Washington DC is known as the “City of Trees” and is the top city in the United States for its public parks. During the fall, visitors and residents alike are treated to beautiful fall foliage throughout Washington DC’s streets as the leaves change colors, accessible by metro.
When I think of foliage, I think of the fiery red leaves that dominate the mountains of Vermont. These brilliant reds are from the maple trees, and in DC, we have plenty. In fact, the red maple is the most common street tree you will find in DC, with over 12,000 planted.
There are plenty of other trees in DC that have beautiful colors. DC is known for its gingko foliage in mid-November, where the fan-shaped leaves turn a bright yellow before falling to the ground. The Kentucky coffeetree, which has seen a flurry of new trees planted in the past decade, also has beautiful yellow foliage. But for me, the red trees steal the show.
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Mid- to Late-October: Red Maples
Red Maples are the most common street trees in DC, and are one of the first to start turning colors. In 2024, they started turning red the second week of October, and will be at peak color in late October.
These are the most common street trees planted in DC, so you’ll likely see some no matter where you go. However, Capitol Hill has the most trees, particularly on the north/south streets like 7th Street, 9th Street, and 10th Street. Capitol Hill is also one of the more picturesque areas of the city, making this a popular spot for photographing the foliage.
However, lots of other neighborhoods have plenty of red maples, including Capitol View, Oxon Run Park, AU Park, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant.
The interactive map below shows every red maple street tree in Washington DC.
Early- to Mid-November: Sugar Maples
In addition to producing maple syrup, sugar maples produce bright red foliage in the fall. This tree needs cold weather so is more commonly found in the northeastern United States and Canada, but it is the second most common maple variety in DC. Their leaves change color after the red maple, typically in early- to mid-November.
Sugar maples aren’t as common, and you’ll see more of them in Georgetown and Capitol Hill.
The interactive map below shows every sugar maple street tree in Washington DC.
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