Fall colors close to peak conditions in Ohio

Fall color is starting to come on this week with the seasonally cool temperatures. ODNR is reporting near peak fall foliage in shades of red, orange, gold and yellow in areas throughout Ohio.

“Pockets of color are becoming more noticeable in both the rural and urban landscape,” said Casey Munchel, fall foliage expert for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry. “Ohio has more than 100 hardwood tree species and the variety of species contributes to the variety of colors.”

The diversity of Ohio’s forests make autumn one of the most beautiful times to be outdoors. Maple trees produce a red pigment, anthocyanin; oaks produce a brown color from tannin, a bitter waste product; hickory and beech trees reveal yellows and golds that come from carotenoids.

Leaf peepers can expect to find peak fall color during the second and third weeks of October throughout Ohio.

Fall wild turkey hunting opens in 48 Ohio counties on Saturday, October 9 and continues through Sunday, November 28. Ruffed grouse hunting season also starts Saturday, October 9 and runs through January 31, 2011. For more info on fall wild turkey or ruffed grouse hunting, go to www.wildohio.com.

This coming weekend, check out one of the following events at one of your Ohio State Parks…

Halloween Campout, Paint Creek (SW) - Oct. 8-9. Campsite decorating and costume contests, hay rides & trick or treatl. (937) 981-7061 or (937) 393-4284.

Halloween Campout, Lake Loramie (NW) - Oct. 8-10. Pumpkin carving, campsite decorating, trick or treat, movies, games & a potluck supper. (937) 295-2011.

Fall Color Walk, Malabar Farm (NE) - Oct. 9, 10 AM-Noon. Meet at the visitor center. 2-mile hike. (419) 892-2784.

Fall Festival, Punderson (NE) - Oct. 9. Costume and pumpkin contests, trick or treat, hayrides, games & a campfire. (440) 564-2279 or www.friendsofpunderson.com.

Fall Color Canoe Tour, Van Buren (NW) - Oct. 10, 2-3:30 PM. $10 donation per canoe benefits the friends of Van Buren State Park. Pre-registration required by Oct. 8. (419) 348-7679.

To find out more about these and other events, visit www.ohiodnr.com. The site will serve as a premier guide to Ohio’s fall color season. Its pages provide information for travelers who want to map a scenic road trip, adventurers who are refreshed and energized by the cool autumn weather, vacationers who seek places of solace to enjoy the changing seasons and even the students who need a resource for leaf collection projects. Ohioans and out-of-state visitors can also find information about fall foliage by calling 1-800-BUCKEYE or visiting www.discoverohio.com/autumnadventures.