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Fall foliage near Washingtonday trips within 250 miles

Plan this weekend from Washington →

Where can I see fall foliage near Washington?

We track 26 fall foliage places within 250 straight-line miles of Washington, in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. The nearest is Patuxent Research Refuge, about 15 miles away (usually late October).

Weir Farm usually starts first (local timing: mid-September to mid- to late October) and Blackwater Refuge ends last (local timing: October to December).

Checked against 2 official sources · How we check →

Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Weir Farm park data ↗ (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Blackwater NWR seasons of wildlife ↗ (opens in a new tab) National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.

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Pick your week

Pick a week: the places usually in their window then light up. Each place's own usual window, or its region's or state's timing where it has none (labeled); not a forecast.

Week of Sep 29

  • In their usual window this week
  • Other weeks

Usual peak · week of Sep 29

In its usual season · week of Sep 29

  • Weir Farm

    Local timing: mid-September to mid- to late October

    249 miles from Washington

  • Blackwater Refuge

    Local timing: October to December

    58 miles from Washington

At one spot, not the whole place · week of Sep 29

By distance from Washington

Nearest first; straight-line miles, roads are longer

  • Patuxent Research Refuge

    Fall color in Maryland

    15 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Late October

  • Occoquan Bay Refuge

    Fall color in Virginia

    23 mi from Washington

    Season: Late October

  • Stone steps lead to the South Frederick overlook amid autumn trees at Gambrill State Park

    Gambrill State Park

    Fall color in Maryland

    46 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • Rock outcrop near Wolf Rock on the ridge with a wall of golden-orange fall trees under a deep blue sky

    Catoctin Mountain

    Fall color in Maryland

    54 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • Antietam

    Fall color in Maryland

    55 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • Blackwater Refuge

    Fall color in Maryland

    58 mi from Washington

    Season: October to December

  • A slope of red, orange and gold fall shrubs and trees below Hazel Mountain Overlook under a blue sky with streaky clouds, a pine trunk on the left

    Shenandoah

    Fall color in Virginia

    81 mi from Washington

    First color: Reported Oct 1

  • A meadow faces a hillside of red and orange trees in Canaan Valley Refuge

    Canaan Valley Refuge

    Fall color in West Virginia

    126 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Late September

  • Black Moshannon State Park

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    148 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • Ohiopyle Falls on the Youghiogheny River with the wooded slope behind in orange, rust and yellow fall color; a green-and-yellow bush covers the right side

    Ohiopyle State Park

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    148 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

Show all 26 →

  • Great Dismal Swamp Refuge

    Fall color in Virginia

    162 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Late October

  • The Delaware River winding through a valley of gold and orange fall forest, seen from a rocky ledge on the Appalachian Trail; bare trunks in the left foreground, a power plant small on the far bank

    Delaware Water Gap

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    174 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Sometime in October

  • Golden marsh grasses and autumn trees surround open water at Cherry Valley Refuge

    Cherry Valley Refuge

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    175 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Late October

  • A deep forested gorge with a river winding through it, its slopes in muted orange, brown and green, with pines in front

    Pine Creek Gorge

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    194 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • Cook Forest State Park

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    204 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By late October

  • The Lake in Central Park ringed by orange, red and yellow trees, the midtown skyline and the San Remo towers reflected in still water under a blue sky

    New York City

    Fall color in New York

    207 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • Ohio River Islands Refuge

    Fall color in West Virginia

    227 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Mid-October

  • A green arched bridge over a still river reflecting hills in fall color

    Upper Delaware (New York side)

    Fall color in New York

    227 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: October

  • The New River Gorge Bridge spans a river bend between autumn-colored hillsides

    New River Gorge

    Fall color in West Virginia

    231 mi from Washington

    At one spot: In October

  • Golden leaves and boulders line the woods at Rimrock Scenic Overlook in Allegheny National Forest

    Allegheny National Forest

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    232 mi from Washington

    At one spot: The second week of October

  • Bluestone

    Fall color in West Virginia

    233 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Mid-October

  • Red House Lake with red, orange and yellow trees along the far shore and a hillside in fall color behind, under a bright cloudy sky; mown grass in front

    Allegany State Park

    Fall color in New York

    241 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • A pond with lily pads in front of a forest in fall color

    Erie Refuge

    Fall color in Pennsylvania

    245 mi from Washington

    Usual peak: Mid-October

  • Ithaca

    Fall color in New York

    246 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • Rolling wooded hills and pasture strips in orange, red and gold fall color under a blue sky with white clouds

    Finger Lakes National Forest

    Fall color in New York

    249 mi from Washington

    Statewide timing: By mid-October

  • An old stone wall under yellow and orange trees, with a red-brown meadow and fallen leaves

    Weir Farm

    Fall color in Connecticut

    249 mi from Washington

    Season: Mid-September to mid- to late October

See two in one trip

Nearby places whose usual fall color windows overlap

Next stop

Next to open near Washington: Fall foliage at Allegheny National Forest, the second week of October, at one spot.

Questions people ask

What's the closest fall foliage to Washington?

Patuxent Research Refuge, about 15 straight-line miles away. Usually late October.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab)

When is the best week for fall foliage near Washington?

Usually the week of Oct 20. 24 of the 26 places with timing are in their usual window then: Patuxent Research Refuge, Occoquan Bay Refuge, Gambrill State Park, Maryland and Catoctin Mountain and more. A season can run early or late.Sources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, A fall foliage tour of the Northeast ↗ (opens in a new tab), USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations ↗ (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Blackwater NWR seasons of wildlife ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Shenandoah FAQ ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Delaware Water Gap biking ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Upper Delaware weather ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, New River Gorge: finding your way around the park ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Bluestone park data ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Weir Farm park data ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Where does the fall color season start first near Washington?

Weir Farm (249 miles): local timing: mid-September to mid- to late October.Source: National Park Service, Weir Farm park data ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How far are these places from Washington?

From 15 to 249 straight-line miles; roads are longer. 7 are within 100 miles.