The season of football, pumpkin festivals, and fall foliage is just around the corner, with most schools starting in a matter of weeks and autumn’s official debut arriving not long after that.
To celebrate the impending arrival of cooler weather, we’ve compiled ways to enjoy the season in Pennsylvania. From road trips to see the changing leaves to harvest festivals and mountain hikes, there’s much autumn revelry happening in the Keystone State in the coming months.
Where to see the changing leaves
Pennsylvania has a longer fall foliage season than any other state in the country, allowing you to see the changing leaves far into October and even November in some parts of the state, according to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The commonwealth is home to 124 state parks, 2.2 million acres of state forestlands and a range of other public places where you can watch fall come to life. Whether you want to put on some hiking boots and head up a mountain or take a chairlift ride, there’s almost an endless array of ways to leaf-peep from scenic vistas in Pennsylvania.
Before you head to any of the following places, be sure to check out the DCNR’s weekly fall foliage reports to see what the colors are expected to be like.
This 150-mile path runs from Cumberland, Maryland to downtown Pittsburgh and takes hikers, bicyclists and even horse riders through Pennsylvania’s valley and mountains. The trail travels alongside the Casselman, Youghiogheny and Monongahela rivers, crosses the Mason-Dixon line, bisects the Ohiopyle State Park, and ends at Point State Park. Stop for stunning autumnal views at the Eastern Continental Divide, the highest point on the path, and the historic Bollman Bridge. Be sure to check out the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy’s website for more ideas about where to head for fall foliage.
Regularly named one of the country’s best destinations for fall foliage, the Laurel Highlands region in southwestern Pennsylvania includes eight state parks, two state forests and five national parks. To get sweeping, 360-degree views of the forests surrounding you, head to the 50-foot observation tower at Pennsylvania’s highest point, Mount Davis in Forbes State Forest. Explore Ohiopyle State Park’s waterfalls and the Baughman Rock Overlook for dramatic views of the Youghiogheny River Gorge.
The Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania transforms into an explosion of color and fall festivities during the autumn months. Explore the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, which includes more than 2,500 acres of protected forests. At the sanctuary, you can take in stunning views from mountaintop lookouts and watch as migrating hawks pass through the area each fall. Plus, the sanctuary puts on an autumn lecture series every year, with this year’s events exploring how birds survive the winter, penguins in the Falkland Islands, and global raptor conservation. Also in the Lehigh Valley, you can go foliage watching on a historic covered bridge tour, take scenic chairlift rides at the Blue Mountain Resort in the Poconos, and climb aboard the Coalbrookdale Railroad for fall foliage and other autumnal tours.
Autumn road trips
Some of the best places to see Pennsylvania in fall are the back roads that wind through the state’s mountains, valleys and roadside stands where you can fill up on caramel apples and pumpkins.
The Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau has compiled an extensive list of road trips to take in central Pennsylvania, from the 45-minute Route 304 loop that brings you through small towns like Lewisburg and Winfield to the mountain-filled Route 104. Whether you want to make your way through rural pastures or head to a Penn State football game, there’s something for everyone on these road trips.
Hop on Pennsylvania’s historic Route 6 for a fall road trip that will take you through 400 miles of the state’s forests and hills. Along the route that runs through 11 counties in northern Pennsylvania, drivers can get a view of the impressive Pine Creek Gorge, otherwise known as the state’s Grand Canyon; visit the 225-foot-tall Kinzua Sky Walk that offers panoramic views of Kinzua Bridge State Park; and watch as autumn transforms the shores of Lake Erie at the 3,200-acre Presque Isle State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania.
Head to the eastern side of the state to explore the Endless Mountains, located just west of Scranton and a couple of hours from Philadelphia. The Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau put together this guide to a 126-mile road trip that traverses covered bridges, rural downtowns and plunging valleys. See the Worlds End State Park, walk among the Victorian homes and 1800s storefronts that line downtown Tunkhannock, and check out one of the state’s most popular destinations in autumn: Ricketts Glen State Park.
Fall festivals
Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival
Known as the “Little Switzerland of America” because it’s nestled at the foothills of the Pocono Mountains, the town of Jim Thorpe draws thousands of people every year to its Fall Foliage Festival. Situated just north of the Lehigh Gorge State Park, itself a spectacle of colors in autumn, the town will hold its annual fall festival on the first three weekends in October. During the event, you can take scenic train rides, eat fall-inspired food from local restaurants, listen to live music, and more. Entry to the festival is free, but you’ll have to pay for activities like the train rides and the food.
National Apple Harvest Festival
Adams County, Pennsylvania’s largest producer of apples, is home to the annual National Apple Harvest Festival. The festival, which is held the first two weekends of October at the South Mountain Fairgrounds in Biglerville, celebrates the season with food, entertainment, crafts, and more.
One of the longest-running fall festivals in Pennsylvania, the Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival in Lehighton, will be daily from Sept. 27 through Oct. 26 this year. The event is a whirlwind of fall fun for people of all ages, including a hay ride, carnival rides, live music, a pumpkin fun house, a bubble station, a corn bin, pedal carts, a pirate ship play area, and vendors.
The inaugural PA Wine Harvest Celebration will take place on Oct. 11 at Stone Gable Estate in Elizabethtown. The event will feature 15 Pennsylvania wineries, as well as artisanal cheeses from the Pennsylvania Cheese Guild, live entertainment, and gourmet food trucks.
For more fall festival ideas, check out this list from the state Department of Community and Economic Development.
