Old Rag Mountain
Trail · Virginia
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
Peak: October 18–October 22
Color builds from October 5 · mostly bare by November 11
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Old Rag Mountain’s own coordinates and elevation (287 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Old Rag Mountain on the map
More things to do in Virginia
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
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
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does Old Rag Mountain peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 18–October 22 (best estimate October 20). Color starts around October 5 and is mostly bare by November 11.
- What is Old Rag Mountain best for?
- Virginia's most famous scramble hike.
- How do I get to Old Rag Mountain?
- The closest city is Washington, DC, about 71 mi away. It's part of Virginia's fall lineup.
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