Foliage map › National parks and forests › Monongahela National Forest
Monongahela National Forest fall foliage
The Monongahela National Forest covers more than 900,000 acres of the high Allegheny Mountains in eastern West Virginia. Its high plateaus and ridges are some of the first places in the Mid-Atlantic to turn, typically peaking in early to mid-October, while the deep valleys below follow later in the month.
- Typical peak
- Oct 10 – Oct 24
- Location
- West Virginia
- Size
- More than 900,000 acres
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 17 at Davis. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for Davis, at 3,100 feet. See below for other parts of the forest.
Peak by place and elevation
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each place. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s status.
The season at Davis
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.
Where to see the color in the Monongahela
Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia at 4,863 feet, has an observation tower above the forest. Seneca Rocks, a thin wall of sandstone, rises high above the North Fork valley. Near Davis, the Dolly Sods Wilderness has open plains of blueberry and huckleberry that turn deep red, and to the south, near Snowshoe, the Cranberry Glades have a boardwalk through high mountain bogs.
Scenic drive
The Highland Scenic Highway runs 43 miles through the forest between US 219 north of Marlinton and Richwood, climbing along the ridges to about 4,550 feet, with four overlooks over the Allegheny Highlands. In the north, US 33 and Route 28 meet at Seneca Rocks.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in the Monongahela National Forest?
In a typical year, the high ridges and plateaus, around Snowshoe, Spruce Knob, and Davis, peak in early to mid-October, and the lower valleys, around places like Seneca Rocks, later in October.
Where is the best fall color in the Monongahela National Forest?
Dolly Sods, the Highland Scenic Highway, Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks, and the area around Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley.