Fall Foliage Projections in WV: How the State’s Brilliant Fall Colors Provide a Huge Draw For Out-of-State Visitation

WEST VIRGINIA --  Rural Appalachia bursts with beauty when fall rolls around, and West Virginia proceeds to successfully spotlight the natural phenomenon. 

In their traditional fashion, the West Virginia Department of Tourism is once again rolling out the annual fall foliage projection map that’s created in collaboration with the West Virginia Division of Forestry and predicts how abundantly the state’s notably brilliant autumn colors will appear across different areas. 

This year, they are predicting a particularly magnificent explosion of the beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges across the foliage, and while it may have been unpleasant for some at the time, the forestry division says the significant amount of rainfall we received over the summer is to thank for that. 

“West Virginia’s mountains are poised to put on one of their most breathtaking shows yet,” said WV Division of Forestry Director Jeremy Jones. “With the wet summer and perfect mix of warm days and crisp nights, we’re expecting vibrant reds, brilliant oranges, and golden yellows to sweep across the hillsides this fall.”

According to the U.S. Forestry Service, scientists have been working for years to understand the color changes among trees and shrubbery species in the fall, and they have narrowed it down to weather as one of the primary factors for this phenomenon. 

The forest service says the color brilliance in the foliage around this time of year is linked to weather conditions that occur before and during the time the chlorophyll in the leaves are starting to decrease with temperature and moisture being the main influences. 

While warm sunny days and cool, crisp nights are known to produce the most spectacular autumnal displays, the forestry service says the amount of moisture within the soil also has an impact, and throughout this summer the ground across West Virginia took in a lot of it. 

The National Weather Service reported that the state has experienced an above average amount of precipitation this summer, receiving over 17 inches of rain from May through July, making it the ninth wettest month-by-month period since records began in 1895. 

Now, the colors are expected to pop big and bright once again, and here’s a few major destination points around the state to best witness it:

• The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

• Blackwater Falls State Park

• Hawks Nest State Park

• Dolly Sods

• Seneca Rocks

• Spruce Knob

• Babcock State Park

• Coopers Rock State Forest

“There’s no better place to spend this season than in Almost Heaven,” WV Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said. 

According to the state department of tourism, West Virginia is the third most-forested state, and that mixed with its mild climate that gracefully encapsulates all four seasons, it can typically always make for a colorful and breathtaking fall. 

And this alone seemingly tends to attract multitudes of out-of-state visitors – those who normally may not have the privilege of witnessing such abundant fall colors where they’re from. 

The department of tourism went on to point out that roughly 25% of visitor impact occurs in the autumn months, which amounts to $9 billion in tourism revenue. 

However, with all four seasons in the Mountain State being boldly displayed, along with a variety of recreational opportunities offered during each one, West Virginia has increasingly become known as a year-round travel destination. 

In reports from earlier this year, the total economic impact on tourism in West Virginia was reaching over $8 billion. 

“It’s an important industry,” Ruby had said in a previous statement. “It’s a growing industry.”

Data shows that the most ideal time to get a glimpse at West Virginia’s brilliant fall foliage is from late September to late October. 

Curated itineraries for enjoying the fall foliage can be found on WV Tourism’s social media platforms or at wvtourism.com/press-releases. 

Also, if you’re looking for fun, spooky places to visit leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, the tourism department is once again relaunching the West Virginia Paranormal Trail that features notably haunted and historic places all across the state.