Ohio’s annual fall color show is getting a slower start this year, but state forestry experts say there is still plenty of reason to expect a strong season. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported in its first fall color update of 2026 that much of the state remains mostly green as October begins. Patches of red and yellow are appearing, however, and cooler temperatures should help accelerate the transformation in the weeks ahead.
“For the first time in numerous years, we are entering autumn with a potentially typical fall season,” ODNR Fall Color Forester David Parrott said. “Some colors are starting to dot the tree canopies, and we seem to be on track for a great fall color season.”
Across Ohio, fall color reporters are currently describing conditions as mostly green or changing.
The first ODNR Fall Color Update video can be viewed here:
The first hints are already showing
Some of the earliest signs of autumn are coming from buckeye and dogwood trees, while sumacs and poison ivy are beginning to display their familiar bright reds.
The progression of color depends on a combination of daylight, temperature and weather conditions. As nights grow cooler and daylight hours continue to shrink, the familiar mix of yellows, oranges, reds and deep purples should become increasingly visible across Ohio.
That means travelers who have been waiting for peak color probably have not missed much yet. Much of the season appears to be still ahead of us.
Closer to Galion, North Central Ohio is also beginning to show the first hints of the season. Trees across Crawford and neighboring Richland and Morrow counties remain largely green, but scattered reds and yellows are starting to appear along rural roads, wooded areas and creek valleys. With cooler nights settling in, the region should see more noticeable color development through the first half of October, making the next couple of weeks a good time to watch familiar local landscapes begin their annual transformation.
A fall destination with a dramatic view
ODNR is also highlighting Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park as a possible autumn day trip.
Located in northeast Ohio southeast of Cleveland, the relatively small park is known for towering cliffs, narrow passages, waterfalls and unusual rock formations. Trails lead visitors past features with names including Devil’s Icebox, Goldhunters Cave and Old Maid’s Kitchen. One of the park’s newest attractions offers an especially dramatic vantage point.
The Falls Edge Glass Walkway, which opened in spring 2025, extends 137 feet over the Sylvan Creek Gorge, providing views of the rocky terrain and surrounding forest.
As the leaves begin changing, the gorge is expected to become one of the park’s most striking autumn scenes.
Following the colors across Ohio
ODNR maintains an online Fall Color website throughout the season with weekly reports showing where colors are beginning to emerge and where they are approaching their peak.
The site also includes information about Ohio State Park accommodations, fall events and videos highlighting seasonal destinations around the state.
ODNR is encouraging residents and visitors to share their own fall photographs on social media using the hashtags #OhioFall26, #OhioTheHeartofitAll and #FallinOhio.
For now, Ohio’s autumn landscape may still be dominated by green. But the first splashes of color are appearing, and if ODNR’s forecast holds, the best of the show is still to come.
Source: ODNR; Image by katerinavulcova from Pixabay