Peak week for Eastern Panhandle foliage
Oct. 25, 2012
Another fall foliage season is winding down, but West Virginia Division of Forestry officials say there are still opportunities to see color this weekend.
The Eastern Panhandle counties of Berkeley and Jefferson are peaking this week, as are the lower elevations of Morgan County. Foresters say this is the can’t-miss weekend for that area. Shanghai Road and the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area are hot spots in Berkeley County, and foresters report all roads are beautiful in Jefferson County. This also is the peak week to visit the lower elevations of Mineral County. The recommended drive there is U.S. Route 220.
Foliage in the Northern Panhandle is holding on and providing colorful drives along all roads in Brooke County. State Route 8 to Tomlinson Run State Park is recommended, U.S. Route 250 and State Route 2 are again great choices for leaf peeping, and State Route 88 through Oglebay Park toward Bethany is a great drive.
Coopers Rock State Forest still has beautiful yellows and oranges and is a recommended weekend destination.
Foliage in and around the capital city of Charleston is at 90 percent peak. The State Capitol grounds have good color, as do areas along the Kanawha River where replicas of two of Christopher Columbus’ ships, the Niña and the Pinta, will be docked at Haddad Riverfront Park through Nov. 4.
The state’s second-largest city, Huntington, also is showing peak foliage. This weekend will provide the last opportunity of the year to see peak color on the Marshall University campus. A drive along tree-lined Third Avenue is especially beautiful.
Foliage south of Charleston is near or at peak. Corridor G/U.S. Route 119 from Madison to Chapmanville is a recommended drive, as are State Route 17 over Blair Mountain and State Route 10 by the Guyandotte River in Logan County. In Mingo County, foresters recommend a drive along King Coal Highway or U.S. Route 52. The Lower Mud River and Sumerco Mountain areas of Lincoln County are recommended areas to visit again this week. State Route 16 from Welch to Coalwood should be colorful in McDowell County.
This is the last fall foliage report for 2012.
Visit the Division of Forestry’s Facebook page for foliage updates throughout the week: www.facebook.com/wvforestry.