How long will the fall foliage last? (Reston, Herndon: Lowes, best time)

[normie]

My favorites are the Burning Bushes. They look like giant bright red cranberries. There's a bunch near my house that are so red you start wondering if somebody spray painted them.

If you wnt to see some color, Cascades Parkway is stunning this year. Or drive around Great Falls.

[normie]

Originally Posted by Denton56

I suggest a trip to Winchester this weekend. Drive straight out route 7 and you will see gorgeous mountains. The trees are just beautiful.

Yes! And take the camera. You've been promising us a photo tour of Winchester.... this would be a great weekend for that.

[ScranBarre]

I'm headed out to Winchester today for some sort of pumpkin festival with a ton of co-workers from Fairfax County. I will report back later with my findings and perhaps post some pictures.

Normie, don't do the photo tour of Winchester (yet). The historic district looks like a bomb hit it because of the massive road construction project underway all through town. I will post one next summer when the town is back to "normal." It wouldn't be fair to the people of Winchester on this forum (all two of them---hopefully more will join soon) to represent their city with orange cones and flaggers in every other picture.

[normie]

I'm inspired by JfromReston's gorgeous shots of Reston that he took in the rain this morning. So here are a few rainy day fall foliage shots of my own. These were all taken today around 11 a.m.








The rain wasn't keeping people from taking a walk.


This turtle stuck his head out of the water as I passed by. I figured if he was going to pose the least I could do was take his picture.

[normie]

More rainy day photos




The two parking lot photos (sort of) connect to make a panoramic shot. This lot was so pretty today I wish I'd had a panaoramic camera to capture the whole thing. It's not very often you feel that way about a parking lot!








I'm not sure if this goose was doing a happy dance or waving for the camera.






It started getting dark at this point. Looks like heavy rain's on the way, so that brought today's photo shoot to an end.

[normie]

By the way, here are JfromReston's shots that he took today:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/11326535-post20.html

[pcity]

Originally Posted by normie

That's good to hear. Where are you going hiking?

I was thinking Prince William Forest Park. Foliage there is supposed to be beautiful.

I'm going in a group though, so we may end up going somewhere closer depending on time constraints.

[Denton56]

[quote=normie;11329328]I'm inspired by JfromReston's gorgeous shots of Reston that he took in the rain this morning. So here are a few rainy day fall foliage shots of my own. These were all taken today around 11 a.m.

Normie,
Your Reston photos are fantastic! What a shame that Scranny doesn't have these gorgeous trees and views in his part of Reston! I guess he's in the drab part of Reston.

Thanks for your beautiful shots. That's what I've seen too this year. It's spectacular!

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by normie

By the way, here are JfromReston's shots that he took today:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/11326535-post20.html

OMG, J's pictures are wondeful! Reston looks so beautiful. The lakes and trees are just gorgeous. I hope that Scranny can see these and see how beautiful Reston is. Poor guy, he must be in the only ugly part, without great fall trees. Everywhere I've been has been so pretty and J's photos really captured the beauty, even on a rainy day.

Thanks J and Normie!

[ScranBarre]

No, we do have brilliant colors here as well in my neighborhood, but half the leaves were already gone (or in the process of falling) when they just reached their peak in the past couple of days. I swept off the sidewalks in front of my cluster on Tuesday only to have them immediately covered again the next day. I can't even see the lines on my parking space due to the ankle-deep leaves everywhere. What I meant by "dud" is that is there ever a time when the leaves are peaking AND still 90% on the trees? The colors are gorgeous, but they'd have been better if the trees hadn't already shed so many of their leaves.