Fall Foilage for Southern Region October 21-28 2015
SOUTHERN REGION Oct 21-28 2015
(The area south and east of a line through southern Monroe, Dauphin, Bedford and southeastern Somerset Counties is included in the southern region.) The Blue Mountain, especially Northampton County is nearing peak fall color. The reds of the red maple and Virginia creeper, the deep maroons of black gum, oranges of sassafras, and the brilliant yellows of black birch and cherry provide striking displays along the roadways and across the landscape. The leaves of walnut and ash along the ridgetops have mostly fallen, thus leaving their nude twigs ready for winter. The most abundant forest trees — the red, black, scarlet, chestnut, and white oaks — are beginning to reveal their autumn colors. This week the red and scarlet oaks will turn brick red. Black oaks and chestnut oaks will show russet orangebrown. White oak leaves turn to a purplish red color, one of the best color displays among the oaks. Bright sunny autumn days are wonderful times to enjoy a walk in the woods or a drive in the country.
In the Weiser Forest District the mountains around Jim Thorpe and the forests in Hickory Run State Park provide excellent destinations to explore and enjoy Penn’s Wood at its finest. In the Tuscarora State Forest lands in Perry and Juniata counties, 75 percent of the trees are changing color now and the leaves are starting to fall. Smaller birch trees, black gum and some other species have already lost their leaves, however the oaks have just recently started to change. Some areas of the district still have some green leaves on the oaks, but most of them are nearly in full color. It is a great time to get out and see the fall foliage. There is beautiful fall foliage to be seen all throughout the district. Oak woods from South Mountain east to Philadelphia are slow to turn this year. Red and sugar maples, ash and dogwood are holding full color in most southern counties. The William Penn State Forest district offers autumn displays from good vantage points including look outs such as the Reading Pagoda on Mount Penn, Valley Forge National Historic Park, and the Pinnacle Overlook along the Susquehanna River north of Holtwood, Lancaster County.