West Virginia Fall Colours

[Riverman]

I have the first two weeks in October free and was thinking of driving from DC and exploring West Virginia.

I'm hoping that at higher elevations the leaves should be starting to change colour by then (I would have preferred the second and third week of October for my trip but can't get the time off work).

Any suggestions for driving routes; convenient stop off points where I might find inexpensive lodgings; and - above all - some must see locations for setting up the tripod?

[Sirius Glass]

I am listening. West Virginia, Virginia, ...

Steve

[eric black]

I typically hit the Canaan Valley area around that time of year. The colors usually are at their best around the 8thy-10th of Oct or so- a week later can be really spotty. From Canaan you can hit Dolly Sods and the Blackwater Falls areas. If the area has strong winds, all bets are off-most trees there dont do well with that kind of situation. The drought this year wont bode well for that area either. As for places to stay- Canaan Valley Resort is a no frills fairly inexpensiv e plate to stay or camping at Blackwater Falls campgrounds is fairly priced as well.

[Robert Ley]

For updates on the fall color, check out this web site: http://www.foliagenetwork.com/index.php
This site gives twice weekly updates and started yesterday.
They have a great archive that goes back several years and can give you a general trend as to when the peaks might be at various locations.

[Bryan Lemasters]

The higher elevations (3800-4800 feet) are usually at peak during the first week of October, and sometimes a bit earlier. Mid elevations (2600-3800) usually peak the second week. The real beauty of the entire region around the Monongahela National Forest is that you can start high and work your way down as the color progresses. Most of the best spots - Dolly Sods, Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, the Spruce Knob area, Seneca Rocks - are in the northern half, but there are plenty of good areas in the southern region, too: Highland Scenic Highway follows mountain ridges a bit above 4000 feet, and the area north and east of the New River Gorge Bridge (including the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park) are usually decent around the end of the second week. I will be, at some point in time, in most of these areas sometime in the first two weeks, so if you see some goofy looking guy driving a red Tacoma, there is a good chance that it will be me :o - don't hesitate to flag me down.

Unfortunately, as Eric pointed out, the near drought conditions may ruin colors this year. The ground is parched and streams are very low. In spite of this you will probably be able to find color "hot spots" if you look hard enough.

As for specific suggestions:
-The northern end of Dolly Sods at TNC's Bear Rocks Preserve - color is usually good the first week. Fantastic spot for sunrises, especially if the valley to the east is foggy, but it is a popular spot so you won't be alone.
-The canyon overlook area at Blackwater Falls State Park - usually good colors in the canyon the second week.
-Canaan Valley
-Spruce Knob Lake for good color reflections, and since you are basically there already, continue on down Gandy Creek.
-If colors are lousy but you have an overcast or rainy day, you might try going north to Cathedral State Park. Little autumn color to speak of, but nice trails through a virgin hemlock forest.
-Highland Scenic Highway in Pocahontas County, then west just a short distance from the southern end to Cranberry Glades, Hills Creek Falls also, about five miles further west (if we happen to get some appreciable amounts of rain). Might also check out the first five or six miles of the Williams River west of the HSH.
-Seneca Rocks, and North Fork Mountain, though the colors there don't usually peak until about the third week.
-and if you happen to have the third Saturday open and the weather is good, run down to the New River Gorge Bridge for Bridge Day - they close the bridge to vehicular traffic from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM one day each year. You can walk out onto the bridge and watch the BASE jumpers do some very crazy things! - not a good time for large format so take something smaller with a long lens. And you definitely will not be alone.

Lodging during the weekends will be pretty "iffy" but finding something on the weekdays should be a bit easier. In the north, Canaan Valley State Park has cabins and a lodge (a bit dated but at least the roof doesn't leak), Blackwater Falls also has cabins and a lodge. Petersburg has three motels, and there are a couple more (Smoke Hole, Yokums) heading WSW on Rt 28 from Petersburg toward Seneca Rocks. In the south, there are a couple motels near Highland Scenic Highway in Marlinton, and several in the Fayetteville/Summersville area near New River Gorge.

