Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Virginia?

Yes, by about 11 days. High ground around 4,050 ft peaks near Oct 10, while valleys near 850 ft wait until Oct 21. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.

Where are the best places to see fall color in Virginia?

The guide includes 6 researched locations in Virginia, including Hawksbill Summit, Hogback Overlook, Thorofare Mountain Overlook. Hawksbill Summit turns first, around Oct 9, and Mabry Mill is last, around Oct 18. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.

What trees turn color in Virginia?

Mainly red maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sugar maple. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.

Virginia Fall Foliage 2026

Q: When do the leaves change in Virginia?

Virginia typically peaks Oct 9 – Oct 17, centered on Oct 13. Skyline Drive ridgetops peak mid-October; the Piedmont and Tidewater follow two to three weeks later. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.

Bare <20% Typical peak was 19 days ago

Typical peak window

Oct 9 – Oct 17

Centered on Oct 13 at reference elevation.

moderate confidence in typical timing.

Skyline Drive ridgetops peak mid-October; the Piedmont and Tidewater follow two to three weeks later.

Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated Nov 1, 2026.

Seasonal timing

Virginia's typical 2026 peak window is Oct. 9–17, with high ground around 4,050 feet peaking near Oct. 10 and valleys around 850 feet near Oct. 21. Skyline Drive ridgetops typically peak in mid-October, while the Piedmont and Tidewater follow two to three weeks later.

What turns here

red maple
oak
hickory
tulip poplar
sugar maple

Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.

Color progression

Typical peak Oct 13

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

Virginia is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.

Virginia by county

15 days from Highland County to Virginia Beach city.

10 of 133 counties are typically at peak on Nov 1, 2026. Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method

A county is still an average. Madison County spans 9 days on its own, ridge to valley.

