Shenandoah: Virginia's mountain forests are now in full fall color

Forests in Shenandoah National Park in the U.S. state of Virginia are turning red, orange and yellow. According to the forecast by website More Than Just Parks, updated on Oct. 21, 2026, the best window for fall color was Oct. 19-22; mid elevations of roughly 460 to 760 meters had reached peak, with the lowest areas expected to follow around Oct. 27. The higher ridges turned first. The park itself stresses that peak is hard to predict and that weather changes the colors by the hour, Northern Virginia Magazine reported on Oct. 15, 2026.

According to the National Park Service, the park covers 198,754 acres (about 804 square kilometers) along the Blue Ridge Mountains, nearly 80,000 acres of which are designated wilderness. Skyline Drive, a scenic road along the crest, runs through it for 105 miles (169 kilometers). The trail network totals 516 miles, including 101 miles of the famed Appalachian Trail. The highest peak is Hawksbill at 4,051 feet (about 1,235 meters). The national park was established on Dec. 26, 1935.

The agency counts 53 mammal species, more than 200 bird species and 1,406 vascular plant species in the park, among others. Fall is the busiest time of year; Northern Virginia Magazine advises visiting on weekdays or early in the morning. Entry costs $30 per car. The park administration posts weekly fall broadcasts and a fall color report on its website.