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‘Expect a show’: Where to find the best fall foliage conditions in Virginia

Crystal Graham
Fall foliage in Virginia at Mabry Mill
Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Parkway (© verinize – stock.adobe.com)

If you want to get out and enjoy Virginia’s fall colors, the Department of Forestry can help you find the best conditions statewide.

The DOF tracks and reports foliage conditions on its website and social media starting this week. It also has put together a list of scenic driving tours that consistently deliver stunning fall foliage.

Virginia’s fall color change begins at the highest elevations of Southwest Virginia and the Allegheny Mountains and proceeds downslope and eastward through the fall months.

This summer’s high temperatures and drought conditions are causing an earlier color change in most of the state.

“Virginia’s diverse hardwood forests are always spectacular in the fall,” said State Forester Rob Farrell. “The dry summer has put the trees on an earlier schedule, but we can still expect a show.

“From the golden hickories and birches, to the scarlet-red of the black gums and maples, our forests really know how to impress.”

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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.