17 Gorgeous Ohio Destinations to Admire Fall Foliage This Season

By CityBeat Staff on Thu, Oct 3, 2019 at 8:07 pm

The heat may finally be leaving and we all know what that means — the leaves are changing here in Ohio. Visit a local park and appreciate the fall foliage close to home, or make a road trip out of it and head to a new destination for some exceptional autumn views. No matter where you go, the sights and colors will absolutely astound you.

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John Bryan State Park

3790 State Route 370, Yellow Springs, Ohio
Located about 1.5 hours from Cincinnati, this park features a limestone gorge created by the Little Miami River, a portion of which is a national natural landmark. It also includes boating, fishing, rock climbing, disc golf and hiking and biking trails. The fall foliage at this beautiful park is hard to beat.
Photo via Facebook.com/YellowSpringsOH

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Cuyahoga Valley National Park

This northern Ohio national park offers perfect autumn views. Whether you’re taking a ride on the Scenic Railroad or just hiking the Towpath, you’ll surely see something to take your breath away.
Photo via Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad/Facebook

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Amish Country

Visit Millersburg, about four hours from Cincinnati, to see the biggest town in Ohio’s Amish country. There’s tons to do and the leafy sights are gorgeous.
Photo via @Ohio Amish Country/Facebook

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Hocking Hills State Park

19852 State Route 664 S., Logan
Hocking Hills is famous for its gorgeous hiking trails and stunning waterfalls, making it a perfect spot for a fall day trip.
Photo: Catie Viox

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Holden Arboretum

9550 Sperry Road, Kirtland
Out east in the Kirtland/Mentor area, you’ll find Holden Arboretum, home to over 3,500 hundred acres of trees, plants, wildlife and scenic views. With over 200 miles of trails, you can visit this place multiple times per season and always see something new, but we all know fall is the best.
Photo via @Holden Arboretum/Facebook

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Hueston Woods State Park

6301 Park Office Road, College Corner
Hueston Woods State Park spans over 3,000 beautifully wooded acres and features hiking and biking trails, camping, fishing and more. Take a seat on the beach and watch the leaves fall into the crisp lake water.
Photo via Hueston Woods State Park/Facebook

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East Fork Lake

3294 Elklick Road, Bethel
The park with perhaps the widest range of trails, East Fork State Park has hikes ranging from less than a half-mile to a 32-mile backpacking perimeter route. The park surrounds a massive lake that offers scenic views as the fall leaves change.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

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North Chagrin Reservation

3037 SOM Center Road, Willoughby Hills
Known mostly for Squires’ Castle, the North Chagrin Reservation also boasts hiking trails to go through the woods. Sunset Pond and Sanctuary Marsh are two other popular tourist sites to see the leaves changing.
Photo via @CleveMetroParks/Instagram

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Salt Fork State Park

14755 Cadiz Road, Lore City
Just east of Columbus, this state park is a beautiful place to hike, bike, camp and see all the beautiful colors that fall has to offer. The sunsets over the lake are gorgeous. But it’s also a wonderful place to see Big Foot, supposedly.
Photo via @Salt Fork/Facebook

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Geneva

If there’s anywhere in Ohio that could be considered wine country, it’s definitely Geneva on the Lake. With close to 20 wineries in a pretty small area, it’s an oenophile’s dream and it’s the perfect destination to see the beautiful fall foliage.
Photo via Scene Archives

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Bedford Reservation

Gorge Parkway, Walton Hills
Probably most well-known for Shawnee Hills Golf Course, this reservation is home to a deep gorge that was declared a national natural landmark. Because of the gorge, and Tinker’s Creek, the 2,200 acres of this reservation are some of the most scenic in Cleveland's Metroparks system, especially the Tinkers Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook.
Photo via @CleveMetroparks/Instagram

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Lake Erie Bluffs

3301 Lane Road, Perry
Lake Erie Bluffs provides a combination of wetland hiking and dry trails. There is access to a natural lake and areas open for fishing. The park also has a 50-foot coastal observation tower, providing a view of the lake as well as the surrounding forest to take in the colorful scenery.
Photo via Cleveland Scene Archives

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Marblehead

Marblehead boasts one of the best scenic lighthouses in Ohio, perfect for taking in a fall sunset. Check out the Lakeside-Marblehead Lighthouse Festival this October.
Photo via @_Doctor_VV_/Instagram

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E55 On The Lake

5555 North Marginal Road, Cleveland
Cleveland Metroparks has totally revived this beautiful lookout point of Lake Erie by adding a bar, restaurant and bait shop to this spot. There’s also live music on Saturdays and some of the best views in town.
Photo via @WonderWoman415/Instagram

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Walter Best Wildlife Preserve

11620 Ravenna Road, Chardon
This small preserve, part of the Geauga Park District, has areas for fishing, picnic tables and trails that run along Best Lake. Perfect for a quiet hike and an ideal spot to watch the leaves changing.
Photo via Cleveland Scene Archives

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South Chagrin Reservation

37374 Miles Road, Bentleyville
Expanding through Moreland Hills, Bentleyville, Chagrin Falls and Solon, this beautiful Metroparks reservation is known for Henry Church Rock (formerly Squaw Rock), a rock formation carved in 1885 that runs along the picturesque Chagrin River.
Photo via @CleveMetroparks/Instagram

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Rocky River Reservation

24000 Valley Parkway, North Olmsted
The Rocky River Reservation expands all the way through Berea, Brook Park, Cleveland, Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted, Olmsted Township and Rocky River. With numerous trails throughout the reservation, there’s a great hike and colors for everyone and you may even see some deer roaming around.
Photo via @CleveMetroParks/Instagram

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