CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Leaves along West Virginia waterways and in the state’s valleys are colorful and should remain so throughout the fourth weekend of October, according to a state Division of Forestry release Thursday.
State foresters reported good viewing opportunities along the Elk (Clay County), Greenbrier (Pocahontas County), Tygart Valley (Randolph County), and Williams and Gauley (Webster County) rivers. Foliage at Sutton and Burnsville dams also was colorful.
The Eastern Panhandle counties of Jefferson, Morgan and Berkeley remain colorful, foresters said. Color along the ridges was expected to peak this weekend. Recommended drives include U.S. Route 522 and W.Va. Route 9, Hampshire Grade Road, Back Creek Valley Road, Mission Road and Bakerton Road. Points of interest are Great Cacapon, Cacapon State Park, Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area and Berkeley Springs.
Contrary to other areas of West Virginia, foliage at lower elevations in Berkeley, Morgan and Jefferson counties is generally past peak. The exception is Harpers Ferry, where trees are just starting to turn. Harpers Ferry is the lowest point in West Virginia at 247 feet above sea level.
Peak color is forecast for this weekend in the Northern Panhandle counties of Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio. In addition, foliage at lower elevations in Marion, Pendleton, Preston, Taylor and Wetzel counties will be peak for the weekend.
Points of interest with good viewing opportunities include Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs (Greenbrier County), lower elevations around Princeton (Mercer County), Pocahontas County Route 15 from Durbin to Edray, Hillsboro (Pocahontas County), and Centralia, Sutton and Gassaway (Braxton County).
Foliage in Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt and Wood counties is 70 percent peak. Recommended drives include U.S. Routes 33 and 50 and W.Va. Routes 2 and 14. Interstate 77 in Wood County is also a recommended drive.