This Map Will Show You When and Where to See Peak Fall Foliage
The state Bureau of Forestry's fall foliage map, which tracks and projects the changing of the leaves all across Pennsylvania, will help you take the most delightful of autumnal photos this season.
Ridley Creek is poised have beautiful foliage this year. Just not quite yet, according to the state’s first fall foliage map. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, writes with good news: “Abundant rainfall throughout the growing season has primed Pennsylvania forests for a fantastic fall foliage season. Expect a vibrant, beautiful show!”
That comes from the DCNR’s first fall foliage report of the year, published on Thursday. If you are in the business of enjoying fall foliage — and who among us isn’t, living in a state that’s 60 percent forest? — the reports are an indispensable guide, tracking where the leaves are changing and when each county is expected to reach peak foliage. As if that weren’t useful enough, the reports also include photos from across the state and even offer scenic viewpoints, as recommended by on-the-ground forestry staff. Oh, and there’s a map! (You wouldn’t go on a hike without a map, would you? Nor should you hunt for fall foliage without one.)
Pennsylvania’s county-by-county fall foliage map shows lots of green for now, but it won’t for long! Screenshot via DCNR
So what does the report hold for those of us in Southeastern Pennsylvania? Well, for now, the state reports “no significant fall foliage observations” in our region. (One look outside your window would have confirmed as much: green leaves — lots of them.) According to the Bureau of Forestry, the peak time for foliage in these parts could still be three weeks to a month away.
But other parts of the state are starting to see activity. To the north, Potter County, a beautiful fall foliage hotspot thanks to its large number of red-hued maples, is “approaching best color” per the report. That means you can expect peak foliage there within the next week. Meanwhile, a significant chunk of the state is starting to change to a light green color, meaning those beautiful autumnal palettes are only two to three weeks away.
Or so the forest bureau says now. But the leaves change fast, and they wait for no one — all the more reason to keep an eye out for next week’s report, which you’ll be able to find right here.
