Anticipate Seeing the Best Colors of Fall This October

COLUMBUS, OH – As the days grow shorter and the nights a little cooler, signs of autumn will begin to emerge. Ohio’s forest canopies will soon begin their color transformation to strong reds, vivid yellows and bold oranges that encourage people to visit the Buckeye State to catch that first glimpse of color. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), in partnership with TourismOhio, will help people find the best locations to view the changing colors throughout the fall.

“Autumn in Ohio is always beautiful,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “We are fortunate to have so many state parks and natural areas that provide people with a great place to enjoy the colors of fall.”

Predicting the timing of changing leaves is not always easy, but beautiful fall color will surely be visible in Ohio this season. ODNR Fall Color Forester Casey Burdick expects the fall colors to run a little late this year due to the rains this spring and early summer. She is forecasting peak color in northern Ohio to be seen in mid-October. Central Ohio leaf color should peak at the end of the third full week in October, and southern Ohio should peak in late October. The current forecast, along with informative videos, are available at fallcolor.ohiodnr.gov.

“Ohio’s brilliant fall colors are the perfect backdrop for some memorable time with family and friends,” said Mary Cusick, director of TourismOhio. “Go hiking, pick apples or pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze or take a bike ride – the outdoors is irresistible with cooler temperatures and color everywhere.”

People interested in finding out where to find most eye-catching leaves throughout the upcoming fall color season should check out fallcolor.ohiodnr.gov, Ohio’s official guide to the changing colors. This website includes:

Weekly color updates and information to help plan a fall color adventure (beginning Sept. 30).
Weekly videos from Burdick highlighting fall color hot spots around the state.
Links to fall activities, scenic road trips, unique overnight accommodations at Ohio State Parks, and more.

Looking for some great fall getaway ideas? Get inspired by fall color tours, the aroma of apple butter simmering, the tastes of the fall harvest, the crunch of leaves underfoot and more at discoverohio.com.

ODNR and TourismOhio encourage people to take fall color photos and upload them to social media using the hashtag, #OhioFall15. Follow @ohiodnr and @DiscoverOhio on Twitter, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Discover Ohio on Facebook, and @OhioDNR and @Ohiogram on Instagram to see more fall color photos.