When and where to see Virginia's fall colors

It's beginning to feel a little like fall in Richmond — and that means it's time to start thinking about leaf peeping around the Old Dominion.

The forecast: Plentiful summer rain means most of Virginia's trees will still be green for a while, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry's Fall Foliage Report.

• Peak fall foliage time will start in the western part of the state in mid-October, according to the much-viewed fall leaf map from David Angotti at SmokyMountains.com.
• The Richmond area will hit peak around Halloween.

How it works: Shorter, warm days and cool nights spur the color change as trees lose the green chlorophyll from their leaves.

Where to go: Virginia Tourism has a great list of the best spots around the state to view fall foliage, but for the best views closest to home in late October, check out:

• Pocahontas State Park — 20 miles south of Richmond.
• Shenandoah National Park — 90 miles west.
• James River State Park — 95 miles west.
• Natural Bridge State Park — 150 miles west.

Be smart: The city usually puts out its leaf collection schedule in early October when it starts bagged collection, with optional paid vacuum service and bulk bagged collection starting in early November.

Karri's thought bubble: I legit still had leaves on my trees at Christmas last year. The city might want to revisit this October start schedule.