Western Maryland is reaching peak fall foliage as sunny days, cool nights and a heavy frost have accelerated the annual color change, according to the latest Maryland Department of Natural Resources fall foliage report.
In Garrett County, leaves have changed rapidly over the past several days. Areas around Meadow Mountain, Savage River Reservoir and Big Run are expected to see peak color this week, while other parts of the county are expected to reach peak conditions into next week.
Farther east, the transition is still in its earlier stages. In Washington County, most ridges remain largely green, but increasing amounts of gold and red are beginning to appear. Black walnut, hackberry and black locust are turning yellow, while red maple, blackgum and flowering dogwood are beginning to provide some of the more traditional red fall colors. If cooler weather continues, foresters expect conditions to change quickly over the next few weeks…