Central Virginia ready to change colors

The leaves are turning red, orange and yellow off Crabtree Falls Highway in Nelson County. With cooler temperatures, this upcoming week will be the best time for leaf-gazing in Central Virginia, especially on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where an influx of tourists is expected.

By: Dave Thompson | The News & Advance
Published: October 18, 2008

Dry conditions and recent warm temperatures have conspired to make Central Virginia’s fall array a little less brilliant than the area is used to.

According to experts, though, cooler weather is on its way, which means the area can prepare for a splashy, leaf-gazing experience.

According to Gregg O’Donnell, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Forestry, the display, which peaks this weekend through next weekend, should contain enough shades of gold, red and orange to satisfy tourists and locals alike.

“We’ll see color,” O’Donnell said, adding “it won’t be quite as vivid and brilliant as we have had in some years past. And the transition from color to brown … I think it will be a little bit quicker this year.”

Still, he said, the cooling temperatures have given “early changers” like maple, dogwood and poplar trees every reason to show off their array, and given a cooling trend, later changers like oak and hickory trees should join them.

“Hopefully, they’ll still all be in color at the same time,” O’Donnell said.

Richard Wells, president of Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, said he expects tourism to be high in the coming week, and not only due to the colors.

“With gas now trending below $3 a gallon … and that coinciding with the peak of fall color season,” Wells said, “the next two weekends we’re anticipating and looking forward to big crowds on the parkway and all over the mountains here.”

Wells said all along the parkway, colors are peaking, and Bedford’s Peaks of Otter are sure to be packed.

“I’d say at the Peaks of Otter, you won’t be able to stir (the people) with a stick up there.”

Wells offered his opinion on the influx of tourists he has seen along the parkway already.

“I think with what’s going on in our country right now, with the level of fear and uncertainties,” he said, “I wondered if people aren’t escaping back to nature, back to a quieter, simpler, safe, just a kind of refuge and an escape for a day.”

Wells cautioned about taking too long to get out and enjoy the colors.

“I wouldn’t wait until the next weekend,” he said, clarifying “unless it’s rainy or cold or something.”

Overall?

“I think it’s a pretty good display,” he said.