Fall Foliage 2016 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The fall foliage 2016 season will start at the end of the month for the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. The predictions are in for this year’s show. Some experts predict a longer than usual season and some experts report duller colors than past years. But do they really know? There are so many factors involved in Mother Nature’s spectacular show that happens every autumn.

An autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful times to tour the parkway due to the brilliant fall color nature produces. Whether the drive is on Skyline Drive in Virginia, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia or the North Carolina section of the parkway it doesn’t matter. All areas in the fall offer a great showing of fall foliage. But there is some difference in the timing of peak colors due to the difference in elevation along the 469 mile long parkway. The highest elevation (over 4000 feet) will peak first with progression going down to the lower elevations a few weeks later.

Peak colors will take place just days after the first frost in the many different locations. For some great tips on viewing the fall foliage see the Fall Foliage page on Travel Blue Ridge Parkway. It has a lot of information about the different locations and elevations including where and when to go to see colors during the entire fall foliage season.

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Foliage 2016