Plenty of rain this summer is delaying the peak of color for fall foliage in Virginia by a few weeks, according to the Virginia Dept. of Forestry.
Although the tops of some trees are just starting to show their autumn colors in Alexandria, vibrant colors and falling leaves won't really arrive until early November locally.
If you want to see brilliant fall colors sooner, you'll need to head west, to the northern portion of the Shenandoah Mountains.
The Virginia Is For Lovers blog, the official tourism blog of the commonwealth, suggests hitting up these state parks and national forests for pretty views in late October:
- George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests (west of Harrisonburg, Virginia, about a 3 hour, 25 minute drive from Alexandria)
- Douthat State Park (west of Lexington, Virginia, about a 3 hour, 45 minute drive from Alexandria)
- James River State Park (southwest of Charlottesville, about a 3 hour, 30 minute drive from Alexandria)
Look for more suggestions here for early November.
Leaf Collection
The City of Alexandria will begin its annual leaf vacuuming and leaf bag collection program for residents who receive City trash and recycling collection.
Leaf collection will start Nov. 1 and is expected to continue into January, as it has in past years.
Alexandria is sectioned into five collection zones, each with a specific start date. Each zone will receive three passes of leaf collection. Residents may recycle leaves in three ways:
- raking leaves to the curb for vacuum collection;
- placing leaves in paper leaf bags for collection (leaves in plastic bags are considered refuse, and are thrown away as trash); or
- composting leaves and yard waste at home.
Please do not mix brush or other items with leaves, as these items may injure City workers, damage equipment or private property, or cause delays. Free biodegradable leaf bags are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Bags will be available starting October 18. Please wear a mask and maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others while picking up leaf bags (limit 15 bags per residential household, not available for commercial use).
Residents may receive leaf collection status updates by signing up for the free Alexandria eNews service and subscribing to “Resource Recovery Updates,” or by following the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Visit alexandriava.gov/LeafCollection to determine specific collection zones and dates, and to find locations where free, biodegradable leaf bags may be picked up.
