The fall season is a favorite time of year for many people. The stifling heat and humidity of summer is gone, and is replaced by cooler temperatures and crisp air. Not only does fall bring temperature changes that we can feel—it also brings changes that our eyes can see. The green of our trees is replaced by beautiful shades of gold, orange and red, as the leaves begin the process of dropping from the trees for the winter. The best fall colors happen when we have the right combination of weather and temperature—usually sunny days with cooler nights. This color change usually starts taking place in mid-September in West Virginia, and can last for approximately six weeks.
West Virginia is blessed with many hills, mountains and forests filled with an abundance of trees, and the beauty as these trees as they begin changing colors can be breathtaking. Reportedly, some of the best places to see the leaves are Coopers Rock State Park, the Dolly Sods Wilderness area, Tucker County, and the Potomac Highlands, although any mountainous area with plenty of trees will give you a gorgeous view. People who travel to view and photograph fall foliage during the autumn months have earned the nickname of “leaf peepers”, and the town of Davis, West Virginia, has an annual Leaf Peepers Festival, which will be held this year during the weekend of September 27 - 29.
If you want to find out the peak times to view the leaves in your area, the West Virginia Division of Tourism publishes a Fall Color Map. So, grab your map (and maybe a pumpkin spice latte), hop in your car, and take a road trip to see God’s amazing paintbrush at work this fall—you won’t be sorry you did.
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