DAYTON HIKERS WEIGH IN ON BEST PLACES TO ENJOY FALL COLORS
Who better to help you find the best spot to soak up the splendor of fall, than those who spend as much time as possible in the great outdoors. Members of the Dayton Hikers share their fall hot spots.
* Candice Arndts: I’ve been hiking every Monday evening at Carriage Hill…the meadow just lights up as the sun is setting. And the reflection of the trees in the pond is gorgeous! I also love Taylorsville and Sugarcreek metroparks.
* Andy Bergeron: Taylorsville -East Park - wonderfully rolling hills and usually sparsely populated and Aullwood Audubon Center – the South Meadow – great birding there.
* Dee Char: The Woodman Fen is beautiful when the big fall leaves cover the boardwalk.
* Kevin Fry: Charleston Falls and Clifton Gorge.
* Sue Berger Harper: John Bryan is my favorite place to visit in the fall with a side visit to Clifton Mill.
* Jo Hinker: I Love Cox Arboretum. My bonus is that I can hike there.
* Ben Kendrick: At Germantown MetroPark, the sunfish pond at sunset is gorgeous. The reflection of the trees in the water is very cool.
* Edda Koppen: Twin Creek, the meadow along the creek of the Orange Trail.
* Mary Ann Mermelstein: Hocking Hills
* Rich Munn: Sweet Arrow Reserve in Centerville – beautiful woods and prairie, a hidden gem.
* Andy Niekamp: Grant Park in Centerville – the meadow area.
* Lawrence Solmiano: Hills and Dales and Sugarcreek metroparks.
* Carol Jo Weatherby: Orange Trail in Germantown Reserve is beautiful this time of year and most all seasons.
Cool, crisp colorful days will be soon be here as fall is underway in the Miami Valley.
Milder temperatures, paired with the beauty of the changing leaves, make fall an ideal time to get out and get active – whether that means taking a leisurely walk, a casual bike ride or a challenging hike.
Hints of color and fallen leaves can already be spotted as some trees started changing color in late September, but the peak for southern Ohio might still be a few weeks away.
“Color is going to be a little late this year, probably peaking around the end of the third week of October or later,” said Casey Burdick, Ohio Department of Natural Resources fall color forester.
Forecasting fall color is not always easy as foresters must take into account several variables, such as sunlight, temperature, wind and rainfall when calculating the brilliance and longevity of Ohio’s autumn color.
“The hot, dry summer we had is the reason that the whole state is behind a bit,” Burdick said. “We need it to cool down more at night for us to see some vibrant colors. But we should still be able to pull out a nice color season.”
People interested in finding out where to enjoy the most eye-catching leaves throughout the fall color season can check out fallcolor.ohiodnr.gov, Ohio’s official guide to the changing colors. This website includes weekly color updates and videos that highlight the fall color hot spots around the state.
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