Best Fall Foliage Estimates in Virginia, Maryland and WVA 2025

Finding the best fall foliage in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia can be tricky because of the weather variables from year to year. I've found the trick is checking multiple tracking websites and reports from previous years for their estimates. Below are the updates for 2025!

Best Fall Foliage Estimates in Virginia Websites

1. Virginia Tourism Department: All the info you need on their website for different areas of Virginia. Last year the Department of Forestry predicted the following:
   1. Eastern Half of Virginia: Last year, predicted October 20-31
   2. Central (Harrisonburg to Danville): Last year, predicted October 15-25
   3. Western Third of Virginia: Last year, predicted October 10-20
2. Shenandoah National Park: Check their Instagram and Facebook on Thursdays for updates from 3 photo spots in the park. (Since Skyline Drive is 105 miles long from north to south, there is definitely variety in peak times!)
   1. And you can check out their webcam at Big Meadows too!
3. SmokeyMountains.com: Great foliage map of the entire US that you can zoom in on! Shenandoah would be at its peak around October 16 - 31, 2025 and Northern Virginia around October 23 - 30, 2025.
4. Virginia.org: Great lists of fall trips all around Virginia!
5. Personal Recommendations on where to see the leaves in Virginia:
   1. Massanutten Resort Chair Lift
   2. Lake Accotink Park, Springfield
   3. Winkler Botanical Preserve, Alexandria
   4. Burke Lake Park, Fairfax Station

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Best Fall Foliage Estimates in Maryland Tracking Websites

1. Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Helpful map of the current status (green to red) of each county in Maryland! This is my go-to website this year to check out the fall foliage in Maryland.
2. SmokeyMountains.com: Great foliage map of the entire US that you can zoom in on!
   1. They predict most of Maryland would be at its peak around October 21, 2025. The mountains near West Virginia might be a week earlier.
3. Visit Maryland: Great list of Maryland Fall Foliage trips!
4. Personal Recommendations on where to see the leaves in Maryland:
   1. Brookside Gardens, Wheaton
   2. Cabin John Regional Park, Bethesda
   3. Capital Crescent Trail, Bethesda
   4. Carroll Creek Park, Frederick

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Best Fall Foliage in West Virginia Tracking

1. West Virginia Tourism: Detailed map of this year's predicted peak fall foliage. The western half of the state is predicted to peak around October 28, 2025 and the Eastern half earlier between October 14-21, 2025.
2. SmokeyMountains.com: Great foliage map of the entire US that you can zoom in on!

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And don't forget, DC has trees too!

1. WUSA9: Article about usual peak dates usually around November 7th.
2. Washington.org: Where to go to photograph the Fall Foliage in and around DC!
3. Where to see the leaves in DC:
   1. The National Arboretum has an incredible variety including the Bonsai Museum which also changes leaves!
   2. Rock Creek Park (of course!)
   3. Theodore Roosevelt Island
   4. Book Hill Park Georgetown
   5. Tregaron Conservancy