Autumn is the season of change. The days get shorter and colder. The biggest indication of the change in seasons is the change in the color of the leaves on trees. A favorite thing to do this time of the year is to head to the mountains to view the beautiful fall colors. In the greater Jefferson County area we are lucky to have an abundance of spots to choose from to view the beautiful display of fall foliage.

I particularly like the great panoramic view from Annapolis Rock of the valley below. Annapolis Rock is reached by hiking 2.2 miles (4.4 miles round trip) on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland. The trailhead is located on Route 40 near Greenbriar State Park, just North of Boonsboro, Md. It is about a 15-mile drive from the Shepherdstown area. The hike up from Route 40 is steep at times, but eventually levels off to a nice section under a canopy of oaks, maples, gums and beech until your reach Annapolis Rock. The incredible view from the ledge is more than worth the hike. In fact, I think the extra effort to get there makes the reward that much better.

There are other ways to view the beautiful fall scenery. The Rumsey monument in Sepherdstown is an easy walk from anywhere in town. There are great fall colors visible along the Potomac River and on the distant mountain ridges. Another of my favorites is the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. The parkway follows the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has dozens of pull-offs for scenic vistas and abundant fall color. This is a popular route in fall, but you can usually find sections with few people around. A little closer to Jefferson County is Skyline Drive, which travels atop the ridge through Shenandoah National Park from the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Parkway to Front Royal, Va.

The changing color of the leaves is but one indication that summer is over and colder weather is on the way. Attempting to forecast the coldness of winter has led to a wide variety of methods over the years. Before modern meteorology, people turned to the natural world to help predict the winter months. People believed that no one could foretell the weather better than the plants and animals around us.

The wooly bear caterpillar has a long history in the winter weather forecast debate. The wooly bear is a black- and reddish-orange banded caterpillar that can be seen crossing roads and sidewalks this time of the year. A wooly bear or wooly worm is the larval stage of an Isabella tiger moth.

Some people believe that if the black bands on the front and back of the wooly bear are bigger than the orange band, the winter will be colder and snowier than usual. If there appears to be a lot of wooly bears moving around, this also indicates a severe winter. If they appear sluggish, be prepared for a bad winter. There has been a lot of discussion on this issue over the years—even some scientific studies done.

The activity of squirrels and chipmunks is another traditional weather indicator. The more industrious and active squirrels and chipmunks are in gathering extra nest material and food, the colder the winter is going to be. Another reputed weather indicator is the height of the squirrel nest. The lower the nest the colder the winter.