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 20–November 3
Color builds from October 12 · mostly bare by November 18
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model; terrain shifts timing ~1 day earlier per 300 m of elevation. Temperature alone can’t tell a maritime autumn from a continental one — two places at the same latitude and the same September can peak weeks apart, because the trees differ — so each region is also calibrated against published peak dates. Estimates, not promises: typically within a few days, occasionally a week or more out. Check locally before you travel.
Known for
Things to do in fall in Virginia
20 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Skyline Drive
Scenic drivePeak October 21
Shenandoah National Park's 105-mile ridge-top drive along the Blue Ridge crest strings together 75 overlooks of the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont, with color typically peaking mid-to-late October at the higher elevations near the Front Royal entrance.
Don’t miss: 105 miles along the Blue Ridge crest · 75 scenic overlooks · Peak color mid-to-late October
Old Rag Mountain
TrailPeak October 20
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, so popular that a capped day-use ticket, bought in advance on recreation.gov, is now required year-round on top of the park entrance pass.
Don’t miss: Signature summit boulder scramble · 3,284-ft summit · Advance day-use ticket required
Cox Farms
FarmColor nearby peaks October 31
This Centreville farm runs a daytime Fall Festival of slides, hayrides, and pumpkins alongside Fields of Fear, a nighttime haunted attraction with a scare-zone cornfield and hayride, on Friday and Saturday nights from late September into early November.
Don’t miss: Fall Festival slides and hayrides · Fields of Fear haunted nights · Cornightmare cornfield maze
Great Falls Park
National parkPeak November 2
The Potomac drops 76 feet over jagged bedrock cascades at this 800-acre National Park Service site near McLean, with cliffside trails past the ruins of George Washington's Patowmack Canal offering some of the region's most dramatic river-gorge foliage views.
Don’t miss: 76-ft Potomac River cascades · Historic Patowmack Canal ruins · Cliffside overlook trails
Graves Mountain Farm
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 20
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 across the first three weekends of October, with pick-your-own apples, hayrides, bluegrass, and a country buffet.
Don’t miss: Apple Harvest Festival, October weekends · Pick-your-own apples · Blue Ridge foothill setting
Hunt Club Farm Harvest Fair
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 16
Virginia Beach's long-running harvest fair on London Bridge Road, where $18 admission covers the petting farm, a treewalk adventure and unlimited farm-tour hayrides. The petting farm runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with pony rides from 11 to 4.
Don’t miss: Petting farm and pony rides · Treewalk adventure · Unlimited farm-tour hayrides
Hanover Vegetable Farm
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks November 1
A Hanover County farm north of Richmond that has been selling produce since 1902 and opens its pumpkin field each autumn. Through the peak season the farm is open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., shifting to Monday-Saturday hours from early November.
Don’t miss: Pumpkin picking in the field · Farm market open daily · Farming the same land since 1902
Haunts of Richmond Ghost Tours
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 2
Billed as Richmond's original ghost tour company since 2004, running six walking tours at $27 a head through Shockoe Bottom, Church Hill and Capitol Square. The Shadows of Shockoe tour covers about three-quarters of a mile in 90 minutes.
Don’t miss: Six tours across historic Richmond · Shadows of Shockoe departs Richbrau Brewing · Haunted dinners and pub crawls
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 20–November 3 (best estimate October 27). Color starts around October 12 and trees are mostly bare by November 18.
- 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 colors during autumn (September–November). 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.
- 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.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in Virginia?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Skyline Drive, Old Rag Mountain, Cox Farms, Great Falls Park, Graves Mountain Farm; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
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 20–November 3
October 12 → November 18