When do the leaves change in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania's ridge-and-valley forests color early in the Poconos and again in the Laurel Highlands, with dense oak-hickory stands statewide.
Peak: October 13–October 22
Color builds from October 3 · mostly bare by November 9
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model; terrain shifts timing ~1 day earlier per 300 m of elevation. Temperature alone can’t tell a maritime autumn from a continental one — two places at the same latitude and the same September can peak weeks apart, because the trees differ — so each region is also calibrated against published peak dates. Estimates, not promises: typically within a few days, occasionally a week or more out. Check locally before you travel.
Known for
Things to do in fall in Pennsylvania
15 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Longwood Gardens
GardenPeak November 1
Pierre S. du Pont's 1,100-acre estate near Kennett Square anchors its fall season with the Chrysanthemum Festival (some 4,500 mums, including an 18-month-trained 'thousand bloom' specimen) set against woodland and meadow color running into mid-November.
Don’t miss: Chrysanthemum Festival · 1,100 acres of gardens and meadow · Conservatory displays
Eastern State Penitentiary
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 3
Philadelphia's crumbling 1829 penitentiary (one of the first true prisons in the world, abandoned in 1971) turns its cellblocks into Halloween Nights each fall: five haunted houses and an outdoor scare zone staffed by 200-plus performers, running select nights from mid-September through Halloween.
Don’t miss: Five haunted house experiences · 200+ live performers · Set inside an 1829 former penitentiary
Ricketts Glen State Park
State parkPeak October 17
The Falls Trail's 7.1-mile loop threads past 22 named waterfalls, including the 94-foot Ganoga Falls, through a National Natural Landmark old-growth forest. Fall color across the 13,050-acre park peaks mid-to-late October, with the Route 118 trailhead near Benton the standard starting point.
Don’t miss: 7.1-mile Falls Trail loop · 22 named waterfalls · 94-ft Ganoga Falls
Leonard Harrison State Park
State parkPeak October 15
The east rim overlook of Pine Creek Gorge (800 feet deep and nearly 4,000 feet across, and nicknamed the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon) turns into a sea of red and gold each October. Leonard Harrison donated the 585-acre park's land in 1922; its visitor center sits steps from the main overlook.
Don’t miss: 800-ft-deep gorge overlook · Visitor center at the rim · Pine Creek Rail Trail access
Ghost Tours of New Hope
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks October 31
Lantern-lit walking tours have wound through this Bucks County river town since 1982, gathering at the corner of Main and Ferry streets beside the Parry Mansion and setting off at 8pm past the 1727 Logan Inn. Public tours run Saturday nights from June through the Saturday before Thanksgiving, adding Friday nights and Halloween itself in October.
Don’t miss: Lantern-lit walk past the 1727 Logan Inn · Fridays added through October, plus Halloween night · Meets at Main and Ferry streets, 8pm
Pool Forge Covered Bridge
Covered bridgeColor nearby peaks October 29
Built in 1859 by Levi Fink, this red Burr-arch truss bridge carries a quiet lane over the Conestoga River in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania's covered-bridge capital, with roughly 200 spans statewide. It sits free and open in a small township park beside a colonial-era ironmaster's house.
Don’t miss: Built 1859 · Burr-arch truss over the Conestoga River · Free public park setting
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 29
The Horst family cut Pennsylvania's first corn maze here in 1996; nearly three decades later the 5-acre maze still gets a new theme every year, backed by a pumpkin patch and 60-plus other fall activities on this Lancaster County farm.
Don’t miss: 5-acre corn maze, new theme yearly · Pumpkin patch · 60+ fall farm activities
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
Understand the season in Pennsylvania
Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Pennsylvania in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 13–October 22 (best estimate October 18). Color starts around October 3 and trees are mostly bare by November 9.
- How reliable is the Pennsylvania forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out — mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Pennsylvania's autumn season?
- Pennsylvania colors during autumn (September–November). Pennsylvania's ridge-and-valley forests color early in the Poconos and again in the Laurel Highlands, with dense oak-hickory stands statewide.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Pennsylvania?
- The iconic stops: Longwood Gardens, Eastern State Penitentiary, Ricketts Glen State Park, Leonard Harrison State Park, Ghost Tours of New Hope, Pool Forge Covered Bridge. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in Pennsylvania?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Longwood Gardens, Eastern State Penitentiary, Ricketts Glen State Park, Leonard Harrison State Park, Ghost Tours of New Hope; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Pennsylvania
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 13–October 22
October 3 → November 9