When do the leaves change in West Virginia?
Almost entirely mountainous, West Virginia's sugar and red maples turn early, with the Highland Scenic Highway and Blackwater Falls State Park in the Allegheny highlands often peaking by late September into early October.
Peak: October 12–October 18
Color builds from October 6 · mostly bare by November 7
12 weather points cover West Virginia, and the model needs no correction to land on 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against West Virginia's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 6 days earlier. Across West Virginia the first place to turn and the last sit about 6 days apart. How the forecast works
Known for
Things to do in fall in West Virginia
16 iconic stops, including scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
National parkPeak October 14
Redesignated a full national park in 2020, this 876-foot-deep gorge is spanned by one of the highest bridges in the Americas; the Canyon…
Blackwater Falls State Park
State parkPeak October 7
Tannic acid from hemlock and red spruce needles tints the Blackwater River amber as it drops 57 feet at this Tucker County park, where…
Cass Scenic Railroad
Scenic railwayColor nearby peaks October 6
Restored Shay geared locomotives haul open-air cars up Back Allegheny Mountain from a preserved 1901 logging town, with fall excursions…
Seneca Rocks
ViewpointPeak October 6
A 900-foot Tuscarora quartzite fin rises sheer above the North Fork Valley in Monongahela National Forest, its South Peak accessible only…
Peak October 15
A West Virginia state forest less than 15 miles east of Morgantown, famous for a sandstone overlook high above the Cheat River gorge that…
Orr's Farm Market
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 20
A family orchard and market southwest of Martinsburg, farmed by the Orrs since George S.
Mountain State Forest Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 9
Elkins throws its biggest week of the year each fall: nine days of parades, a lumberjack contest, highland dancing, and a juried art show…
Mothman Festival
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 22
Point Pleasant spends one weekend a year fully committed to its own cryptid legend, with Main Street closed for vendor booths, live bands…
Leaves & views
Farms & harvest
Guides
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in West Virginia in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 12–October 18 (best estimate October 15). Color starts around October 6 and trees are mostly bare by November 7.
- How reliable is the West 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 West Virginia's autumn season?
- West Virginia is in the northern hemisphere, so its color season is autumn (September to November). The turn takes roughly 32 days end to end, centered on October 15, and the last 14 of those are thinning canopy rather than color.
- What are the best things to do in fall in West Virginia?
- The iconic stops: New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Blackwater Falls State Park, Cass Scenic Railroad, Seneca Rocks, Coopers Rock State Forest, Orr's Farm Market. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
Nearby & similar
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 12–October 18
October 6 → November 7