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Fall Photo Guide

Virginia Fall Foliage 2026

No change 0–10% Typical peak in 26 days

Typical peak planning centers on October 13, 2026, with a window from October 9 through 17. High ground around 4,050 feet, including Skyline Drive ridgetops, typically peaks near October 10, while 850-foot valleys peak around October 21, an 11-day spread. The Piedmont and Tidewater typically follow Skyline Drive by two to three weeks, with red maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar, and sugar maple shaping the season.

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

When Virginia 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.

low confidence. Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.

Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method

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 color progression for Virginia. No change from Sep 5 to Sep 22. First color from Sep 22 to Oct 1. Approaching peak from Oct 1 to Oct 9. Peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Past peak from Oct 17 to Oct 27. Bare from Oct 27 to Nov 10.

typical peak today

Virginia is typically at no change on this date.

Virginia by county

15 days from Highland County to Virginia Beach city.

Typical fall foliage stage by county in Virginia on September 17 Each county is shaded by its typical foliage stage. Peak runs from Oct 13 in Highland County to Oct 28 in Virginia Beach city. Every county, its stage and its typical peak date are listed as text below the map. Accomack County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Albemarle County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Alexandria city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Alleghany County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Amelia County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Amherst County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Appomattox County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Arlington County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Augusta County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Bath County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Bedford County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Bland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Botetourt County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Bristol city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Brunswick County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Buchanan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Buckingham County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Buena Vista city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Campbell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Caroline County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Carroll County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Charles City County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Charlotte County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Charlottesville city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Chesapeake city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Chesterfield County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Clarke County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Colonial Heights city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Covington city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Craig County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Culpeper County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Cumberland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Danville city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Dickenson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Dinwiddie County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Emporia city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Essex County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Fairfax city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Fairfax County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Falls Church city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Fauquier County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Floyd County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Fluvanna County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Franklin city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Franklin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Frederick County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Fredericksburg city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Galax city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Giles County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Gloucester County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Goochland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Grayson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Greene County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Greensville County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Halifax County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Hampton city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Hanover County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Harrisonburg city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Henrico County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Henry County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Highland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Hopewell city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Isle of Wight County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 James City County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 King and Queen County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 King George County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 King William County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Lancaster County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Lee County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Lexington city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Loudoun County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Louisa County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Lunenburg County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Lynchburg city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Madison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Manassas city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Manassas Park city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Martinsville city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Mathews County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Mecklenburg County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Middlesex County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Montgomery County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Nelson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 New Kent County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Newport News city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Norfolk city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Northampton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Northumberland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Norton city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Nottoway County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Orange County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Page County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Patrick County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Petersburg city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Pittsylvania County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Poquoson city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Portsmouth city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Powhatan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Prince Edward County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Prince George County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Prince William County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Pulaski County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Radford city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Rappahannock County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Richmond city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Richmond County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Roanoke city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Roanoke County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Rockbridge County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Rockingham County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Russell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Salem city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Scott County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Shenandoah County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Smyth County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Southampton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Spotsylvania County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Stafford County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Staunton city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Suffolk city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Surry County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Sussex County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Tazewell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 Virginia Beach city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Warren County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Washington County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Waynesboro city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Westmoreland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Williamsburg city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Winchester city: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Wise County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 19 Wythe County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 18 York County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Hawksbill Summit Hogback Overlook Thorofare Mountain Overlook Ravens Roost Overlook Abbott Lake at Peaks of Otter Mabry Mill

