When Will Fall Color Peak in Ohio?

Early September heat that has finally given way to some (slightly) cooler temps, and it’s autumn in this part of the country, which means it’s time to keep an eye on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources‘ Fall Color Report to track where and when the leaves are changing so you can begin scoping out when you want to hit the road and immerse yourself in the splendor of leaf-peeping season in Ohio. 

The good news is that this week’s report has most of the state at “changing,” meaning trees across the state are predominantly green with less than 25 percent color change so far.

Fall Color Key: GREEN: Mostly green, no real fall color seen; YELLOW: Changing, still mostly green, less than 25% color; ORANGE: Near peak, significant color showing, between 30% and 60% color; RED: Peak, peak colors, as much as 85% showing; GRAY: Fading, fading from peak conditions and leaves falling to forest floor (graphic from Ohio Department of Natural Resources) 

Since we’re nearing the end of September already, this could go fast, but the extremely dry summer weather in southern portions of our state could lead to a second round of fall color arriving later in the season, which is what Ohio Department of Natural Resources forester David Parrott told Cleveland.com on Sept. 12. (He predicted fall color in northeast Ohio will arrive Oct. 7 through 14 and that the region may have the most vibrant autumn due to the fact that the region has received more rain than the rest of the state.) 

For those who want to get a jump on the fun, there are a variety of fall festivals on the horizon and some other ways to take in the season as the leaves begin to change from one end of the state to the other:

7 Fall Festivals in Ohio’s Appalachian Region: Larger-than-life pumpkins, a giant cuckoo clock and favorite foods from down on the farm? Find it all this season in Appalachian Ohio. 

Ohio State Parks for Fall Hikes: Get up close and personal with fall leaves, one step at a time. These four state parks have colorful jaunts for hikers of every skill level. 

Fall Road Trips in Ohio: Explore more than 580 miles of autumn adventure with these five routes that offer plenty of history, hiking, family fun and more. 

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