It’s almost fall foliage season in Pennsylvania, and experts believe colors will be great, albeit maybe more short-lived than normal.
Ryan Reed, program specialist for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, expects the fall colors this season to be vivid, but recent dryness might accelerate the changing of the leaves.
Because of this, DCNR plans to release its weekly foliage reports by Sept. 25 — about a week earlier than normal. Fall color already is visible in some parts of the state, Reed said.
“It’s pretty clear to me that the season’s going to commence a little earlier than what we typically expect,” he said.
Reed estimated that the СŷƵ will see peak color around mid-October, but he noted that could change depending on weather. If the last week in September is unusually cold, that could drive a “major shift,” in color, according to Reed.
The northern parts of the state are often the first to see changing colors, and parts of the north already are seeing it with low temperatures in the 40s and very dry conditions.
“It’s no wonder to me why they’re seeing a lot of color up there already,” Reed said.
For those looking for more of an “immersive experience” in a large forest, Reed recommends taking a drive up to the public forests north of the СŷƵ, in Carbon, Monroe, Pike or Luzerne counties. In the СŷƵ, he said state parks would be a good way to see the fall color.
He said this season should be fantastic — the dryness will cause the red, yellow and orange colors to be more vibrant.
“It’ll be a very vivid display,” he said.
Pennsylvania is a “meeting ground” of trees from the northern and southern parts of the country, and its diverse array of species adds its own flair of color, according to Reed.
“In my mind, there’s not too many places in the world that can stack up to Pennsylvania for the fall foliage season,” he said.
Reed said the forests are very important in the state, and provide thousands of jobs for people. The Bureau of Forestry worked hard to reforest the state, and it’s not something people should take for granted, he said.
“We’re just extremely blessed with public land in Pennsylvania,” he said.
James Hamill, spokesperson for the Pocono Mountain Tourism Bureau, said the fall is one of the most heavily visited seasons for the region because of the fall foliage. He’s expecting that to be the case again this year.
Hamill said there are a lot of activities in the small towns in the Poconos, and those coming to visit for the fall colors also get a chance to see what those towns have to offer. He mentioned a train ride people can take through Jim Thorpe that gives them a good look at this season’s color.
“It delivers consistently here in the Poconos,” Hamil said.
Travel to the region has only increased over the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, which Hammill attributed to its affordability and accessibility to many people by car.
“We’ve had a really great renaissance of late, I think, in the Poconos,” he said.
A shows that visitor spending in the region has increased every year since 2020. It accounted for 9.8% of statewide tourism spending last year.
DCNR will post its fall foliage forecast each week starting at the end of the month. The site also has guides on where to check out the colors.
“We’re extremely blessed with fall color, and there’s pretty much something for everyone,” Reed said.
has a fall foliage forecast each week that can help people decide what to see if they travel to the region for the fall color.
