Autumn is undeniably the best time of year in the Buckeye State, and we’ve got some of the best places in Ohio for fall foliage. The colors are vibrant; the temperatures are perfect, and the air has a comforting, crisp smell often infused with campfires and bonfires as folks gather outdoors. You’ll want to get out and embrace this season before it’s gone and winter makes its arrival. The following are 12 regions and forests that are known for being especially lovely in the fall. Be sure to visit these stunning natural areas to enjoy the best places to experience fall in the Buckeye State!

1. Maumee Bay State Park

Maumee Bay State Park, State Park Rd, Oregon, OH, USA
Maumee Bay State Park Lodge/Facebook
One of our favorite fall camping destinations in the Buckeye State, this northern Ohio State Park is simply stunning in the fall. (Leaves in northern Ohio generally start changing in early October.) Stay in a cabin near Lake Erie or book a room at the lodge before mid-November arrives. Before then, it's one of the best places in Ohio to see fall foliage.

2. John Bryan State Park

John Bryan State Park, 3790 OH-370, Yellow Springs, OH 45387, USA
Alvin Feng/Flickr
The vibrant leaves at this western Ohio State Park near Dayton don't seem to last very long. Stop at the quaint town of Yellow Springs on your way or head over to Clifton Mill for some more great fall foliage photo opportunities. There's nowhere in Ohio quite like this lovely park!

3. Mohican State Park

Mohican State Park, 3116 OH-3, Loudonville, OH 44842, USA
Mohican State Park Lodge/Facebook
Drink in the colors of the fall season at this gorgeous state park, which is close to several Ohio Amish Country towns and only 10 miles from the beloved Malabar Farm. Be sure to visit earlier in the season, as the leaves often get a jump on the rest of the state's fall colors.

4. Zaleski State Forest

Zaleski State Forest, OH-278, Zaleski, OH 45698, USA
Sarah Hina/Flickr
This oft-overlooked southeast Ohio forest positively dazzles in the fall months, as the changing leaves slowly reach their most vibrant and bold colors. Explore the 23.5 miles of backpacking trails or visit the beautiful Lake Hope (pictured) while you're here.

5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, USA
Erik Drost/Flickr
Late October and early November is the peak season for the beautiful fall colors at Ohio's very own national park. (Pictured is the gorgeous view from Ledges Overlook, one of our favorite hikes in Cuyahoga Valley NP!)

6. Hocking Hills State Park and Forest

Hocking Hills State Park, Logan, OH, USA
Britt Reints/Flickr
This stunning region of Ohio has some of the best fall colors of the season, which peak from mid-October to early November. (Pictured is the serene Rose Lake.)

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7. Shawnee State Park

Shawnee State Park, 4404 OH-125, West Portsmouth, OH 45663, USA
Alvin Feng/Flickr
Nestled near the banks of the Ohio River, you'll find six hiking trails and absolutely stunning fall foliage at this Ohio State Park in late October and early November.

8. Ceasar Creek State Park

Caesar Creek State Park, Ohio 73, Waynesville, OH, USA
Anna Lee Stockton via Ceasar Creek State Park's Facebook
While Ceasar Creek State Park is lauded for water recreation and camping in the summer months, there's nothing quite like the array of fall colors at this Ohio State Park. The leaves are at their peak and the temperatures are just right. (Pictured is the view from Flat Fork.)

9. Salt Fork State Park

Salt Fork Park Lodge and Conference Center, R-3, Cambridge, OH 43725, USA
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
This eastern Ohio park is always lovely, but in September and October, it's positively flush with an abundance of beautiful fall foliage. The view from Salt Fork Park Lodge (pictured) is especially picturesque this time of year.

10. Harrison Lake State Park and Forest

Harrison Lake State Park, 26246 Harrison Lake Rd, Fayette, OH 43521, USA
Harrison Lake State Park/Facebook
This northwest Ohio park and forest has a magnificent display of fall colors each year. Visit soon to take in the stunning foliage before it fades in early November.

11. Deer Creek State Park

Deer Creek State Park, 20635 State Park Road 20, Mt Sterling, OH 43143, USA
Deer Creek State Park/Facebook
Visit this central Ohio State Park and prepare to be dazzled by a delightful array of fall colors: reds, oranges, yellows, golds, and coppers! Make your visit extra special and book a room at the lodge while you're here.

12. Beaver Creek State Park

Beaver Creek State Park, 12021 Echo Dell Rd, East Liverpool, OH 43920, USA
Beaver Creek State Park/Facebook
The peak season of fall colors at this Beaver Creek State Park, an always lovely Ohio State Park, is not to be missed! Visit before mid-November comes and the fall colors start to fade. It's also rumored to be haunted, which makes this Ohio State Park even more fun in the fall!

If you'd like to see some fabulous fall foliage destinations across the USA, check out our video on YouTube:

Have you explored these areas yet this fall? One of my favorite things to do in the autumn is pack up the car and hit a few of my favorite spots on a fall foliage road trip! Where do you think the best places in Ohio for fall foliage are? Please share them with your fellow Buckeye State leaf peepers!

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More to Explore

Fall Foliage In Ohio

Sarah M. | August 15, 2022

What's fall generally like in Ohio?

Here in Ohio, we pride ourselves on having four distinct seasons: temperate springs, hot and hazy summers, crisp falls, and often-snowy winters. And while we love all of the seasons in the Buckeye State, there's something about fall in Ohio that's has an extra-special spot in our hearts. With daytime highs in the 60s and 70s, cobalt-blue skies for days, and an abundance of festivals, cider mills, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and more, there's nothing like fall in Ohio!

What are some beautiful towns to visit for fall foliage in Ohio?

Ohio's small towns shine extra bright in the fall, when drenched in the pumpkin orange, ruby red, and golden yellow hues of the autumn. Some of our favorite small towns in Ohio to revel - and to find the best fall foliage near me and you - in this seasonal resplendence include Yellow Springs, Milford, Loveland, Dublin, Hudson, Bowling Green, Mt. Vernon, Wooster, Holland, and Athens -- but really, you can't go wrong anywhere! If you're looking for fall day trip ideas in Ohio, this article lists some of our favorites, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Young's Jersey Dairy, Ohio Amish Country, and Loudonville.

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