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Charlottesville, Virginia fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Charlottesville area peaks around October 30, with the best viewing from roughly October 29 to November 6.
- Typical peak
- October 30
- Best viewing
- Oct 29 – Nov 6
- Color starts
- Around Oct 18
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 12
- Elevation
- 590 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 30. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Charlottesville on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Charlottesville
Charlottesville sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, and the mountains to the west turn well before the city. Just south of town, Carter Mountain rises beside Monticello with a view over the city and the Piedmont. In town, the Rivanna Trail circles the city through wooded stream valleys, and Ragged Mountain Natural Area has trails around a reservoir in the hills. About 30 miles west, Humpback Rocks, near the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a rock outcrop with long views over the Shenandoah Valley.
Scenic drive
US 250 and I-64 run west from Charlottesville to Rockfish Gap on the crest of the Blue Ridge. There, Skyline Drive heads north through Shenandoah National Park toward Skyland, and the Blue Ridge Parkway heads south past Humpback Rocks, both with overlook after overlook above the valleys on either side.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Skyland (Shenandoah NP), VA (39 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 15 days earlier, and Snowshoe, WV (86 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 19 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Nothing nearby turns later
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Charlottesville typically peaks much later.
National park and forest guides
Scenic drive guide
Nearby destinations
- Skyland (Shenandoah NP), VATypical peak Oct 15, 15 days earlier. 39 miles away.
- Richmond, VATypical peak Nov 2, 3 days later. 66 miles away.
- Snowshoe, WVTypical peak Oct 10, 19 days earlier. 86 miles away.
- Davis (Blackwater Falls), WVTypical peak Oct 17, 13 days earlier. 93 miles away.
- Roanoke, VATypical peak Oct 29, about the same time. 96 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Charlottesville?
In a typical year, fall color in the Charlottesville area peaks around October 30, with the best viewing from roughly October 29 to November 6. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Charlottesville?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around October 18, and most leaves are down by about November 12.
Is Charlottesville early or late compared with the rest of Virginia?
Charlottesville typically peaks about 4 days later than the Virginia average of Oct 26. It ranks 4 of 5 Virginia destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Charlottesville?
The main fall color in this area comes from red maple, tulip tree, shagbark hickory, and black gum. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.