With an abundance of lakes, creeks and gorges, eastern Pennsylvania has a lot to offer visitors taking to public lands to find the beautiful colors of fall.

The bright yellows, oranges and reds of fall always bring out visitors to Pennsylvania. Towns like Jim Thorpe, Eagles Mere and New Hope are booked months in advance of the leaf-changing season. Leaf peeping visitors range from experienced hikers to pumpkin spice-loving Instagrammers.

Eastern Pennsylvania has a lot to offer those looking to see the forests light up with magnificent autumn colors. Here’s a breakdown of my top five parks to experience fall in the eastern section of the Commonwealth.

Worlds End State Park

I would argue that there are few more beautiful places in this Commonwealth than Worlds End State Park in Sullivan County.

The park is situated in a narrow S-shaped valley of Loyalsock Creek. The 780-acre park offers visitors a bevy of opportunities to be completely surrounded by the changing landscape of fall.

World End State Park – which is surrounded by the Loyalsock State Forest – had nearly endless photographic opportunities to capture autumn’s beautiful bounty. You cannot help but feel a sense of awe being surrounded by a valley of yellow, orange and red.

Lehigh Gorge State Park

Stretching through Luzerne and Carbon Counties, Lehigh Gorge State Park is one of the standout parks in the region. The park features a deep gorge carved by a river, thick vegetation, rock outcroppings and waterfalls.

The Lehigh Gorge Trail follows more than 20 miles of the D&L Trail, which is the foundation of the 165-mile Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

Ricketts Glen State Park

Ricketts Glen State Park is one of our most revered state parks. Spread over Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties, Ricketts Glen State Park is a magnificent 13,000-plus acre park filled with unmatched beauty in Pennsylvania.

The beautiful colors of fall provide the perfect background for the park’s renowned waterfalls. The colder fall temps make the difficult 7.2-mile Falls Trail a little more bearable. On it, you can explore 21 of the 22 named waterfalls in the park.

Tyler State Park

Tyler State Park in Bucks County is a sneaky-beautiful park, especially for the fall. The 1,711-acre park provides leaf peepers with a farm and woodland setting that includes stunning fall colors along Neshaminy Creek – which meanders through the park.

Visit the Neshaminy Weir Dam and nearby Pedestrian Causeway for amazing photos of the creek and surrounding fall colors.

Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center

While you may not find the typical vistas and overlooks that provide a perfect view of fall in Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, you will be totally encompassed by fall colors.

Located in Northampton County, the 1,168-acre park offers forests, fields and creeks that come alive in the fall.

Visitors can hike a number of trails that go through Henry’s Woods, an old-growth forest surrounding Bushkill Creek. The moderate trails provide so many opportunities to take in your surroundings. Dip your toes in the creek after a long day of exploring nature.

Then, head inside the environmental center where you will learn about the beautiful area.

Christian Alexandersen ran one mile in each of Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks in 2021 and has been sharing with us stories and tips from his journey!  Read more blog posts from Christian like his Four Favorite Activities to Experience This Fall in PA State Parks and other PPFF guest bloggers on our News page. 

 

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