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Friday Fall Foliage Report: October 6, 2017
We're ready to don our favorite cardigans, sip warm fresh-pressed apple cider and head outside to see the changing leaves from the Appalachian Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.
Fall is also the time of year when fun autumn festivals are cropping up, so pack a picnic and plan an outing to one of these beautiful parks. You can enjoy a fall festival like the Fall Farm Days at Sky Meadows State Park, or a Barn Dance at Grayson Highlands State Park. Find your favorite fall festival at a Virginia State Park here.
Fall is an exciting time to Visit Virginia State Parks
The colors are starting to make an appearance at Wilderness Road State Park
Be sure to watch the video below
For fresh photos of the fall leaves at these parks
This is our latest installment of the Friday Fall Foliage Report from various Virginia State Parks across the Commonwealth:
- Dogwoods are turning red rusty color throughout the park.
- Walnut trees are displaying a light green yellow color and are starting to slowly drop leaves.
- Poplars are a light green color and dropping leaves fast.
- Maples throughout park are starting to display a beautiful red color transition.
- Oaks are still holding green color. Acorns are falling. Some oaks are beginning to brown.
- Sweet Gum trees starting to display red color transition.
All other trees are slowly starting to change colors. Many of our trees are still green. Cherry Trees have dropped all of their leaves. You are invited to come out to see the leaves changing around the lake in person.
Fall in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp and clean, and the smell of fall is all around us. Right now, at Fairy Stone, fall is beginning the first phase of the remarkable show seen only once each year. The dogwoods are showing a dull, rusty red and the poplars are showing their yellows and browns.
The pawpaw trees turned their brilliant shade of yellow a bit early this year, and are starting to drop their leaves along with the hickory, whose huge leaves are littering the trails as we speak. These dropped leaves crunch under every step along the Lakeshore Trail, so you know as you hike that fall has arrived. Leaf peepers welcome.
Forecast is showing a little rain moving in, hopefully that will give us some more color. Temps are showing to be in the mid-70s and lows in the mid-50s. Peak foliage forecast is around the 12th. Plan a visit soon.
Overlooking Beaver Lake most of the trees are holding onto their lush green leaves. We have been experiencing cooler evening temperatures that may have the trees changing their minds soon enough. Throughout the park gentle breezes are carrying loose leaves softly to the ground marking the beginning stages of autumn. Come out and explore the park by foot or mountain bike.
5 | BEAR CREEK LAKE STATE PARK
It’s starting to look like fall at Bear Creek Lake State Park in Cumberland, Virginia. The first signs of fall foliage are shining through as brilliant yellows in the tulip trees.
During spring and summer, chlorophyll gives the leaf its green color. Along with the green color are yellow to orange pigments which come from carotenes and xanthophyll pigments. Most of the year these colors are masked by great amounts of green coloring. However, as fall rolls in, the length of daylight and changes in temperature cause the leaves to stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor.
Other colors such as reds and purples will become visible at Bear Creek Lake State Park as the red maples, dogwoods, sourwoods, and other species change color. Some species like oaks will most likely change from green to brown and quickly fall from the trees. The oaks at the park are in a spectacular masting year for dropping acorns.
Prediction for the peak of fall foliage viewing at Bear Creek Lake State Park are estimated to occur from 15 October to 25 October, 2017. Come take a stroll through the park’s many different trails or paddle around on the 40 acre lake. These leaves won't last.
6 | WILDERNESS ROAD STATE PARK
Wilderness Road offers picnicking, hiking, and nature and living history programs
The maples are turning a tad more, as have the dogwoods. The Virginia Creeper is now past peak color. We are losing a significant amount of leaves before they change color due to the drought conditions we have suffered over the past 4-5 weeks.
Check out the fall foliage on our Wilderness Road Loop Hike on Sunday, October 8, 2017. This scenic trail winds through the forest, around a hillside and crosses over a beautiful mountain stream. Other points of interest along the way include Indian Rock and a portion of the original Wilderness Road, carved by pioneer Daniel Boone and untouched by modern equipment. This is a 1.3 mile easy to moderate hike.
Very cool mornings here at Douthat. Leaves are falling very quickly with no rain. As far as color there hasn’t been drastic change, just more falling. But there is rain in the forecast early next week, hopefully that will help fill up the dry creeks. Come out to explore the creeks, trails and lake. Bring your fishing pole!
8 | NEW RIVER TRAIL STATE PARK
We are just beginning to see signs of fall here at New River Trail. Park guests may hike, bike, or horseback ride the trail while enjoying the fall colors. A great opportunity to view the fall foliage along the trail will be during our Train Tours held on Oct 11 and 18, or our Van Tour on Oct 25, reservations required for both, call 276-699-6778.
Check out the beautiful colors on display at Caledon. The trees are just beginning to show yellow and light orange tints. Soon this will give way to an array of warm colors spreading throughout the many trails of the park.
10 | SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE STATE PARK
Just a touch of color at the moment at Smith Mountain Lake, a great way to see the changing leaves is from the water, or consider a brisk hike to Turtle Island for the perfect vantage point.
11 | STAUNTON RIVER STATE PARK
The leaves are slowly changing across the park from the beautiful red maple near the pool complex, to the largest willow oak located near the playground and Visitor Center. While the oak leaves have not yet begun to turn, it is interesting to watch them as the fall season continues. Explore the park, we have many different leafy trees on trails, and even the little private Edmunds Lake. Ask about that when you visit!
B O N U S: Don't forget October is also Virginia Wine Month, with over 280 wineries to choose from, you are sure to find one near a Virginia State Park.
SEE THE CHANGING LEAVES AT VIRGINIA STATE PARKS
THEY WON'T LAST FOREVER
If you have read the article and have a question, please email nancy.heltman@dcr.virginia.gov.
