Fall in Pennsylvania gives you the leaf experience you remember, minus the part where you rake it all up. Hike, bike, ride the rails, or leave the ground altogether for a fresh view of the season. Peak leaf-peeping season typically starts in late September and runs through late October. Before planning your trip, check Pennsylvania’s fall foliage guide for seasonal color predictions across the Commonwealth. Header image credit: Alex Byers

Discover Foliage on a Fall Hike 

Lace up your walking shoes and step beneath Pennsylvania’s colorful canopy, where every bend brings another distinctly autumnal view. 

In central PA, at Rothrock State Forest near Huntingdon, explore miles of trails winding through mixed-oak woods and rugged mountain terrain. Visit Bear Meadows Natural Area for wildlife viewing and deeper autumn scenery. 

Pair turn-of-the-century architecture with colorful landscapes near Pittsburgh at the trails around Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in Mill Run. Before or after touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, hike through Bear Run Nature Reserve, home to more than 50 bird species and 500 plant species. Continue to Kentuck Knob, where wooded grounds and open spaces create another memorable setting for fall color. 

Bring binoculars to Trexler Nature Preserve in Schnecksville, just outside of Allentown, where more than 18 miles of trails invite leaf peeping and birdwatching. Climb toward the preserve’s higher viewpoints to take in stunning panoramas across the Lehigh Valley.  

A garden covered in orange and yellow fall foliage leaves

If you want to take a break from the hiking, take a nice, easy stroll through one of the beautiful arboretums near Philadelphia. Tyler Arboretum in Media as well as Scott Arboretum in Swarthmore invite visitors to explore grounds with roots reaching back to William Penn’s time. Follow the arboretums’ paths at your own pace while discovering seasonal plants beneath mature trees. 

Embark on a Fall Foliage Train Ride 

Follow the tracks of Pennsylvania’s storied railroad past through miles of forest and sun-kissed scenery rarely reached by road. 

Board the Strasburg Rail Road for a narrated steam-powered journey through Lancaster County’s countryside. During the nine-mile round trip, pass Amish farms as changing trees fill the view from your historic rail car. 

Whether you’re a train enthusiast, history buff, or princess in training, Northern Central Railway in York County has a ride for you. Meet cowboys, presidents, or maybe even princesses on excursions pairing fall scenery with Pennsylvania’s railroading past. 

From downtown Jim Thorpe, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway carries passengers through Lehigh Gorge State Park before returning to town. For a more leisurely experience, ride the Colebrookdale Railroad in Boyertown. Choose from scenic excursions and specialty experiences, including select dining rides aboard restored rail cars. 

Fall is the perfect season to step back in time and board a seasonal train ride that brings the region’s history and landscapes to life. 

Enjoy Fall Views Atop a Chairlift 

Trade your hiking boots for an open-air ride above fall forests and mountain slopes. Ride the Comet Quad at Blue Mountain Resort in the Poconos for expansive views from Pennsylvania’s highest vertical drop. After reaching the summit, pause for photographs or grab a bite and a brew at Slopeside Pub & Grill.

For another scenic adventure just 1.5 hours from Blue Mountain Resort, check out Knoebels Amusement Resort for the Scenic Skyway chair ride, which carries you above the park and surrounding mountain landscape for a relaxing, bird’s-eye view. 

During Autumnfest at Seven Springs Resort in Champion from October 3, 2026 - October 18, 2026, take a chairlift ride above the Laurel Highlands’ changing canopy. When you return to the mountain, browse handmade creations, catch live entertainment, and enjoy family activities at the festival. 

Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride Above the Trees 

Take your leaf peeping beyond the ground and into the sky. Float above Southeastern Pennsylvania with Lancaster Balloon Rides. Hop into a hot air balloon and photograph autumn fields around communities such as Bird-in-Hand, Ronks, and Intercourse from a bird’s-eye perspective. 

Pedal Through Fall Foliage 

Come down to earth and experience autumn at handlebar level on routes and rail trails following rivers and winding beneath forest canopies. 

Gear up and follow the nearly 17-mile Lower Trail in Canoe Creek State Park through Blair and Huntingdon counties. Its crushed-limestone surface and gentle grade create a comfortable ride past woodlands for bikers of all experience levels. 

A group of three people riding bikes along and outdoor bridge trail

The Great Allegheny Passage in the Laurel Highlands gives cyclists plenty of room to design a longer fall getaway. Pedal through Ohiopyle State Park, cross the Eastern Continental Divide, and encounter the region’s industrial past. 

And if you want to combine biking with a train ride, hop aboard Pocono Biking’s Bike Train in Jim Thorpe. Take a 25-mile rail journey to White Haven while enjoying views of the gorge and surrounding waterways. After leaving the train, cycle back through Lehigh Gorge State Park, passing waterfalls and river views along the trail. 

Chase Waterfalls to Stunning Fall Colors 

Follow the sound of rushing water into forests, where Pennsylvania’s best waterfalls bring movement and mist to the changing autumn landscape. 

At Bushkill Falls in the Poconos, choose from several hiking routes connecting the eight waterfalls throughout the area. Bridges and viewing areas reveal the cascades framed by fall foliage. 

Travel to Henry Run Falls Trail in Cook Forest State Park for a quieter hike near the Clarion River. The route leads to the waterfall at Sawmill Dam, a secluded spot that can feel worlds away. 

Set Sail on a Fall Foliage Cruise 

Just because the trees are landlocked doesn’t mean you have to be. Cruise Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers with the Gateway Clipper Fleet, whose autumn sails bring riverbank foliage into view. In September, the Three Rivers boat tour runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. In October, cruises run Fridays and Saturdays only. For a spooky spin on the season, book the Haunted Three Rivers Cruise, running Fridays and Saturdays, September 25, 2026 through October 30, 2026,  where ghost stories, chilling local legends, and nighttime river views turn a fall cruise into a haunted adventure. 

In Erie, board Presque Isle Boat Tours’ Lady Kate between September 12, 2026 until September 26, 2026 for a narrated 14-mile journey across Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. During the 90-minute cruise, look for historic lighthouses and wildlife before taking in the Erie skyline and Gull Point Natural Area.

Binoculars on an deck overlooking a lake

See Fall Through a Colorblind-Friendly Lens 

Pennsylvania’s foliage becomes more accessible through specially designed viewfinders that help visitors with red-green colorblindness to distinguish autumn’s varied hues. 

Look through an EnChroma color-correcting viewfinder to experience greater contrast among the surrounding reds, greens, oranges, and golds. You can find these viewfinders at the state parks listed below. Each location offers a new way to see Pennsylvania’s autumn landscape with greater clarity. 

Ready to chase the colors of the season? Discover even more fall trip inspiration.