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Region abundant with locations to view fall leaves
By JOELLEN CHESNUT
Era Reporter
joellen@bradfordera.com
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| Era photo by Francie Long |
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Take a warm fall day, add sunshine and a wish to drive with no specific destination in mind or timeline to follow. Mix in the fact that this time of year is perfect to be immersed in the changing fall colors, and you have a rendezvous with the trees.
With the weekend forecast of sunshine and 70-degree weather, readers are encouraged to take some time to simply go out and enjoy the view, before the temperature falls and a certain lack of color trumps everything else.
“This weekend and next weekend will be the best for viewing fall foliage,” according to Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau.
The whys of the fall color change are still not completely resolved by science, however, some factors have been concretely determined.
Temperature and moisture during the time chlorophyll is retreating from the leaves, as well as the increasing length of the night hours, influence how stunning the fall foliage can be, along with when the change will occur and how impressive the leaves will be.
With the wet conditions this summer and the earlier onset of dusk, this year’s foliage is predicted to be one of the best views in years.
With gas prices falling a bit, now is the time to travel into the gorgeous scenery. Many local routes showcase the leaves impressively.
“The Longhouse National Scenic Drive is beautiful,” said Devlin. “Another area that is very pretty is traveling from Port Allegany down Route 155 to Sizerville State Park. This is one the locals don’t use very often but it is a very stunning drive.”
The Longhouse National Scenic Drive consists of a 55-mile loop through the Allegheny National Forest, beginning in Warren via U.S. Route 6, traveling onto Route 59 to the Kinzua Dam and then to Route 321, where visitors can enjoy the shorter loop, or a longer drive if they are interested.
The shorter loop takes a left turn after Kiasutha, traveling along Route 321 and back onto Route 59, where turning left returns the traveler to Warren.
If a longer trip holds more appeal, the longer loop makes a right onto Route 321, traveling up to Kane and along Route 6 east to Mount Jewett. The longer loop includes the option of a visit to Kinzua Bridge State Park, where the view can include up to 15 miles along the valley on a clear day.
The trip down Route 155 is also a more-involved trip but well worth the time in exchange for the views.
Another option, which could include a bonus elk viewing, is the Elk and Clinton County Scenic Loop, which begins in St. Marys, travels Route 120 and visits Bucktail State Park, Lock Haven, Renovo and Emporium, then returns to St. Marys along Route 255, taking the traveler through the main stomping grounds of Pennsylvania’s elk herd. Hyner View State Park is a good viewing locale, situated along the way. The drive takes around two hours.
The region has already seen a number of people popping in to enjoy the colorful displays. Travelers from short and long distances take advantage of views we so often take for granted. According to Devlin, the word has spread and reached many ears.
“We have a record number of visitors this year, with some of our lodging reporting 100 percent occupancy,” noted Devlin. “We are also seeing an increase of visitors from Canada, a lot of them are taking advantage of the proximity. It is an easy drive down to (Route) 219.
“There are also a lot of hikers in the region, in addition to those here for a scenic drive.”
Two hikes highlighted for foliage viewing are the 33.7-mile Johnny Cake/ Tracy Ridge Trail, through the Allegheny National Recreation Area, and the 11.1-mile Hickory Creek Wilderness Trail.
The Allegheny National Forest has been listed in many guides and lists for prime viewing of fall foliage, including Geico’s Fall Foliage Road Trip Guide and Fall’s Best Forests Top 10, posted both on www.weather.com and www.GORP.com.
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