WASHINGTON – What’s expected to be a brilliant display of fall foliage is unfolding slowly along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.
In seasons past, fall color peaked on average in Virginia between Oct. 12 and 28. As of Oct. 10, the latest Fall Color Report from Shenandoah National Park finds there’s still a lot of green along Skyline Drive.
However, scanning the expanse of the Shenandoah mountaintops from overhead – patches of color are visible now, hinting at what’s to come.
Dogwood trees in the northern third of the park are displaying muted, subtle shades of scarlet, according to the color report. North of Big Meadows, near the center of the park, blueberry bushes are turning chili powder red. Closer to the park’s southern section, trees are beginning to display yellows, golds, orange and mango colors.
The Shenandoah National Park Fall Color Report reminds enthusiasts that weather can alter leaf color daily or even hour to hour. Reports are filed on Friday’s during October.
Until November, the cost of a six-day pass to enter the park is $15 for private, non-commercial vehicles and $10 for motorcycles.
Driving the entire length of Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Waynesboro takes about three hours. But 75 scenic overlooks along the 105-mile route offer numerous opportunities to linger and take photographs.
From D.C., it takes about 1.5 hours hours to drive to Skyline Drive’s northern entrance in Front Royal, Virginia.
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