5 Great Leaf-Watching Spots Close to D.C.

In Blue Highways, one of the finest travel books ever written, William Least Heat-Moon said hitting the road is a gift and “a chance to inquire, to know nothing for certain. An inheritance of wonder…”

True enough—especially in the fall.

As I walked my Labrador in the woods near my house this weekend, I looked up and noticed everything had changed over night. The trees, blushing crimsons and flashing yellows, were letting go. Their last brilliant act of the year had begun.

Staying close to home to watch this parade offers little epiphanies of color. But we also know to look to the mountains or areas where large swaths of oaks, maples and their brethren offer something extraordinary. This year, instead of following the crowds to Skyline Drive (don’t get me wrong—it’s a treasure, but the cars…) or Rock Creek Parkway, check out these leaf-peeping spots where you won’t find so many disciples of color. You’ll also be able to ditch the car and wander.

1. Harper’s Ferry. Home of the Appalachian Trail headquarters, hiking paths, incredible views from the town, this West Virginia hamlet is a little more than an hour from the Beltway. The Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet in Harper’s Ferry, so the vistas from the town above are extraordinary. You’ll find plenty of shops in town, along with fine eateries (don’t miss Canal House Café and Cannonball Deli).

If you like to fish, especially for smallmouth bass, Harper’s Ferry is one of the best-kept secrets in the mid-Atlantic. Given all the rain we’ve had since late August, the water is high, and the current can be dangerous, so be careful if you’re wading in the shallows or casting atop one of hundreds of monster boulders that dot the shoreline. (For future reference, the water is usually knee-deep and warm in September and October, and you can wade into the flow and catch smallmouth, striped bass and pan fish. I’ve been in the water as late as Halloween pulling out fat smallmouth. And the setting? Unreal—the mountains, shoulder-to-shoulder and painted in oranges, reds and yellows, loom above.)

2. C&O Canal. This national gem runs 184.5 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland, Md. Naturally, the towpath and trails (especially the famed Billy Goat along the Potomac) are thick with leaf watchers near the Great Falls Visitors Center. But the crowds thin out dramatically near Swains Lock in Montgomery County and again near White’s Ferry. If you want to really take in some great color, head up to mile marker 150 that runs along Green Ridge State Forest, where the canal zigs and zags into what looks like four fingers—the colors are breathtaking—and you’ll most likely have the trail to yourself.

3. Bull Run Mountain. Shhh. Don’t share this with too many people. My family wants to keep this trail all to ourselves for a while longer. This getaway is only 45 minutes from downtown. The hike is 5 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 1,600 feet. It’ll take you anywhere from two to three hours to complete, but if you stop near the top and take in the views or eat the lunch you’ve packed, count on making a day of it. The scenery is spectacular given its proximity to exurbia.

The trail also runs alongside the skeleton of Chapman’s Mill, a grist mill was built in 1742 and ran continuously through the 20th century. It was destroyed by fire in 1998, but there are serious efforts—and a significant fundraising campaign—to bring the mill back to its glory.

Afterwards, drive a few miles to The Plains, a cool little town with plenty of shops (think antiques, crafts, galleries featuring local art) and a dining (my favorite is the Rail Stop, featuring an outstanding Sunday brunch; for lunch, try the grilled-shrimp club).  

4. Antietam Battlefield. If there is such a thing as pretty battlefields, this one leads the Civil War pack. At Antietam, you can take in a little history (it’s the 150th anniversary of the Civil War), learn about a savage battle from September 1862 (23,000 were killed) and enjoy a setting framed by thousands of blazing trees.

Schedule of upcoming events:

Saturday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Oct. 23. Children's Experience Weekend, 11 a.m.−4:30 p.m. Pry House Field Hospital Museum, Keedysville, Md. (Antietam National Battlefield). Kids will learn how children lived during the Civil War with plenty of hands-on activities. Staff and children dressed in period attire will lead games and a craft. For more information, call 301-416-2395, or visit us online at civilwarmed.org

Saturday, Oct. 29, Union Artillery, Antietam-Living History Volunteers portray Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. They’ll take to the field for demos, load and fire canons. 11 a.m., 1:00 p.m.
 
Sunday, Oct. 30, Confederate Artillery, Antietam-Living history volunteers portrays Parker's Battery. You guessed it: demos, loading and firing canons. 11 a.m, 1:00 p.m.

5. Route 231, from Madison to Sperryville, Va. If you really want to stay in the car and take in the fall color—and maybe stop in a few spots along the way—route 231 won’t disappoint. In fact, do a round trip. Once you’re in Warrenton, Va., head west toward Shenandoah National Park (you’ll pass Washington, Va., along on the way—home of The Inn at Little Washington).

Once you reach Sperryville, however, set the car to cruise control and follow Route 231 to the promised land of fabulous views. You’ll pass some sweet hamlets along the way, but I’d turn around in Madison and enjoy the 30-minute joy ride back to Sperryville, where you shouldn’t miss Rudy’s Pizza and, our family’s favorite: Burgers-n-Things, dishing bison burgers and soft-serve ice cream so good you’ll make a return trip long before the mountains lower their curtains of green next spring.