When do the leaves change in Pittsburgh?
Few American cities sit in their foliage the way Pittsburgh does — the whole town is hills, and from Mount Washington the three rivers wind through a bowl of orange and gold. Frick and Schenley parks hold deep wooded ravines minutes from downtown, and the Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle deliver mountain color about an hour east.
Peak: October 20–October 25
Color builds from October 7 · mostly bare by November 13
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Pittsburgh’s own coordinates rather than a regional average. Dates are computed for Pittsburgh itself at 236 m elevation. Estimates, not promises — street trees vary block to block. Check locally before you plan around a weekend.
Fall activities in Pittsburgh
Coopers Rock State Forest
55 miForest
Peak October 19
A West Virginia state forest less than 15 miles east of Morgantown, famous for a sandstone overlook high above the Cheat River gorge that blazes with color each October. More than 50 miles of trails thread the boulder fields and cliffs, a draw for hikers and rock climbers alike.
Don’t miss: Sandstone overlook above the Cheat River gorge · 50+ miles of hiking trails · Boulder fields and climbing cliffs
in West Virginia
Swallow Falls State Park
72 miState park
Peak October 15
Muddy Creek Falls, Maryland's highest free-falling waterfall, drops 53 feet through this 257-acre Garrett County park near Deep Creek Lake, reached by an easy loop trail through one of the state's few stands of old-growth hemlock and white pine.
Don’t miss: 53-ft Muddy Creek Falls · Old-growth hemlock and pine forest · Near Deep Creek Lake
in Maryland
Where locals go
Things to do in fall in Pittsburgh
Orchards, cider, haunts, and harvest season — the iconic fall stops within a day trip of Pittsburgh.
Hundred Acres Manor
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks October 23
Pittsburgh's big-ticket haunt threads multiple attractions and a themed maze into one dark walk through Bethel Park, with different themes each night and a tour that runs 40 minutes to an hour. Doors open at dusk and it runs rain or shine.
Don’t miss: Multiple attractions in one walk · Themed maze, new theme nightly · 40-60 minute tour
Trax Farms
FarmColor nearby peaks October 23
Six generations and more than 150 years in, Trax sits 12 miles south of Pittsburgh on Route 88 and calls its fresh-pressed apple cider the best in the city. One of the oldest and most-awarded fruit and vegetable farms in the South Hills.
Don’t miss: Fresh-pressed apple cider · Six-generation farm market · Pumpkins and fall produce
Soergel Orchards
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 20
A German immigrant named John Conrad Soergel settled this spot in 1850 and began planting apple trees; six generations later the family still presses cider and runs the market, bakery, garden center and pick-your-own north of Pittsburgh.
Don’t miss: Farm market and bakery · Pick-your-own apples · Fresh-pressed cider
Guides
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Pittsburgh in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 20–October 25 (best estimate October 22). Color starts around October 7 and trees are mostly bare by November 13. These dates are computed for Pittsburgh itself — at 236 m elevation — from the same weather model as the tracker.
- When is fall foliage season in Pittsburgh?
- Pittsburgh colors during autumn (September–November). Few American cities sit in their foliage the way Pittsburgh does — the whole town is hills, and from Mount Washington the three rivers wind through a bowl of orange and gold. Frick and Schenley parks hold deep wooded ravines minutes from downtown, and the Laurel Highlands and Ohiopyle deliver mountain color about an hour east.
- What's the best foliage near Pittsburgh?
- Coopers Rock State Forest (55 mi); Swallow Falls State Park (72 mi). For a longer trip: West Virginia (126 mi, peak ~October 20); Pennsylvania (136 mi, peak ~October 18); Ohio (148 mi, peak ~October 22).
- What are the best things to do in fall in Pittsburgh?
- Beyond the leaves: Hundred Acres Manor (7 mi); Trax Farms (11 mi); Soergel Orchards (13 mi). All of them are mapped on this page.
- What are the best things to do in autumn near Pittsburgh?
- Come autumn — autumn (September–November) — locals head for Hundred Acres Manor (7 mi); Trax Farms (11 mi); Soergel Orchards (13 mi). Each is on the map with the distance from Pittsburgh.