It feels like we're nearing or at the peak for fall leaves so there's no better time than to get the family out for a walk in the woods to appreciate the beauty of fall around Erie, Pa.
Ready to go find some beautiful fall leaves in Erie County, Chautauqua County, and even Ohio?
Here are my family's seven favorite spots for leaf-peeping in Erie, along with some short road trip ideas!
In Erie:
Frontier Park
1501 W. Sixth St., Erie, PA
Frontier Park is home to more than 1,000 trees and fall is incredibly picturesque in this park! I snapped the above picture on a late fall day in 2019 when my son was decked out in his Harry Potter Halloween costume. Still one of my all-time favorites.
Asbury Woods
4105 Asbury Road, Erie, PA
This beautiful park has so many great hiking trails carpeted with red and gold leaves in the fall. There are also plenty of fall events happening for even more opportunities to get out in the woods, from Scary Creature Feature Oct. 12-14 to a Family Owl Prowl on Oct. 17. Check our Macaroni KID Erie calendar for all the details!
Erie Bluffs State Park
11100 W Lake Rd, Lake City, PA
There are about five miles of trails to explore at this state park, near the Ohio line. Wooded paths lead to vistas with scenic vistas of Lake Erie from atop the 90-foot bluff wall. Some take you right down to the water's edge. All give you a great view of the changing leaves as fall progresses.
Presque Isle State Park
301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA
Of course we have to include Presque Isle on our list! Every season on Presque Isle is magical, and fall is certainly no exception. Take your bicycles and pedal the 13-mile loop around the peninsula to see fall in all its glory here.
Three easy road trips from Erie where you can see amazing fall foliage:
Panama Rocks
Chautauqua, N.Y.
We visited here a few weeks ago and the leaves were just starting to change. If you haven't been, Panama Rocks is a series of ancient rock formations in an ancient forest — a gorgeous spot where kids can adventure and explore to their heart's content, and just a 40 minute drive from Erie.
Holden Arboretum
9550 Sperry Rd, Kirtland, OH
This is a gorgeous arboretum in Ohio about an hour and 20 minute drive from Erie that's a great spot for kids and families to explore. The best spot for leaf-peeping has to be from the top of the 12-story tower in the arboretum.
Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau |
Kinzua Sky Walk
296 Viaduct Rd, Mt. Jewett, PA
The Kinzua Sky Walk, about a two hour drive from Erie, was recently named one of the 10 most beautiful skywalks in the world. It is an engineering marvel with breathtaking views of the Kinzua Gorge. The skywalk is 225 feet high and was constructed on six of the historic Kinzua Viaduct massive steel towers remaining after the tornado of 2003. It extends out 624 feet into the Kinzua Gorge offering panoramic views and a partial glass floor.