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: