7 best spots for fall hiking in Pennsylvania
Enjoy the crisp air and beautiful views that define fall hiking in Pennsylvania.
Though November may mark the end of the fall foliage season in Pennsylvania, late fall is still an ideal time to hit the trail, with cool but manageable temperatures, fewer crowds, and the last glimpses of autumn color. Plus, Nov. 17 marks National Hiking Day—a day to get outdoors and enjoy all the beauty and benefits of nature. We’ve highlighted seven of our favorite spots for fall hiking across Pennsylvania, from the foothills of the Alleghenies to the heart of the Pocono Mountains.
Ohiopyle State Park–Ohiopyle (Fayette County)
If you’re looking for a beautiful fall hike, most trails in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands will fit the bill. Some of our favorites are in Ohiopyle State Park, where you can catch views of the mighty Youghiogheny River as well as several waterfalls along nearly 80 miles of trails.
Try the Ferncliff Trail for a 1.8-mile hike around the park’s Ferncliff Peninsula, which once housed a summer resort for 19th-century vacationers. Starting near the Visitors Center, the Ferncliff Trail winds through old-growth forest and provides hikers with views of cascading Ohiopyle Falls, scenic Lovers Leap, and even ancient fossils embedded in rock.
You might also check out the 1.6-mile, out-and-back Jonathan Run Trail for an easy hike that passes several small waterfalls, or the 3.2-mile Meadow Run Trail for a longer jaunt past some of the park’s prettiest falls.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary–Kempton (Berks County)
Besides the stunning views atop its namesake mountain, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary also offers the chance to spot rare migrating birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, osprey, and more. Each fall, thousands of raptors (predatory birds) soar past Hawk Mountain as they migrate south.
Clamber up rocks along the 1-mile Lookout Trail to reach North Lookout, which will give you a fantastic view of the surrounding landscape as well as the migration. The sanctuary also has additional trails to explore, such as the rugged and rocky 2.2-mile Skyline Trail, a difficult trail that hugs the Kittatinny Ridge before it intersects with the Appalachian Trail.
Jim Thorpe–Carbon County
Located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, Jim Thorpe is a charming little town that seems to have been cut into the side of a mountain—it’s known as “the Switzerland of America,” after all. The area is famous for its vivid fall color, and in November, you can witness the start of the slow transition from fall to winter—we recommend doing so on a hiking trail.
For a family-friendly trek, the Tank Hollow Trail is an easy, 3.3-mile out-and-back trail that takes hikers to a spectacular scenic vista overlooking the Lehigh River. The trail is within State Game Lands Number 141, just north of Jim Thorpe. More experienced hikers could tackle the Glen Onoko Falls section of the Lehigh Gorge Overlook Trail, a difficult trail that requires scrambling over rocks and up steep inclines, but successful hikers are rewarded with spectacular views. Find it in Lehigh Gorge State Park.
Pine Creek Gorge–Tioga and Lycoming Counties
A visit to the breathtaking Pine Creek Gorge will make clear why the gorge is nicknamed the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Spanning nearly 50 miles and reaching depths of 1,450 feet, the gorge is home to several scenic overlooks that promise incredible views of this jagged slice in the earth’s crust.
Hiking trails like the easy, 1.3-mile Barbour Rock Trail lead you to some of the most special overlooks, while you can also hike the bottom of the gorge, along Pine Creek itself, on one of the state’s best rail trails—the 62-mile Pine Creek Rail Trail. You can even hike from the top of the canyon to the bottom on the Turkey Path, a 2.1-mile round-trip path that passes several waterfalls and has stairs in parts to make the journey easier.
Michaux State Forest–Cumberland, Franklin, and Adams Counties
In south-central Pennsylvania, Michaux State Forest can be found on the ridges of South Mountain, which makes up the northern stretches of the Blue Ridge Mountains. As it is located in the southern reaches of the state, fall color lasts longer than in the forests and mountains further north, making the state forest particularly attractive for hiking in Pennsylvania in late fall. You can make the brief but intense 0.75-mile hike up Piney Mountain to Pole Steeple and its surrounding views via the difficult Pole Steeple Trail. Families might prefer an easier trek, like the 2.4-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that connects Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Tom’s Run Creek, and also provides access to Sunset Rocks Overlook for an additional excursion.
Cook Forest State Park–Clarion, Forest, and Jefferson Counties
In northwestern Pennsylvania, the evergreen hemlocks and white pines at Cook Forest State Park remain lush in late fall, even as other trees shed their leaves. That makes the trails at Cook Forest perfect for November hikes, especially those in the Forest Cathedral, a National Natural Landmark where old-growth hemlocks and white pines stretch toward the sky.
The park itself has more than 47 miles of hiking trails, but the roughly seven miles of trails within the Forest Cathedral are the highlight. The Longfellow Trail is the most well-known in the park and takes hikers through 1.2 miles of old-growth forest, where trees more than 350 years old can measure over three feet wide and nearly 200 feet tall.
Loyalsock State Forest–Sullivan, Lycoming, and Bradford Counties
Adventurous hikers will appreciate the long and mountainous Loyalsock Trail, which winds for most of its 59 miles through the remote, Endless Mountains wilderness of Loyalsock State Forest in north-central Pennsylvania. You could hike just a portion of the scenic trail, or you could backpack the length over a few days and camp along the way. Even if you are out for just a day hike, you’ll be treated to incredible scenery. Smith’s Knob Vista, for example, offers a panoramic view of the Loyalsock Creek Valley just a few miles from the western trailhead of the Loyalsock Trail.
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