When is peak fall color at George Washington and Jefferson National Forests?

Our forecast puts peak color at George Washington and Jefferson National Forests around 22 Oct. The four days to aim for are 21 to 24 Oct. We publish our error rate.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Fall Foliage: 2026 Peak Color Forecast

Q: What trees turn color at George Washington and Jefferson National Forests?

Red Maple, Tulip Poplar, White Oak, Hickory, Sourwood. Shenandoah's overlooks reveal a warm mosaic of gold tulip poplars, scarlet maples, bronze hickories, and the deep wine of white oaks stretching along the Blue Ridge.

Peak color22 OctAim for 21 to 24 Oct

In the forest today, Sep 25Still green

Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.

No new reports from the ground here this week.

Still greenStartingNearly peakPeakPast peakNo fall canopy we forecastInside the line, each band of elevation is painted on its own date.

Around George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Alleghany County holds most of the forest and is still green today. Bath County, to the east, is 1 day ahead. Rockingham County, to the northeast, is on the same day.

By elevation The forest runs from about 1,056 to 3,356 feet. That’s 13 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Oct 17, the low ground holds until about Oct 26, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 2,000 to 2,500 foot band.

3,000–3,500 ftStill greenpeak Oct 1710%
2,500–3,000 ftStill greenpeak Oct 1918%
2,000–2,500 ftStill greenpeak Oct 2129%
1,500–2,000 ftStill greenpeak Oct 2421%
1,000–1,500 ftStill greenpeak Oct 2615%

Height off 3DEP inside the forest’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the forest stands in it.

That’s 4 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.

Plan this trip

If you can only come on certain days

Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.

ArrivingLeaving

Wednesday 21 October to Thursday 22 October

You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.

Up at 3,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 17; down at 1,500 feet they hold on until about Oct 26. Pick your elevation for the day you come.

3,000–3,500 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 17
2,500–3,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 19
2,000–2,500 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 21
1,500–2,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 24
1,000–1,500 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 26

Where to drive: Route 39 (Goshen Pass), about 29 miles · Highland Scenic Highway (Route 150), about 34 miles · Skyline Drive, about 99 miles
What turns: northern red oak, white oak, red maple, shagbark hickory, sugar maple

What turns, and when

northern red oak29%
white oak29%
red maple20%
shagbark hickory15%
sugar maple3%
blackgum3%

Also named across Virginia, outside what the canopy read measures here: Tulip Poplar, Sourwood.

Shenandoah's overlooks reveal a warm mosaic of gold tulip poplars, scarlet maples, bronze hickories, and the deep wine of white oaks stretching along the Blue Ridge.

This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. We score it here against 16 long-running forest cameras: two dates in three land within 7 days of the camera’s own peak. How this map is made

All of Virginia