Ah, fall in Virginia. Is there any season more charming? The crisp air, the promise of cooler weather — after all of that humidity — and festive activities galore. If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably been wondering, “When do leaves change color in Virginia?” The answer changes from year to year, but fortunately, we’ve got the Virginia fall foliage map for 2023, an in-depth guide for leaf-peeping in the Old Dominion.

Here in the U.S., the fall season seems to unofficially begin after Labor Day, with the start of school and the arrival of September. By the week of September 11th, the Northeast will begin to see the faintest beginnings of color.
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Here in Virginia, however, we won't see much color change until September 18th, when those first signs of fall foliage will appear in the mountains.
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The real change is forecasted for early October. In fact, the week of October 2nd and October 9th should be the absolute best for leaf peeping in the Virginia mountains and Shenandoah Valley.
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By October 16th, the entire state should be alive with color, even the southeastern portion, which is the last to experience fall foliage in Virginia.
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Central areas such as Richmond will see their peak fall foliage around the week of October 23rd.
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So when will the leaves be past their peak? Likely the show will conclude by November 6th, with signs of winter well on their way.
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With these dates in mind, we hope you can begin to plan some incredible fall activities in Virginia this year!
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We hope this article helped answer your question: “When do leaves change color in Virginia?” What are some of your favorite places to see the fall foliage in Virginia? Feel free to share them with us in the comments below — we would love to hear from you!

Need some fall gear? Check out these ultra-light jackets from REI — they’re perfect for this cozy fall weather.

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