Take a Fall Color Tour of Ohio

The first stir of autumn ignites something in all of us who are familiar with the beauty of fall in this part of the country. Although the vibrant colors are fleeting, we have scores of talented photographers across Ohio that capture the beauty of our state during their autumn travels. We asked several of them to share a favorite fall photo that they have taken and the story behind it. From a historic grist mill in Youngstown and a serene garden cemetery in Cincinnati to a bird’s-eye view of Marietta and canal lock ruins in Maumee, these images reflect the history, heritage and sheer beauty of autumn in Ohio. 

Lanterman’s Mill • Youngstown
While looking for waterfalls to shoot in early November 2019, Mentor native Erik Drost drove to Youngstown to check out Lanterman’s Mill at Mill Creek MetroParks for the first time. That’s when the magic happened. “I saw that light there from that angle,” Drost says, “the color of the leaves and color of the water.” To achieve the starburst effect in this photograph, Drost “stopped down” his camera’s lens, (a technique that involves letting less light into the lens) and took the photo over a 30-second period. The process had a unique effect on the mill’s falls, smoothing out its roaring waters into pale tendrils of movement. “It’s fun to go out and explore new areas around the state,” Drost says. “There’s a lot of beauty out there that maybe you’re not necessarily aware of.” 1001 Canfield Rd., Youngstown 44511; Instagram: @edrost88


Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum • Cincinnati
Each year when the leaves turn to warm autumn tones, photographer Jillian Leedy knows she can always rely on Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum for excellent fall color. “I’ve often been surprised and amazed at how many years I’ve been going there, and yet I always find something new to photograph,” she says. Her photographs capture the beauty that the historic garden cemetery provides, from the details on the headstones to the intricate mausoleum architecture, like this image that plays on the symmetry created by the reflection in the pond. Leedy says she often wanders the grounds of the cemetery in the fall, soaking up the tranquil scenery and taking photographs that often require little to no editing. For her, the aim is all about re-creating the splendor that the human eye takes in. 4521 Spring Grove Ave., Cincinnati 45232; Instagram: @jcleedy


Olde Town East Home • Columbus
This Victorian-style home in Columbus’ Olde Town East neighborhood is a favorite each Halloween season, thanks to its delightfully spooky decor, including witches’ brooms and pumpkins, that pairs perfectly with the beauty of its architecture. “One of the best, most appealing parts of living in Ohio is the seasonal rituals that we go through; the festivals, how we celebrate the change of each season,” says photographer Arthur O’Leary, who took this photo. He made a spontaneous trip to this Columbus neighborhood east of downtown one morning when the low sun and sky were just right to capture the moodiness of the season. “I remember being a kid, and late in summer vacation, I would start to feel that crisp cool in the air and know that fall was coming,” O’Leary recalls. “[This photo] brings all that back. The emotion of … our favorite season here.” Olde Town East, Columbus 43205; Instagram: @arthurgphotography


Lookout Point • Marietta
Turning off state Route 676 from state Route 7 in Marietta, head to the top of Harmar Hill and you’ll find Lookout Point. This observation deck, complete with a viewfinder, offers a great perspective on the riverside town, as well as the fall color in the distance as the leaves begin to change. Photographer Bruce Wunderlich created this shot, captured in sharp focus from foreground to background. “I was hoping to show how colorful Marietta could be in the fall,” he says. This image shows buildings like the two-horned First Congregational Church (established by city founder Rufus Putnam) and the clock tower of the Washington County Courthouse framed by vibrant autumn foliage. The spot is one of Wunderlich’s favorites. “Any time of the year, that’s a really cool place to be in Marietta,” he says. 201 Bellevue St., Marietta  45750; Instagram: @bruce_wunderlich


Mohican Covered Bridge • Perrysville
On hiking trips as a child, landscape photographer Arthur O’Leary was fascinated by the gorges and tree roots around the Mohican Covered Bridge, a stark contrast from the flat farmland where he grew up in Galion. “I wanted to revisit a place that I remember from my childhood [that] I hadn’t seen as an adult and try to capture it,” he says of this photo. On a sunny fall day in 2024, O’Leary headed down by the water under the bridge to rekindle some of that childhood awe. “It definitely was more expansive than I remember,” he says. The colors made the biggest impression on him, with the earth tones of the wooden bridge blending into the orange and red of the leaves. “It’s something I seek out a lot,” O’Leary says. “It’s kind of a lost art.” Park Road, Perrysville 44864; Instagram: @arthurgphotography


Canal Locks Trail • Maumee 
On a balmy October evening, Matt Hoffman took his wife to Side Cut Metropark in Maumee for the first time, just after rain had passed through the forests. The two were strolling along the Canal Locks Trail when Hoffman was struck by the atmosphere and wanted to capture it. “The temperature difference between the air and the water made some mist in the air, [and] the sun shining through just made that ethereal effect,” Hoffman recalls. Using an iPhone camera, Hoffman captured a blend of contrasts: golden hour light, blurred water, the hard stones of the canal lock and a hint of autumn color. The park is one of Hoffman’s go-to spots to photograph and explore. “Just go there,” Hoffman says. “It’s definitely one of my favorite parks in Ohio. The hiking there is very easy and accessible. There’s a lot of wildlife.” Side Cut Metropark: 1025 W. River Rd., Maumee 43537; Instagram: @mhoffmanphoto


