10/23/2008
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Foliage in West Virginia’s extreme Eastern Panhandle currently is reported to be at 100 percent peak. Herb Peddicord, a landowner assistance forester with the West Virginia Division of Forestry, says that visitors can expect great fall color in addition to the nice year-round views the area offers.
“This will be an excellent weekend for fall color in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties,” Peddicord said. “Trees along the ridges are peaking now, and views along the Potomac River are spectacular.”
Peddicord recommends traveling along the George Washington Heritage Trail from Martinsburg through Berkeley Springs to Paw Paw. His suggested drive in Jefferson County is State Route 230 from Shepherdstown to Harpers Ferry.
Foliage ranges from 60 percent to 80 percent peak in the state’s western region. Counties with foliage at 60 percent peak include Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Putnam and Wayne. Those counties with foliage between 70 percent and 75 percent peak are Cabell, Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Wirt and Wood. Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane and Tyler have 80 percent peak color.
Foresters in other parts of the state report that this is most likely the last weekend to see fall color in Mercer, Monroe, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Upshur, Webster and Wyoming counties.
For more information about fall foliage, visit the Division of Forestry’s Web site at www.wvforestry.com.
Contact Information
Leslie Fitzwater
304-558-2003 ext. 342
leslie.c.fitzwater@wv.gov