Every county, as text

County	Typical peak	Stage on Nov 1, 2026	Median elev.	Spread
Accomack County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	3 ft	1 days
Albemarle County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	581 ft	3 days
Alexandria city	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	128 ft	1 days
Alleghany County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	1,931 ft	4 days
Amelia County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	316 ft	1 days
Amherst County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	946 ft	3 days
Appomattox County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	654 ft	1 days
Arlington County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	202 ft	1 days
Augusta County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	1,889 ft	5 days
Bath County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,079 ft	4 days
Bedford County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	944 ft	2 days
Bland County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,749 ft	2 days
Botetourt County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,391 ft	2 days
Bristol city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,783 ft	0 days
Brunswick County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	274 ft	0 days
Buchanan County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,863 ft	3 days
Buckingham County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	476 ft	1 days
Buena Vista city	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	883 ft	1 days
Campbell County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	733 ft	1 days
Caroline County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	178 ft	1 days
Carroll County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	2,597 ft	2 days
Charles City County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	51 ft	1 days
Charlotte County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	467 ft	1 days
Charlottesville city	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	437 ft	1 days
Chesapeake city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	14 ft	0 days
Chesterfield County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	228 ft	1 days
Clarke County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	619 ft	3 days
Colonial Heights city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	57 ft	0 days
Covington city	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,272 ft	1 days
Craig County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,374 ft	4 days
Culpeper County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	345 ft	1 days
Cumberland County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	335 ft	0 days
Danville city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	502 ft	1 days
Dickenson County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,956 ft	1 days
Dinwiddie County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	226 ft	1 days
Emporia city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	118 ft	0 days
Essex County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	132 ft	0 days
Fairfax city	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	415 ft	1 days
Fairfax County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	277 ft	0 days
Falls Church city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	281 ft	0 days
Fauquier County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	475 ft	3 days
Floyd County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	2,526 ft	2 days
Fluvanna County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	344 ft	0 days
Franklin city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	32 ft	0 days
Franklin County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,169 ft	4 days
Frederick County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	871 ft	2 days
Fredericksburg city	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	164 ft	1 days
Galax city	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	2,487 ft	1 days
Giles County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,340 ft	5 days
Gloucester County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	47 ft	0 days
Goochland County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	299 ft	1 days
Grayson County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	2,793 ft	5 days
Greene County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	929 ft	5 days
Greensville County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	154 ft	1 days
Halifax County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	497 ft	1 days
Hampton city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	9 ft	0 days
Hanover County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	209 ft	0 days
Harrisonburg city	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	1,354 ft	0 days
Henrico County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	144 ft	1 days
Henry County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	991 ft	2 days
Highland County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	3,080 ft	4 days
Hopewell city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	46 ft	0 days
Isle of Wight County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	52 ft	1 days
James City County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	67 ft	1 days
King and Queen County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	92 ft	1 days
King George County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	78 ft	0 days
King William County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	120 ft	1 days
Lancaster County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	44 ft	1 days
Lee County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,527 ft	1 days
Lexington city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,057 ft	0 days
Loudoun County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	473 ft	1 days
Louisa County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	351 ft	1 days
Lunenburg County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	437 ft	1 days
Lynchburg city	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	741 ft	0 days
Madison County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	868 ft	9 days
Manassas city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	262 ft	0 days
Manassas Park city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	250 ft	0 days
Martinsville city	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	823 ft	1 days
Mathews County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	10 ft	0 days
Mecklenburg County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	302 ft	0 days
Middlesex County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	70 ft	0 days
Montgomery County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	2,050 ft	4 days
Nelson County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	924 ft	8 days
New Kent County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	84 ft	0 days
Newport News city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	27 ft	0 days
Norfolk city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	6 ft	0 days
Northampton County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	2 ft	0 days
Northumberland County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	78 ft	0 days
Norton city	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	2,278 ft	3 days
Nottoway County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	355 ft	0 days
Orange County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	438 ft	1 days
Page County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,108 ft	5 days
Patrick County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,365 ft	5 days
Petersburg city	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	141 ft	1 days
Pittsylvania County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	691 ft	1 days
Poquoson city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	2 ft	0 days
Portsmouth city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	10 ft	0 days
Powhatan County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	285 ft	0 days
Prince Edward County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	501 ft	1 days
Prince George County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	94 ft	0 days
Prince William County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	289 ft	1 days
Pulaski County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	2,081 ft	2 days
Radford city	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,891 ft	1 days
Rappahannock County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	774 ft	5 days
Richmond city	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	202 ft	1 days
Richmond County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	84 ft	0 days
Roanoke city	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,041 ft	0 days
Roanoke County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,512 ft	4 days
Rockbridge County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,497 ft	1 days
Rockingham County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	1,537 ft	7 days
Russell County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	2,148 ft	3 days
Salem city	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,115 ft	0 days
Scott County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,692 ft	4 days
Shenandoah County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	1,132 ft	5 days
Smyth County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	2,622 ft	5 days
Southampton County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	76 ft	0 days
Spotsylvania County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	299 ft	1 days
Stafford County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	216 ft	1 days
Staunton city	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	1,498 ft	1 days
Suffolk city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	40 ft	0 days
Surry County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	92 ft	0 days
Sussex County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	83 ft	1 days
Tazewell County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,727 ft	4 days
Virginia Beach city	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	8 ft	0 days
Warren County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	741 ft	1 days
Washington County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	2,011 ft	5 days
Waynesboro city	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,342 ft	0 days
Westmoreland County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	118 ft	1 days
Williamsburg city	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	72 ft	0 days
Winchester city	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	722 ft	1 days
Wise County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	2,383 ft	4 days
Wythe County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	2,696 ft	3 days
York County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	25 ft	0 days

Peak by elevation

11 days between the ridges and the valleys below them. The county map above averages that away.

Elevation band	Approx. elevation	Typical peak	Today
High ridges & passes	4,050 ft	Oct 10	Bare
Mid elevation	3,000 ft	Oct 13	Bare
Valleys & lowlands	850 ft	Oct 21	Past peak

Foliage stages

No change 0–10%
First color 10–25%
Approaching peak 25–60%
Peak 60–90%
Past peak 40–70%, dropping
Bare <20%

Plan the light

Virginia on October 13, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Virginia on October 13, 2026
Event	Time
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:54 AM
Sunrise Rises E · 99°	7:20 AM
Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light	7:56 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light	12:59 PM
Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset	6:03 PM
Sunset Sets W · 261°	6:39 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	7:05 PM

Times in America/New York · day length 11h 19m · computed from NOAA solar equations.

Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.

Which way to point the camera

Sun rises E, sets W.

Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.

Where to shoot in Virginia

6 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations

Recent reports from Virginia

Report what you saw

Common questions

When do the leaves change in Virginia?: Virginia typically peaks Oct 9 – Oct 17, centered on Oct 13. Skyline Drive ridgetops peak mid-October; the Piedmont and Tidewater follow two to three weeks later. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Virginia?: Yes, by about 11 days. High ground around 4,050 ft peaks near Oct 10, while valleys near 850 ft wait until Oct 21. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.
Where are the best places to see fall color in Virginia?: The guide includes 6 researched locations in Virginia, including Hawksbill Summit, Hogback Overlook, Thorofare Mountain Overlook. Hawksbill Summit turns first, around Oct 9, and Mabry Mill is last, around Oct 18. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Virginia?: Mainly red maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sugar maple. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.