 2026, from Vermont's Route 100 to Germany's Alpine Road, with route feel, standout stops, and how many days to plan for each.
Understand the season in Virginia
Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.
Foliage Timing & Seasons
False Fall: Why Some Leaves Turn in Late Summer
Red leaves in late summer usually aren't an early fall. They're almost always a stressed tree reacting to drought, damage, or disease.
2026-07-17 · 5 min read
Photography & Observation
Fall Foliage Photography: A Field Guide
How to photograph fall foliage well: overcast versus golden hour, polarizer technique, backlighting, fog, water reflections, and phone camera tips that work.
2026-07-14 · 5 min read
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Virginia in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 14–October 30 (best estimate October 22). Color starts around October 14 and trees are mostly bare by November 14.
- How reliable is the Virginia forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out. Mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Virginia's autumn season?
- Virginia is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 31 days end to end, centered on October 22, and the last 14 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Virginia?
- The iconic stops: Skyline Drive, Old Rag Mountain, Cox Farms, Great Falls Park, Graves Mountain Farm, Hunt Club Farm Harvest Fair. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Virginia
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 14–October 30
October 14 → November 14