Archives for October 2021

By Tom Williams, Fall Foliage Leaf Spotter for PoconoOutdoors.com

The fall foliage hasn’t lost its lore but colors are on the downturn in the Poconos. For the adventure seeker the way to see the transition of past peak color to full bloom comes along the Lehigh Gorge Trail in reverse! If you want to see just how the mountains affect the fall foliage colors you can start in Glen Summit, PA at the Black Diamond Trailhead which has some good foliage left to see but mostly past peak. Watch as you make your way to Jim Thorpe how the colors change and become more vivid. With cooler temperatures and higher winds at the Black Diamond trailhead, there is a more than a 50% leaf drop en route to White Haven, PA. Going through the Mud Run Gorge, as you make your way down past Rockport and beyond the spectacular colors still maintain dominance and leaf drop is only around 35-40%. A bike ride down this world-famous rail trail would be the easiest way to see it in its entirety.

Overall Poconos Region: Recent breezy weather and rain caused many birch and red maple leaves to fall, but there is still some great color. Hickories and sugar maples are showing their yellows and are also adding a warm orange color to the landscape. Witch hazels are contributing bright yellow, while blueberry and huckleberry bushes are adding shades of red. Scarlet and white oaks have changed over to their last bits of color.  A hike at Mauch Chunk Lake in Jim Thorpe, PA or the game lands on Broad Mountain near Weatherly, PA would be a great place to see the last bursts of color.

Fall Foliage in the Poconos is the best in the world!

For a more detailed report go to the www.PoconoOutdoors.com home page, where you can read all the 2021 Poconos Fall Foliage Reports and the unique fall foliage outdoor adventures to be enjoyed. Enjoy, Enjoy the great Pocono Outdoors!

Fall Foliage Report Information Resources:

DCNR Fall Foliage Reports

Penn Woods Fall Foliage Report

Pocono Mountains Fall Foliage Report

By Tom Williams, Fall Foliage Leaf Spotter for PoconoOutdoors.com

Fall Foliage Peak is Here! The vibrant colors abound, an explosion of sights and scents as the Fall Foliage will be peaking through next weekend since we have the longest fall foliage season in the world! The recent warm temperatures of the Pocono Plateau will be pushing the boundaries of the forest’s fall foliage color palette well into late October. Many species are revealing their inner self; black gums, birches, and maples are igniting reds, oranges and yellows throughout Penn’s Woods. Summer drought conditions throughout the Poconos as expected are shortening a vibrant peak season, however, with a relatively low occurrence of leaf spot diseases will help to keep the fall foliage season going into late October. As of last week’s rain event, some trees have dropped their leaves early, mostly affecting sugar maple.

Northern Poconos: (northern Wayne and Pike Counties): Bursting with color at tree tops, the underbrush is no longer a lush green. The warm yellows of goldenrods and sunflowers with the deep purple of wild asters are alongside the yellowing ferns, wilting fast. Red and sugar maples are well into their fall cycle. Cherry and birch have yellowed and have dropped some leaves due to rainy conditions and high winds last week. The beautiful striped maples, birch, and beech are turning yellow, along with black gums, they are adding some brighter red colors to the landscape. Sassafras and several understory plants like fern, blueberry, huckleberry, winterberry and poison ivy have been changing as well, contributing orange and red to the forest. If you see anything next to goldenrod and purple asters it will be a picture for the front cover of a magazine!

Central Poconos: (southern Wayne, Pike and northern Monroe Counties): A sudden onset of peak color this area of the Poconos is causing some of its best fall color in years. Red and sugar maples are peaking this weekend, but recent wind and rain have dropped many leaves. Remaining are cherry, ash, basswood, and aspen, they are showing awesome bright color. Birches, basswood, walnut, and aspen have been changing rapidly. Many trees are still green in this region like Oaks in lower altitudes, but they are dropping their acorns, so gather them up for crafts! Common along rivers in the Poconos, sycamores, are turning golden browns and yellows. Virginia creeper, a native vine wraps itself around stout trees, is showing shades of red.

Southern Poconos: (southern Monroe and Carbon County): In following step with the Northern and Central Regions, the Southern has changed quickly over the last week and is progressing toward an early peak. Most maples, birches and aspens are showing flaming scarlet, orange, and yellow leaves. Vivid colors of cherries stand out like fire against the deep greens of mixed oaks and beech. Huckleberry and blueberry are reddish. This explosion of sumac, sassafras, cherry, poplar and aspen are painting a wide color palette in the region.

Halloween Fun for Little Ones

Tract-or-Treat Pocono Organics Saturday, October 16 Pocono Pumpkin Festival Country Junction – Largest General Store Open daily through Sunday, October 24 Fright Time Zip & Cimb Blue Mountain Resort Friday and Saturday, October 29-30, 2021 The Electrifying Jack-O-Lantern West End Fairgrounds Open daily through November 7, 2021 Halloween Trick or Treating Hawley Silk Mill Monday, October 31, 2021 Pumpkin Patch Express The Stourbridge Line Saturdays and Sundays through October 30, 2021 The Monster Coaster Camelback Mountain Adventures Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October 31, 2021 Mazezilla Saylorsburg, PA Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 7, 2021

The 2021 Pocono Mountains Fall Foliage Forecast is updated every Thursday through the end of October, the foliage forecast will help you find the best times to see the autumn colors in the four counties of the Pocono Mountains. Thanks to your help, the Poconos was voted third in the nation in the 2021 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Destination for Fall Foliage. Start planning your autumn getaway to discover the vibrant leaves, fall activities, harvest festivals and so much more.

Lehigh Gorge State Park Fall Foliage Video – Presented by: PoconoBikeRental.com

Fall Foliage Report Information Resources:

DCNR Fall Foliage Reports

Penn Woods Fall Foliage Report

Pocono Mountains Fall Foliage Report