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 today Median elev. Spread
Accomack County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 3 ft 1 days
Albemarle County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 581 ft 3 days
Alexandria city Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 128 ft 1 days
Alleghany County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 1,931 ft 4 days
Amelia County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 316 ft 1 days
Amherst County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 946 ft 3 days
Appomattox County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 654 ft 1 days
Arlington County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 202 ft 1 days
Augusta County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 1,889 ft 5 days
Bath County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,079 ft 4 days
Bedford County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 944 ft 2 days
Bland County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,749 ft 2 days
Botetourt County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,391 ft 2 days
Bristol city Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,783 ft 0 days
Brunswick County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 274 ft 0 days
Buchanan County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,863 ft 3 days
Buckingham County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 476 ft 1 days
Buena Vista city Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 883 ft 1 days
Campbell County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 733 ft 1 days
Caroline County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 178 ft 1 days
Carroll County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 2,597 ft 2 days
Charles City County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 51 ft 1 days
Charlotte County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 467 ft 1 days
Charlottesville city Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 437 ft 1 days
Chesapeake city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 14 ft 0 days
Chesterfield County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 228 ft 1 days
Clarke County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 619 ft 3 days
Colonial Heights city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 57 ft 0 days
Covington city Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,272 ft 1 days
Craig County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,374 ft 4 days
Culpeper County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 345 ft 1 days
Cumberland County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 335 ft 0 days
Danville city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 502 ft 1 days
Dickenson County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,956 ft 1 days
Dinwiddie County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 226 ft 1 days
Emporia city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 118 ft 0 days
Essex County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 132 ft 0 days
Fairfax city Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 415 ft 1 days
Fairfax County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 277 ft 0 days
Falls Church city Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 281 ft 0 days
Fauquier County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 475 ft 3 days
Floyd County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 2,526 ft 2 days
Fluvanna County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 344 ft 0 days
Franklin city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 32 ft 0 days
Franklin County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,169 ft 4 days
Frederick County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 871 ft 2 days
Fredericksburg city Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 164 ft 1 days
Galax city Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 2,487 ft 1 days
Giles County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,340 ft 5 days
Gloucester County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 47 ft 0 days
Goochland County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 299 ft 1 days
Grayson County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 2,793 ft 5 days
Greene County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 929 ft 5 days
Greensville County Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 154 ft 1 days
Halifax County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 497 ft 1 days
Hampton city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 9 ft 0 days
Hanover County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 209 ft 0 days
Harrisonburg city Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 1,354 ft 0 days
Henrico County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 144 ft 1 days
Henry County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 991 ft 2 days
Highland County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 3,080 ft 4 days
Hopewell city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 46 ft 0 days
Isle of Wight County Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 52 ft 1 days
James City County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 67 ft 1 days
King and Queen County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 92 ft 1 days
King George County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 78 ft 0 days
King William County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 120 ft 1 days
Lancaster County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 44 ft 1 days
Lee County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,527 ft 1 days
Lexington city Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,057 ft 0 days
Loudoun County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 473 ft 1 days
Louisa County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 351 ft 1 days
Lunenburg County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 437 ft 1 days
Lynchburg city Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 741 ft 0 days
Madison County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 868 ft 9 days
Manassas city Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 262 ft 0 days
Manassas Park city Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 250 ft 0 days
Martinsville city Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 823 ft 1 days
Mathews County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 10 ft 0 days
Mecklenburg County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 302 ft 0 days
Middlesex County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 70 ft 0 days
Montgomery County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 2,050 ft 4 days
Nelson County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 924 ft 8 days
New Kent County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 84 ft 0 days
Newport News city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 27 ft 0 days
Norfolk city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 6 ft 0 days
Northampton County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 2 ft 0 days
Northumberland County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 78 ft 0 days
Norton city Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 2,278 ft 3 days
Nottoway County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 355 ft 0 days
Orange County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 438 ft 1 days
Page County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,108 ft 5 days
Patrick County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 1,365 ft 5 days
Petersburg city Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 141 ft 1 days
Pittsylvania County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 691 ft 1 days
Poquoson city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 2 ft 0 days
Portsmouth city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 10 ft 0 days
Powhatan County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 285 ft 0 days
Prince Edward County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 501 ft 1 days
Prince George County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 94 ft 0 days
Prince William County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 289 ft 1 days
Pulaski County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 2,081 ft 2 days
Radford city Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,891 ft 1 days
Rappahannock County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 774 ft 5 days
Richmond city Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 202 ft 1 days
Richmond County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 84 ft 0 days
Roanoke city Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,041 ft 0 days
Roanoke County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,512 ft 4 days
Rockbridge County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,497 ft 1 days
Rockingham County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 1,537 ft 7 days
Russell County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 2,148 ft 3 days
Salem city Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,115 ft 0 days
Scott County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,692 ft 4 days
Shenandoah County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 1,132 ft 5 days
Smyth County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 2,622 ft 5 days
Southampton County Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 76 ft 0 days
Spotsylvania County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 299 ft 1 days
Stafford County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 216 ft 1 days
Staunton city Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 1,498 ft 1 days
Suffolk city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 40 ft 0 days
Surry County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 92 ft 0 days
Sussex County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 83 ft 1 days
Tazewell County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,727 ft 4 days
Virginia Beach city Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 8 ft 0 days
Warren County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 741 ft 1 days
Washington County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 2,011 ft 5 days
Waynesboro city Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,342 ft 0 days
Westmoreland County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 118 ft 1 days
Williamsburg city Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 72 ft 0 days
Winchester city Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 722 ft 1 days
Wise County Oct 15 – Oct 23 No change 2,383 ft 4 days
Wythe County Oct 14 – Oct 22 No change 2,696 ft 3 days
York County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 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 No change
Mid elevation 3,000 ft Oct 13 No change
Valleys & lowlands 850 ft Oct 21 No change

Foliage stages

  1. No change 0–10%
  2. First color 10–25%
  3. Approaching peak 25–60%
  4. Peak 60–90%
  5. Past peak 40–70%, dropping
  6. Bare <20%

Light at peak

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

Solar event times for Virginia on October 13
EventTime
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

Which way to point the camera

Sun rises E, sets W.

Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.

Location pages name the light directly.

Where to shoot in Virginia

6 researched locations, earliest peak first.

Recent reports from Virginia

Report what you saw
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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.

Nearby states