Pennsylvania reaches peak fall color; here are the best spots to visit

• By Erin Negley / LNP | LancasterOnline

Cold nights have blanketed Pennsylvania with colorful fall foliage.

Most of the state is in peak color (37 counties, including Lancaster County) or “still nice, but declining,” according to the latest foliage report, issued Thursday, Oct. 23, by Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Fall foliage season is over in three counties in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The state’s fall colors season has been early due to dry conditions. Rain helped extend what was expected to be a short show. While last weekend’s storms pulled leaves from many trees, most of the state still reached peak color this week.

To find the best areas to see fall color, state forest staff suggest:

• Berks County: fall foliage tour in Boyertown on the Colebrookdale Railroad.

• Carbon, Schuylkill, Montour, Northumberland, Lebanon and Dauphin counties: Penn Forest and Roaring Creek tracts, Locust Lake and Hickory Run State parks, Haldeman Tract at Weiser State Forest and Swatara State Park.

• Perry and Juniata counties: Tuscarora State Forest roads. Many of the  gated roads are open for public access in the fall. Maps are available online and at the district office.

• Huntingdon and Centre counties: Bear Gap Road from Laurel Run

• Mifflin, Snyder, Union counties: Rock Springs Picnic Area, Poe Paddy State Park, Middle Ridge Trail north of Troxelville.

• Bedford, Fulton, and Franklin counties: Mid-State Trail, Tuscarora Trail, TOPP Trail and near the Buchanan State Forest office are Chad Strait Trail, an 0.8-mile loop, and Fitness Trail, a 0.4-mile, ADA-accessible loop.

• Cumberland and Franklin counties: Old Forge

• Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Susquehanna and Wayne counties: Seven Tubs Recreation Area and the Mocanaqua tract.

• Pike and Monroe counties: Route 402 in Pike County, along Route 209 in Monroe County, and parts of Blue Mountain.

More areas with fall color are in the latest report.

The weekly reports will be published each Thursday for at least six weeks this fall.