Highland Scenic Highway
High-elevation route with wide mountain views.
Forest Composition
Conditions & 5-Day Forecast
Nearby Towns
Field notes · 2026 estimate
When to see peak color at Highland Scenic Highway
Peak fall color is predicted around October 17. Plan for the strongest viewing window from October 12 to October 22.
- Predicted peak
- October 17
- Best window
- October 12 – October 22
- Confidence range
- ±5 days
The prediction comes from 14 years of fall color records at this spot, checked against what observers on the ground saw. Where state foliage spotters report peak (New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Missouri), it has landed inside our ±5-day window about two years in three. An unusual summer or autumn can still move it further. Explore fall color around Pocahontas County and across West Virginia.
That is 5 days later than usual (October 12): the six weeks to October 7 ran 3.7°F warmer than the 2001–2025 average, and a warmer run before peak delays the color.
Nearby locales
Other places to see color near Highland Scenic Highway
2 to 3 hours
- Blackwater Falls State Park97 mi · 2 hr 14 minPeak: Oct 10Status: Fading
- Babcock State Park91 mi · 2 hr 16 minPeak: Oct 27Status: Peak color
- Canaan Valley Resort State Park92 mi · 2 hr 17 minPeak: Oct 13Status: Fading
- Natural Bridge State Park97 mi · 2 hr 19 minVirginiaPeak: Oct 26Status: High color
- Camp Creek State Park120 mi · 2 hr 37 minPeak: Oct 19Status: Peak color
- New River Gorge National Park and Preserve98 mi · 2 hr 40 minPeak: Oct 26Status: High color
- Veritas Vineyards & Winery113 mi · 2 hr 43 minVirginiaPeak: Oct 27Status: High color