Some of these areas are on dirt roads so expect plenty of dust. Plan for 20 degree mornings at the higher elevations and 80 degree afternoons.

[Riverman]

Bryan - thanks for the helpful advice. I hope that the drought doesn't completely spoil the colour. From what I've been reading, it seems like it's a really beautiful part of the country. I'm only temporarily in the US (from the UK) so it's exciting to explore!

[Sirius Glass]

Bryan - thanks for the helpful advice. I hope that the drought doesn't completely spoil the colour. From what I've been reading, it seems like it's a really beautiful part of the country. I'm only temporarily in the US (from the UK) so it's exciting to explore!

* 2 !

Steve

[htswv]

As a native West Virginian, I can attest that it really is a beautiful part of the country...especially the eastern part of the state that lies in the mountains.

[Bryan Lemasters]

Don't be surprised if the colors are close to a week late this year. I took a trip into the area last week and things didn't look too promising. Just compared notes with a friend who was there this week - it doesn't sound like things have progressed much. We have some cool nights in the forecast for the weekend/first half of next week with lows in the thirties. Hopefully that will help things along.

Hey Steve (Sirius Glass): "cordless bungee jumper"??

[Sirius Glass]

Hey Steve (Sirius Glass): "cordless bungee jumper"??

This is a high impact sport that does not require expensive equipment that is heavy to move around. Great views. High excitement. One can get great coverage and make a big impact.

I am looking to break the current record of one jump. :eek:

Volunteers are welcome! :D

Steve

[Bryan Lemasters]

I am looking to break the current record of one jump. :eek:


Steve

Have you considered shorter jumps?:D

[Sirius Glass]

Have you considered shorter jumps?:D

Oh, I did not think of that ...


... let me get back to you ...

[venchka]

Last Sunday we drove from Boone, NC through Banner Elk to Elizabethton, TN and down 321 & 411 to Chatanooga and on across Alabama. No color.

[eric black]

Im heading over that way mid-next week. I give a report when I get there. Planning on shooting Blackwater Falls area including at least one morning at Dolly Sods. Stay tuned.....

[Greg Blank]

Those are nice areas but over photographed.


Im heading over that way mid-next week. I give a report when I get there. Planning on shooting Blackwater Falls area including at least one morning at Dolly Sods. Stay tuned.....

[Riverman]

Those are nice areas but over photographed.

Over-photographed perhaps. But not by this Londoner! I'll be heading out to WV tomorrow and tootling around with my camera for several days. I'm expecting I'm probably about a week early for the best colour but you never know. Fingers crossed.

[eric black]

Over-photographed perhaps. But not by this Londoner! I'll be heading out to WV tomorrow and tootling around with my camera for several days. I'm expecting I'm probably about a week early for the best colour but you never know. Fingers crossed.

The only things that are extremely overphotographed from that area are the waterfalls and a couple of the overlooks- but what waterfalls and overlooks in the United States aren't overphotographed? The falls and overlooks are just a small sampling of what is available in this area with miles of very nice hiking trails and a canyon with a scenic river that doesnt have true trails leading down to it. Hope to see you there Riverman- Ill be running around with an ARCA and a Canham 4x5 starting tomorrow through Saturday morning- stop and say Hi if you see me.

[Ben Calwell]

Eric -- I'm heading to the Blackwater Falls area end of next week. If I see a guy with a large format camera, I'll assume it's you.

[eric black]

Im already here Ben!- the report is...
Dolly Sods- color not looking too good with an orangy brown hue to the blueberries instead of a brilliant red. Other foliage through the woodsie areas of the wilderness area seems about a week away but lots of lost leaves throughout the area due to recent storms. Im planning on exploring the Rohrbach areas tomorrow or Saturday if the wind subsides.
Canaan through Blackwater- again still seems to be a week (maybe even more) away from peak color- some spottiness but still mainly green in the rugged areas.

