Shorter days, long nights, the first few cold evenings and mornings in months. Fall is here, and the 2026 Fall Foliage Season is shaping up to be one of the best in years. Ample summer rainfall has brought 96.2% of the state completely out of drought conditions. One year ago today, only 2.2% of the state wasn’t under any drought category.
Another thing we’ve had a lot of lately is sunny days and cooler nights, which are an ideal combination for vibrant fall foliage across Pennsylvania. Abundant sunshine allows trees to produce more sugars through photosynthesis, while chilly nights slow the movement and consumption of those sugars, allowing them to accumulate in the leaves. This helps promote the development of brilliant red and purple pigments, especially in maple trees.
Based on reports from Upstate New York and Northern New England in areas that peak earlier than us but have similar conditions, we are in for a treat. Now let’s get into when you should expect peak foliage colors.
We will get the season started this weekend in Northeast PA, especially in the highest elevations above 1800′ where densely forested mountaintops will be at high color. Most of the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania will be at moderate color. The major cities and valleys are just getting the season started!
With the remnants of Hurricane Isaias coming our way Sunday, you may wonder if we will lose foliage amidst strong winds. Fortunately the storm will rapidly weaken and will be nothing more than a rainy Sunday and some 20mph breezes by the time it reaches us.
And we move into next weekend, October 17th, much of Northern PA along with the Laurel Highlands will be at high to near peak color! Because there is no drought and this summer wasn’t particularly hot, we are looking at a longer fall foliage season with a slightly later onset than normal.
If you haven’t made a plan to head to the mountains or a scenic valley town in the Appalachians like Jim Thorpe, now is the time to do it! And late October will be the absolute best time to go, as most of the state will be at high or peak color. For those in the southern valleys, you’ll need to wait a little longer.
Halloween weekend is primed to bring peak color to a majority of the state, with many of us by then simply just needing a trip to a nearby forested park to take in the vibrant colors on some good hiking trails. That Saturday will also be the final day of later sunsets before we fall back to sunset times that would be better not mentioned.
By early November, the script flips. If you’re in Northern PA and don’t want the fall foliage season to end, then a trip to Southern PA will be your best bet. Just make sure to go somewhere that actually has trees, as many of these locations last to peak will be agricultural valleys and cities with less forested areas.
Seasons like this don’t happen every year, so I would highly advise you to try to take advantage and do some hiking, ride a scenic train, or even just a drive through the PA Wilds! Maybe visit a part of the state you’ve never been to before!
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