Published: October 21, 2019
Ohio is not a “leaf-peeper” destination like New England, the Catskills or the Great Smoky Mountains, but we’re treated to a couple of colorful foliage weeks typically starting in mid-October into early November.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, forecasting fall color is not always easy, as foresters must consider several variables, such as sunlight, temperature, wind, and rainfall when calculating the brilliance and longevity of Ohio’s autumn color.
For updated forecasts, fall foliage driving tours and more, visit http://fallcolor.ohiodnr.gov/.
Tour by Train
Northern Ohio has many ideal spots to check out the fall colors. At the state’s only national park, hop aboard a train to enjoy the scenery.
“This relaxing ride aboard Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is the perfect way to take in the fall foliage,” advertises the national park about its two-hour non-stop fall train excursion.
The train operates Wednesday-Sunday through the end of October. It departs from Peninsula Depot at 11:10 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. and from Akron Northside Station at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Tickets range from $18-$39 per person and can be purchased online. Beverages, snacks and merchandise are available for purchase in the concession car.
In Central Ohio, you can hop aboard the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville for 2-hour fall foliage tours. The tours run Thursdays and Fridays in October only.
Tickets range from $16-$21 and can be bought online or by calling 855-32DEPOT. Train-goers can bring food and non-alcoholic beverages onboard (no concession sales are available).
Related: Read more about America’s national parks >>
Tour by Foot
Take a fall foliage hike in one of the Lorain County Metro Parks. Guided hikes will be held in French Creek Reservation, Miller Nature Preserve, Vermilion River Reservation and Wellington Reservation.
Cleveland Metroparks offers fall foliage hikes, too - visit their website for details.
At Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio, you can walk dozens of feet above the forest floor for a great view of fall colored trees. The Murch Canopy Walk is a 500-feet long elevated walkway built 65 feet above the forest floor, and the Kalberer Emergent Tower takes visitors above the trees to a height of 120 feet.
In southeast Ohio, visit Hocking Hills to be surrounded by the beauty of the forestland as the leaves change to the vibrant orange, yellow and red of autumn.
Tour by Boat
Northern Ohioans are just a short ferry ride to two islands, which quiet down in the fall months. Hop aboard the Jet Express in Port Clinton or Miller Ferry in Catawba and head to Put-in-Bay.
As you boat out onto Lake Erie, look back for a panoramic view of the lakeshore foliage. Once on the island, you can rent a bike or golf cart, see the changing colors around the state park and lighthouse, and head downtown to eat and shop.
Ferries to Kelleys Island are located on Marblehead (Kelleys Island Ferry) and Sandusky (Jet Express). The island also has a state park and glacial grooves, which according to the Chamber of Commerce “are the largest and best accessible example of this geological phenomenon anywhere in the world.”
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This blog was originally published in 2019 and was updated in 2024.
