Leaf Colors At Peak Across Most Of Virginia: Fall Foliage Report

VIRGINIA — Fall foliage across most of Virginia is at peak color this weekend, state foresters said, making it the perfect time for a drive to catch bright red, orange and yellow leaves.

The Virginia Department of Forestry said Wednesday that late October is prime time for foliage viewing across the Piedmont and into eastern Virginia.

"Forest canopies are a jigsaw puzzle of orange, yellow, red, and green. Red maples continue to stand out this year, with individual trees ranging from yellow to orange to bright scarlet. Hickories are easy to spot, in rich yellow-gold from top to bottom," the VDF said. "Always late arrivals to the party, oak trees are finally showing up in their autumn finery. Their colors are deep rather than flashy, giving the forest an opulent, jeweled look.

Lower elevation forests, including most of the Blue Ridge, are mainly shades of gold, interspersed with red and orange maples, foresters said. Watch for a second, less intense wave of color as the oaks finally complete their change.

Virginia's highest mountain forests are past peak, with a combination of bare trees and earth tones.

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

• Charlottesville Area - Greene County
• Harrisonburg Area - Rockingham County
• Harrisonburg Area - Shenandoah County
• Lexington Area - Bath County
• Front Royal Area - Warren County
• Roanoke Area - Bedford County
• Roanoke Area - Craig County
• Roanoke Area - Franklin County
• Staunton Area - Highland County

Other top places to see fall leaves in Virginia to consider:

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park features beautiful fall scenery across its entire landscape. Bold autumn hues await your arrival in the wooded hollows, fields of wildflowers, and all around the scenic vistas. For the best fall views, visit Old Rag Mountain to see the tree canopies create a quilt of color. Don't miss the Big Meadows either to find fall blooms and watch the tall grasses change their hues.

Whitetop Mountain

With a trip up to the summit of Whitetop Mountain, you can gaze in wonder at the colorful grasses, shrubs, and trees. If you go early in the season, you can also enjoy the wondrous calls of songbirds, including black-throated green warbler and dark-eyed junco. All it takes to get there is a leisurely drive up the gravel road right off State Route 600, near the Tennessee border. Once you reach the top, there's nothing between you and the patchwork of reds, oranges, and golds as far as the eye can see.

Potomac Heritage Trail

Looking to stay closer to D.C., the Potomac Heritage Trail lets you meander along the riverside at your leisure. Whether you choose to hike or ride your bike, you can stay on the main trail to follow the Potomac River's journey. Or you can opt for the side trails to loop through the forests full of tulip poplars, sycamores, and oak trees. The views are perhaps even more impressive right on the Potomac River, so don't hesitate to bring down your canoe or kayak.

David Angotti, an expert on statistics who lives in Tennessee, was in the property management business in 2013 when he created the first Fall Foliage Prediction Map for SmokyMountains.com to help visitors plan their vacations when autumn leaves are the most brilliant.

SmokyMountains.com's fall foliage prediction map provides week-by-week predictions, and is a great tool to start planning leaf peeping tours in neighboring states.

Map courtesy of SmokyMountains.com

To use the map, simply slide the scale to the right to see when leaves will peak in your state. Zero in on your county, and you'll be able to decide whether it's best to plan a northern, southern, eastern or western route.

Areas shaded in green have not begun to change color. As the season progresses, the map shows a progression of colors. When areas are shaded in brown, the leaves are past their peak.

What Causes The Different Colors

You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to thrive — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.

But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a halt. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.

Beta-carotene, the same pigment that makes carrots orange, reflects the yellow and red light from the sun and gives leaves an orange hue.

The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.

And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?

They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.