I spent most of today in Cathedral hiding from the wind doing macro lichens/mushrooms type shots- had the place to myself!

Either doing Rohrbach or hiking down to the bottom of Blackwater River Canyon to do some lower canyon shooting if its still to windy!

[coops]

again still seems to be a week (maybe even more) away from peak color

I hope you are right. I cannot get off work until the 15th and will be out with my camera on the 16th. It's an 8 hour drive from my house so I hope to get amped up on that 5 hour energy drink and drive up after work.

[Ben Calwell]

Thanks, Eric -- maybe it will be peak by the time I get there. I also plan to shoot in the nearby Town of Davis (my mom's hometown), which has great old houses and buildings.

[Riverman]

Just got back from my WV trip. Colour was enough to satisfy me but it's not quite peak yet.

Dolly Sods was wild as anything. Had a tough job from stopping the camera from blowing over in the wind. Decided I need to get a proper dark cloth.

Also made some shots on Highland Scenic Highway which was very pretty indeed.

[Sirius Glass]

Any updates?

I am going out tomorrow, 14 October, to Skyline Drive, Shenandoah, and possibly into the panhandle of West Virginia if necessary to find fall colors. Then I will not be able to go into that area for two weeks, and then I suspect most of the colors will be gone because of the dry weather during the last of summer.

Steve

[Bob T]

Today I drove through Ashville N.C. up through the mountains into the Tri Cities area of East Tennessee and the colors are getting strong in the higher elevations and beginning to build in the lower areas but still spotty. It was extremely windy at the state line area between N.C. and TN, along I-26, impossible to use the 4x5, but the wind is due to die down by tomorrow. I'll be in East Tennessee for the next week and hopefully the peak will occur during that time.

[Sirius Glass]

Colors were spotty on the northern part of Skyline Drive [yes, I do know the difference between West Virginia and Virginia]. At the highest elevations, leaves were lost and most of the rest were brown.

Steve

[Bryan Lemasters]

Just got back from my WV trip. Colour was enough to satisfy me but it's not quite peak yet.

Dolly Sods was wild as anything. Had a tough job from stopping the camera from blowing over in the wind. Decided I need to get a proper dark cloth.

Also made some shots on Highland Scenic Highway which was very pretty indeed.

Riverman, you may have left a day too soon. I just got back today. Colors were late, but suddenly "popped" at mid-elevations on Tuesday. By Wednesday they were on their way out and today everything is well past peak. Upper elevations never really did look very good.
I arrived on the 5th, left on the 15th and the only day that the wind was still was on the 13th. Nighttime temps are usually lower by now - as of this morning there still hasn't been any frost (though there was snow on Spruce Knob the morning of the 6th).

[Riverman]

Riverman, you may have left a day too soon. I just got back today. Colors were late, but suddenly "popped" at mid-elevations on Tuesday. By Wednesday they were on their way out and today everything is well past peak. Upper elevations never really did look very good.
I arrived on the 5th, left on the 15th and the only day that the wind was still was on the 13th. Nighttime temps are usually lower by now - as of this morning there still hasn't been any frost (though there was snow on Spruce Knob the morning of the 6th).

Just my luck! On Tuesday morning I was in Shenandoah on the way back up to DC. Here's a shot of Whiteoak.

[eric black]

I wasnt very impressed this year with the colors over in the upper Potomac region of WV- everything I saw had somewhat of a muddy color to it which Im guessing is attributed to the lack of water. One person I talked to told me it was so dry that you would be hard pressed to take a shower under BW Falls on the 5th of Oct due to the lack of any moisture. Things had recovered water wise when I got over there on the 7th but color was spotty at best. I did note on both my drive over and back that the western Maryland state parks (New Germany and Big Run) were popping nicely and might need some added attention from me next year.