Sugarcreek MetroPark • Bellbrook
The Osage Orange Tree Tunnel at Sugarcreek MetroPark in Bellbrook once served as a natural fence line for livestock. Now, it’s a glorious arch that stands over the 1.3-mile Orange Trail. In 2020, photographer Matthew Kirby and his family visited the park frequently, exploring its trails to spend some time outdoors. This specific photo was shot during a solo hike Kirby took with the intent to snap photos of a perfectly crisp autumn day. As he was readying his shot, two people walked by, creating a focal point for the photo. Kirby says he likes to include people in his nature shots to show the scale of the scenery. “I like how the people walking through it were framed by the tree tunnel arching over them,” Kirby says. “It really draws the eye and captures people enjoying that trail.” 4178 Conference Rd., Bellbrook 45305; Instagram: @kirbymatt1


Rockstall Nature Preserve • Logan
For photographer Matt Shiffler, southeast Ohio is a goldmine of hidden finds, from nature preserves to sanctuaries. When he isn’t working on client photography projects, he’s stopping at locations on his list of places to hike and take photos, which led him to Rockstall Nature Preserve in Logan for the first time in 2024. Shiffler explored the preserve’s 1.1-mile loop trail, where he found a small stream coming from a waterfall. If he would have gone during the warmer and drier months of summer, he might not have caught the stream or the cascade rushing to meet it. The beauty of the scene surrounded by the colors of the changing seasons drew him in. “There’s just something about the pop of color and the reds, oranges and yellows all colliding together,” he says. “It just makes life even more special.” 29886 Rock Stull Rd., Logan 43138; Instagram: @mattshifflerphoto


Middlegrounds Metropark • Toledo 
Photographer Doug Hinebaugh is a frequent visitor to Toledo’s Middlegrounds Metropark.  “Every year, the Metroparks task me with getting a bunch of fall colors,” he says, adding that the role allows him to use his drone for shots like this one. (Use of drones in Toledo Metroparks is prohibited.) Capturing the park’s winding path and circular shape from above offers a fresh point of view and contextualizes other landmarks visible in the photo. “I will drive around and check all of these places out, and then I just keep mental notes and keep visiting,” Hinebaugh says. “I do this every day until I find everything in peak. I’ll see what the sun looks like, what the clouds give me … and then I’ll go at it or put it off to another day.” 111 Ottawa St., Toledo 43604; Instagram: @thedougiefresh


Lake Hope State Park • McArthur
Lake Hope State Park holds a sentimental place in photographer Gabe Leidy’s heart. As a kid, he would often visit this southeast Ohio park with his family, and now as an adult, he takes his wife and friends whenever he gets the chance. The morning that he took this photo, Leidy left his rental cabin for a solo, 8-mile hike around Lake Hope where, about halfway through, he was taken with the fall leaves and trees reflecting perfectly on the water. Leidy created this shot just as clouds passed overhead before disappearing out of view. “I liked how the sky and the water mirrored, and the fact that it represented a place that was close to my heart,” Leidy says. “I was excited to portray that place in a way that I thought gave the park its due respect.” 27331 St. Rte. 278, McArthur 45651; Instagram: @gabe_leidyphoto


Indian Mound Reserve • Cedarville
When capturing the spontaneity of nature and its beauty, photographer Matthew Kirby likes to have a plan. One morning in 2024, he woke up before sunrise and drove to Indian Mound Reserve in Cedarville, aiming to capture a photo of Cedar Cliff Falls with the sun halfway risen. Kirby often uses photography-planning apps like PhotoPills to figure out where the sun will be for his shots, but because he had been to Indian Mound Reserve more than 20 times, he knew what he wanted. He just needed to be there at the perfect time. “The sun kind of popped through, getting that sunburst, and I liked how the light was hitting everything,” Kirby says. “The second I saw the preview, I was like, ‘That’s it.’ That’s exactly what I had envisioned in my head.” 2750 U.S. Rte. 42 E., Cedarville 45314; Instagram: @kirbymatt1


Henry Church Jr. Rock • Bentleyville
Blacksmith and artist Henry Church Jr. created this 19th-century rock carving in what is now the Cleveland Metroparks’ South Chagrin Reservation in Willoughby Hills. In this photograph, the intricate design on the rock is encircled by golden leaves that seem to glow in the autumn sunshine, and it’s exactly that striking sight that stopped photographer Mady Stoner. It had been a goal of hers to create an image of the carving during peak fall color. She took notice of the golden sunshine and angled her lens in such a way to backlight the intricate design in the rock. “One of the joys that I have when I’m photographing around Ohio is capturing these places in every season,” Stoner says. “I love coming back and seeing how different the landscape is and how everything has changed.” Henry Church Jr. Rock Picnic Area: Hawthorn Parkway, Bentleyville 44022; Instagram: @wanderlustinohio

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