21 Photos to Convince You that Fall is the Best Time to Visit Shenandoah

I’ve always been mesmerized by the changing of seasons. Especially since growing up in Texas, where we don’t get to experience much of that.

The changing color of leaves in the fall and snow falling in the winter are not something that I have gotten to experience much in my life so anytime that I do it’s always a very special treat.

A couple of weekends ago, we traveled to Virginia so Randy could run a full marathon in Washington D.C. (he did phenomenal by the way!) While we were there, we decided to take advantage of our time in Virginia and headed to Shenandoah National Park for some epic leaf peeping.

Since the primary purpose of our visit was so that Randy could run 26.2 miles, hiking wasn’t much of an option. We also didn’t have much time to explore the park by means other than our car, so we stuck primarily to the Skyline Drive.

Best Time to Visit Shenandoah for Fall Colors

Color changes in the leaves can be a bit unpredictable; Peak season happens at a different date each year. But usually, you can expect to see the most leaf color sometime mid-October to late-October.

You can keep up with the estimated peak times at this link. You can even check Shenandoah National Park’s live webcams for current conditions and color.

We visited on October 24 and it was a great time to visit, happened to be right in the middle of peak color.

Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive runs from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap, Virginia. The whole drive is a little over 105 miles of bursts of yellows, reds, and oranges.

The views from Skyline Drive were pretty un-forgettable. We spent half the day exploring Shenandoah by car and taking as many scenic stops as possible.

A Few Tips for the Skyline Drive

The Skyline Drive is a very popular route, especially in the fall months, so to avoid the crowds start early. Or even consider visiting on a weekday.

We arrived at the entrance station right as the sun was coming up and there were quite a few cars already on the road. But the road became significantly more crowded as the day went on.

The Skyline Drive is entirely in Shenandoah National Park which requires a $30/vehicle entrance fee. So bring your annual Interagency National Park Pass for entry.

Shenandoah Leef-Peeping Photo Diary

Although this post is much shorter than what I usually do, I still wanted to share these colorful memories with you. I hope you enjoy these photos of the incredible Shenandoah National Park!

Shenandoah National Park during the fall months is simply magical. I hope you’ll consider this amazing leaf-peeping spot for your next fall adventure.