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Oct
15
Written by:
news editor
10/15/2008 1:00 AM
10/15/08 This is the third in a series of updates, highlighting some of the best locations to enjoy Ohio's Fall Color season.
OHIO FALL COLOR UPDATE #3 - OCTOBER 15
AUTUMN COLORS NEAR PEAK ACROSS OHIO
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of updates, highlighting some of the best locations to enjoy Ohio's Fall Color season. Updated reports are available from ODNR each Wednesday through early November. Each week will also feature a getaway destination in a region of Ohio showing peak color.
COLUMBUS, OHIO-Fall color is near peak throughout most of the state, with some parks reporting peak conditions, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
"There is spotty color where you see the really vibrant colors, but there is a lot of color out there," said Casey Munchel, fall color specialist for the ODNR Division of Forestry. "There are lots of reds this year. Lately, I have noticed a lot of the white ash turning purple-red and sweetgum is purple. Maples are still hanging in there with anywhere from yellow up to dark red showing."
Some of the early turners are starting to drop leaves, Munchel noted. Green ash and walnut trees are dropping their leaves to the earth, creating a great opportunity to start a leaf collection. With gas prices falling, it is also an excellent time to take a drive to enjoy fall color.
With rain in the forecast this week, fall color may change significantly. If there is a gentle rain, fall color should continue on track, but if we experience hard rain, the leaves will fall to the forest floor and shorten the fall color season, Munchel explained.
On Saturday, October 18, Ohio's state parks, forests and nature preserves offer some of the best Fall Color viewing in the state, along with seasonal activities for the whole family. Here are a few of those planned:
- Hocking Hills State Park in Hocking County will host Grandma Gatewood's Fall Colors Hike at the Old Man's Cave Visitor Center. This is a strenuous 6-mile hike from Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls and back.
- Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County will hold the 29th Annual Fall Hike, beginning at 10 a.m.. A moderate 3-mile hike along the shores of Lake Hope starts with a cup of sassafras tea and finishes with a delicious bean and cornbread dinner at Hope Furnace.
- Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking County will once again host the Fall Foliage Festival from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19. Choose the accessibility of the Lower Gorge trail or the more challenging Upper Rim Trail.
Halloween campouts are slated for Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County, Deer Creek State Park in Pickaway County, Indian Lake State Park in Logan County, Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County and Mohican State Park in Ashland County.
Visit southwest Ohio and stay at Mohican State Park in a roomy 2-bedroom cottage or lodge room, or try an affordable camper cabin, or bring your own camping equipment. There are plenty of hiking trails in and around the scenic Mohican River gorge, which is a designated National Natural Landmark, to keep you busy.
For biking, Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve has four miles of bike trail and is the only state nature preserve with one. Bike the winding trail along the narrow, east-west gorge cut by the Licking River through the famous Black Hand sandstone formation. The dry hilltops, dominated by oak-hickory mature woods, Virginia pine and mountain laurel are great for fall color viewing.
Another preserve that takes on added beauty each fall is Stage's Pond State Nature Preserve. It is an example of a kettle lake, one of the distinctive features of glaciated areas, and many specialized species can be seen. A variety of waterfowl stop during migration to rest and feed in the marshy areas.
For excellent bird watching, travel to Delaware Wildlife Area. Fall migration is a great time to spot red-tailed hawks, American kestrels and Northern harriers soaring through the area. Rare and unusual birds which can be observed are the bald eagle, Northern goshawk, osprey, king rail, snowy owl, long-eared owl, great egret, cattle egret and sandhill crane. During fall migrations, these and other waterfowl species can be found in large numbers on the reservoir, ponds and seasonally flooded marsh. Mourning dove hunting is popular here and next week will be the last hunting opportunity of the season. Delaware Wildlife Area also includes a 1,330-acre lake for fishing for black bass, bluegill, crappie, white bass, saugeye, and catfish.
