Sep 22, 2025
Seems like I was just celebrating the arrival of summer and - poof - it's gone, soon to be vanquished by the autumnal equinox. Already, in Central Appalachia's cool, shady hollows, sweet birch and witch hazel leaves have started to turn and drop, showering moss-covered boulders with their finest gold filigree. Based on the 2025 forecasts I've read, Central Appalachia is expected to have one of its best fall foliage seasons in recent years.
Photos above and below from a quick morning hike in the old hemlock woods along Little Laurel Run at Coopers Rock State Forest. NC-WV finally got some rain this weekend; the forest looked recharged and renewed. More rain coming this week!
