The state Division of Forestry released the following fall foliage report for this weekend:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia foresters report colorful foliage throughout the state and say this coming weekend will be an excellent opportunity to see peak colors in several areas, including points of interest in Pocahontas and Webster counties.
Recommended destinations in Pocahontas County include Cass Scenic Railroad, Greenbrier River Rail Trail, Highland Scenic Highway and Cheat Mountain.
Webster County destinations include Big Ditch Lake at the Big Ditch Wildlife Management Area and Holly River State Park.
For those folks in the mood for a long colorful drive, foresters recommend W.Va. State Route 20 from Princeton to Buckhannon. This route will take leaf peepers through Meadow Bridge, Rainelle, Nettie, Craigsville, Webster Springs, Diana and Rock Cave.
Forester Travis Miller, working in conjunction with the Division of Natural Resources, has arranged a special viewing opportunity this coming weekend at Kumbrabow State Forest in Randolph County. From Friday, Oct. 10 through Sunday, Oct. 12, the gate to Rich Mountain Fire Trail will be open so visitors can drive to the overlook. Normally, the overlook observation deck is only accessible by foot.
“Throughout the year, the views from Rich Mountain are spectacular,” Miller said, “and with the added fall color, the Kumbrabow observation tower is the perfect place to see fall foliage at its finest.”
Division of Forestry and DNR personnel constructed the observation deck and a nearby picnic shelter in 2013 with funds from the sale of timber on the state forest.
In other areas of the state:
Foliage is reported to be at 80 percent peak in Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties.
Counties with foliage between 50 to 75 percent peak include Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Lewis, McDowell, Mercer, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Pendleton, Preston, Raleigh, Summers, Taylor, Upshur, Wetzel and Wyoming.
Leaves at the highest elevations in the state are past peak or off the trees due to recent heavy rains and winds.
Forestry officials encourage leaf peepers to post their 2014 West Virginia fall foliage photos to the agency’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/wvforestry), or tweet them using #wvfallcolor. Photos may be featured on the Division’s Facebook page.
Weekly reports will be available through the agency’s website, www.wvforestry.com, its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/wvforestry, Twitter account, @wvforestry, and the Department of Commerce’s website, www.wvcommerce.org. Reports will be posted each Thursday afternoon through the end of October. Photos and updates, as available through the week, will be posted to the agency’s Facebook page.