9-23-15 Poconos Fall Foliage is Nature’s Eye Candy
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Start planning your Fall Foliage Poconos Getaway!
There’s a chill in the morning air and hints of orange-red on the tree limbs. Fall is here and foliage experts are predicting a spectacular color season! We had a very wet spring and winter delayed summer and the trees LOVE these stressful conditions! Some folks have expressed concern about the recent dry spell, but trees and most other plants slow their intake of moisture during this time of year, so it should be of little consequence to the foliage.
Experts say the late beginning to the summer season has set the stage for potentially exceptional fall colors in the Northeast. Though the weather through mid-October will ultimately determine how splendid of a display will emerge, it will continue well into late October, according to Accuweather.com. The Pocono Mountain’s Visitor’s Bureau also predicts a late fall foliage peak season and forecasts the weekend of October 17th and 18th to be the Fall Foliage Peak Time.
Pennsylvania in fall provides one of the most diverse color palette’s in the world, according to many botanists and forestry experts, and the Poconos a 2,400 square mile mountainous region of PA offers the best way to see it. With over 127 deciduous tree varieties changing color for our viewing pleasure, it truly never disappoints.
Though the early emergence of color can already be seen in many locations throughout the East, the peak of colors will hold off for a while. “Pennsylvania fall foliage and the timing of the Poconos peak fall foliage season has experienced another round of summer-like temperatures, which is hindering color change,” states Tom Williams, owner of Pocono Bike Rental, a bike rental business located in the heart of the Poconos. “We are located at the entrance to the Nationally recognized Lehigh Gorge State Park (featuring 26 miles of Rail Trail Mountain Biking) which is deep inside 1,000 foot near vertical Lehigh Gorge walls offering it’s own unique Eco-system of temperature, humidity and sunlight.” “The fall foliage is affected greatly by this Appalachian Mountain altitude disparity especially being that the Pocono Plateau starts at over 1,200 feet above sea level and climbs to 2,600 feet affecting exposure to the rising and setting sun at a more shallow fall angles.”
Late this coming weekend, temperatures return again to more unseasonable summer like levels and that should again momentarily delay the full emergence of the fall color spectrum. The experts of The Foliage Network have stated “The weather plays an important role in the timing and duration of the fall foliage season. In general, the best weather for the foliage features warm, sunny days and cool, crisp evenings. With respect to precipitation, occasional rain (not long duration heavy rain) is best.” So this may mean we may just have a extra lengthy visual performance with an encore set of coloring into November!
The Poconos Fall Foliage while world famous for its visual artistry, is also unique in the fact you can access it quite easily via Biking, Whitewater Rafting and Hiking Tours. The Lehigh Gorge State Park located in the heart of the Poconos in the town of White Haven, PA, also offers excellent fishing and hiking on the Lehigh River. The White Haven, Poconos area boasts 4 disc golf courses 1 being located at Hickory Run State Park which provides both rustic and modern RV camping. The park is famous for it’s hiking trails and features the worlds largest Boulder Field! While enjoying the Poconos during the peak fall foliage season and participating in outdoor adventure sports, it gives you a great opportunity to maintain fitness while witnessing mother nature’s finest display of magic.
The final dam release of the Whitewater Rafting season on the Class 3+ Lehigh River is occurring October 9th, 10th and 11th, and the fall foliage will be at it’s peak! During that weekend it is also the Greater White Haven Chamber of Commerce’sOutdoor Fall Festival featuring regional musicians, arts, craft and food vendors along with many family fun kids activities.
The fall season, otherwise known as Autumn, is the time of year when we have one last chance to use the great outdoors for a little more summer like fun before winter sets in so check out the Poconos Fall Foliage doing it in it’s truest form. The Poconos is but a 2 hour drive from both New York City and Philadelphia and most points in New Jersey are within that drive time as well.
