At the highest elevations of Shenandoah National Park, the peak foliage season falls in the first week of October, while mid and low elevations see the prime colors during the last three weeks of the month. The main highlight of the park is the picturesque 105-mi (169-km) Skyline Drive with 70 overlooks offering mindblowing views.

The fall comes to Shenandoah in early October, particularly in the higher elevations between the Thornton Gap and Rockfish Gap Entrance Stations. If you are an early visitor, the sceneries will be mostly gold and green with occasional patches of orange and red.

Shenandoah National Park is among the top places to visit for Virginia fall foliage because it is home to a diverse range of tree species, including oak, hickory, maple, and birch. Each species has its own unique color palette, contributing to the park’s vibrant display of reds, yellows, oranges, and purples.

This is easily one of the best national parks for fall foliage, a place home to wonderful deciduous forests, rolling mountains, waterfalls and epic views. Red oak and chestnut dominate Shenandoah’s forests (which cover 95% of the park), but other trees like poplar, maple, birch and ash are common as well.