Leaves in the Erie region are readying their fall colors. Find out when and where to see them
If you want to see fall foliage, Pennsylvania is the place to be and Erie County has many spots to view the seasonal changes that will soon take place on area trees.
The Keystone State "has a longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state in the nation," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Here's what you need to know about when and where to see those beautiful red, yellow and orange leaves around Erie County.
Why does Erie County have great fall color?
It comes down to location.
DCNR's website says that eastern North America, including Pennsylvania, is one of the regions of the world that support deciduous forests that display full autumn color.
Furthermore, "Pennsylvania’s location between 40 degrees and 42 degrees north latitude and its varied topography from sea level on the coastal plain to over 3,000 feet in the Laurel Highlands supports 134 species of trees and many more shrubs and vines that contribute to the display of autumn color," DCNR says.
For subscribers: Here's why and where you should see eye-popping colorful foliage in Pennsylvania this fall
When can you see it here?
Fall foliage websites vary on when the peak will hit Pennsylvania and Erie County this year.
The website SmokyMountains.com has an interactive fall foliage prediction map for 2023 estimating the changing of the leaves each Monday from Sept. 4 through Nov. 20. The map indicated that Erie County would be nearing its peak the week of Sept. 25, would be at peak the week of Oct. 2 and past peak the week of Oct. 9.
"While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year," the website says.
AccuWeather's 2023 fall foliage forecast put the peak color time for most of Pennsylvania, including Erie County, as mid-October. AccuWeather also forecast the fall foliage in Pennsylvania this year to be vibrant rather than typical or dull.
The websites are partially correct, said Cecile Stelter, district forester for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Cornplanter Forest District that includes Erie, Crawford, Forest, Venango and Warren counties
She said that because of the diverse tree species and forest cover types in Pennsylvania, peaks occur at different times throughout the state. It could be the first weekend in October in one county and the last weekend in another.
"In our region (of northwest Pennsylvania), people will really start to see fall color around the 11th of October," Stelter said.
She estimated it would last about 10 days this year.
Because different species of trees turn colors at different times, she said, "We never get all the trees changing color at the same time."
Conditions in the region the last two weeks of September, with warm sunny days in the 70s and cooler nights in the 40s and 50s, are "really setting us up for some beautiful colors" this year, Stelter said.
Where can you see fall foliage?
Erie County offers many places to enjoy the seasonal color, including residential neighborhoods.
Local parks — Presque Isle and Erie Bluffs state parks, Erie's Frontier Park, Millcreek Township's Scott Park, Harborcreek Township's Six Mile Creek Park, Corry's Mead Park and many more — are also good spots for seeing the leaves and maybe enjoying a picnic or a hike.
Asbury Woods Nature Center, Wintergreen Gorge and local Game Lands become filled with fall color.
Banks of local creeks, lakes and reservoirs offer views of the leaves, sometimes with mirror images reflected in the water. Sites to consider: Seven Mile Creek in Harborcreek, Sixteen Mile Creek in North East, Elk Creek in western Erie County, Edinboro Lake, Eaton Reservoir and Union City Reservoir.
If you like to look at the leaves while driving, consider taking a ride along Route 6 or Route 8.
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Even if you miss the best leaves in Erie County, you only need to drive an hour or two to see colored leaves in another, Stelter said.
"This is a wonderful time to get out and enjoy Penn's woods," she said.
DCNR has a map showing prime locations to see brilliant fall colors throughout the state, including state parks.
Mixbook, a photo book brand, surveyed 3,000 respondents about the under-the-radar destinations they would most like to visit to see fall foliage this year. Three Pennsylvania locations made the list of 150 hidden gems that was topped by Sterling Forest State Park in New York state.
Hickory Run State Park in Carbon County came in at number 30. Oil Creek State Park in Venango County was 60th. Worlds End State Park in Sullivan County was 64th.
Find more
DCNR produces weekly fall foliage reports scheduled to begin this year on Sept. 28 and continue throughout the season. The reports include a status for each county, ranging from no change in color (peak is three weeks to a month away) to past peak (all or nearly all color is gone).
To find Pennsylvania's weekly fall foliage reports, visit https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/ForestsAndTrees/FallFoliageReports/Pages/default.aspx.
Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@timesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Leaves readying to change colors around Erie region