Malabar Farm State Park has a wide array of activities. Take a tour of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield's 32-room Big House designed to appear as if it had been added on to over the years, or take a wagon tour of the entire farm. Located within the park is a restored "stagecoach" inn built in 1820. Today, the restaurant is state-owned and offers home-cooked meals, Tuesday through Sunday, year-round. The restaurant features many of the local and Malabar Farm raised products. The park also features twelve miles of hiking trails through scenic fields and forests and several ponds to fish for bluegill and catfish.
Drive southeast to Mohican-Memorial State Forest to view spectacular fall color. Mountain bike through the forest to get up close, or climb up the watchtower and take beautiful panoramic pictures of the changing leaves. There is also a wheelchair-accessible alternative at the Gorge
Overlook Picnic Area. You can also pay your respects to veterans at the Memorial Forest Shrine dedicated to the memory of 20,000 Ohioans killed in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.
West of Mohican-Memorial State Forest is Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, an exceptional marsh area that is home to numerous game species and attracts an amazing variety of migratory songbirds. Waterfowl hunting is popular here with wood duck, Canada goose, blue-winged teal and mallards being the most common species found. Killbuck Creek offers good fishing for northern pike, carp, suckers, and bullheads. Several ponds offer fair to good fishing for most panfish species. Frog and turtle hunting are popular activities in the marshy portions of the area.
Not far away is Mohican State Scenic River is one of the most popular canoeing rivers in the state.
The lower section of the river consists of a lush forested river valley excellent for fall color viewing.
To help Ohioans and out-of-state visitors make the most of this popular outdoor season, weekly updates are available from the best Fall Color viewing locations across the state by calling 1-800-BUCKEYE. Users can also find Fall Color information on the Internet at ohiodnr.com and at www.discoverohio.com/autumnadventures.
Ohio's 74 state parks, 20 state forests and 131 state nature preserves provide excellent locations to sample the fall foliage. Here are the most current reports from selected locations:
REGION CONDITION 10/8/08
CENTRAL
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Alum Creek State Park (Delaware County)
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Peak
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Mount Gilead State Park (Morrow County)
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Near Peak
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Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve (Licking County)
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Near Peak
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Deer Creek State Park (Pickaway County)
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Near Peak
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NORTHEAST
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Punderson State Park (Geauga County)
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Peak
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Mohican State Park and State Forest (Ashland County)
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Near Peak
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Malabar Farm State Park (Richland County)
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Near Peak
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Kent Bog State Nature Preserve (Portage County)
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Near Peak
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Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve (Portage County)
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Near Peak
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Quail Hollow State Park (Stark County)
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Changing
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EAST
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Guilford Lake State Park (Columbiana County)
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Near Peak
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Salt Fork State Park (Guernsey County)
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Peak
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Blue Rock State Park and State Forest (Muskingum County)
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Near Peak
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Beaver Creek State Park (Columbiana County)
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Near Peak
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Dillon State Park (Muskingum County)
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Near Peak
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SOUTHEAST
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Lake Hope State Park (Vinton County)
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Near Peak
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Hocking Hills State Park and State Forest (Hocking County)
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Near Peak
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Burr Oak State Park (Morgan County)
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Near Peak
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Tar Hollow State Park (Ross County)
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Near Peak
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Lake Alma State Park (Vinton, Jackson counties)
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Near Peak
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Zaleski State Forest (Vinton County)
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Near Peak
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SOUTHWEST
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Shawnee State Park and State Forest (Scioto County)
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Near Peak
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Hueston Woods State Park and State Nature Preserve (Preble County)
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Peak
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Paint Creek State Park (Ross County)
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Near Peak
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Caesar Creek State Park and State Nature Preserve (Warren County)
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Near Peak
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WEST
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Kiser Lake State Park (Champaign County)
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Near Peak
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Sycamore State Park (Montgomery County)
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Peak
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J. Bryan State Park/Clifton Gorge Nature Preserve (Greene County)
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Near Peak
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Indian Lake State Park (Logan County)
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Near Peak
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Buck Creek State Park (Clark County)
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Near Peak
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NORTHWEST
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Van Buren State Park (Hancock County)
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Peak
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Maumee State Forest (Fulton County)
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Near Peak
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Harrison Lake State Park (Fulton County)
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Peak
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