09-30-2008, 11:10 AM
Fall color season is great time to visit a state park, forest or preserve
COLUMBUS, OH - Each week as the leaves change colors, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will be featuring a new region to discover at its peak fall color viewing. Because ODNR is a vast agency with numerous activities, we will focus on one region with a lodge to stay in and many activities to do including: paddling, hunting, bird watching and fishing in that area.
Here's a sampling of upcoming events to get you started:
The weekend of October 3-5:
Apple Butter Festival at Mt. Gilead State Park in Morrow County - Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4. Sample apple butter and enjoy hayrides, Halloween festivities, fall hikes, entertainment, and ham and bean soup. Call 419-946-1961.
Indian Summer Campout at Caesar Creek State Park in Warren, Clinton and Greene counties - Oct. 3-4, at the family campground. Make cornhusk scarecrows and enjoy hayrides, games and fall themed activities. Call 513-897-3055.
Spin-In Gathering at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the main farm barn. Fiber guilds from all over Ohio offer free classes and demonstrations. Call 419-892-2784.
Hayrides & Harvest Moonlight Tours at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County-Noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. Also held on Oct. 11, 18, and 25. Thirty minute hayride tours are $3/person. House tours offered at regular tour fee. Call 419-892-2784.
Beaver Creek Fall Festival at Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5 at the pioneer village. See demonstrations of pioneer skills by crafters and artists against the quaint backdrop of the historic village and Gaston's Mill. Call 330-385-3091.
Fall Color Canoe Tour at Van Buren State Park in Hancock County- 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. $10 donation requested per canoe. Pre-registration required by Oct. 3. Call 419-348-7679.
The weekend of October 10-12:
Autumn Lighthouse Festival at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park in Ottawa County- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11. The community of Marblehead celebrates its coastal history with demonstrations, entertainment, crafts and food.Lighthouse tours will be offered.
Call 419-734-4424 ext. 2 for information or visit www.lake-erie.com.
Fall Color Walk at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County - 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 11. Enjoy a moderate yet relaxing 2-mile guided walk. For information call 419-892-2784.
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County - 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11, at the nature center. Also held on Oct. 25. Enjoy the fall colors as we "clippity-clop" through the hills. Continuous 20 minute rides. Call 740-596-3030.
Festival at the Grist Mill at Mohican State Park in Ashland County - Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Wolf Creek/Pine Run Grist Mill. Celebrate Oktoberfest in an old-world atmosphere with authentic food, refreshments and entertainment. Call 419-668-2497 or visit www.WolfCreekMill.org.
Fall Festival & Campout at Mary Jane Thurston State Park in Henry and Wood counties - Saturday, Oct. 11. Camp by the beautiful Maumee River, and enjoy pumpkin painting, family fishing, and a live birds of prey program, plus the nearby Grand Rapids Apple Butter Festival. Call 419-832-7662.
Autumn Colors Open House at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve in Greene County - Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. Preserve officers will be on hand to answer questions and share historical tales from the sea. Enjoy views of the Little Miami and the changing leaves around the gorge. Call 937-767-7947.
The weekend of October 17-19:
Grandma Gatewood's Fall Colors Hike at Hocking Hills State Park in Hocking County - 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Old Man's CaveVisitorCenter. This is a strenuous 6-mile hike from Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls and back. Call 740-385-6841.
Owl Prowl, at Van Buren State Park in Hancock County - Friday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Meet in the nature center shelterhouse for a live owl program, followed by a hike to call some owls. Call 419-348-7679.
Fall Hike at Shawnee State Park and State Forest in Scioto County - 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18 . Enjoy a moderate 5-mile hike through the park and forest. For information call 740-858-6652.
The 29th Annual Fall Hike at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County- 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18. A moderate 3-mile hike along the shores of LakeHope starts with a cup of sassafras tea and finishes with a delicious bean and cornbread dinner at Hope Furnace. Shuttles return hikers to their vehicles. Call 740-596-3030.
Fall Hike at Sycamore State Park in Montgomery County - 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 19 at the Overlook Picnic Area off Providence Road. A self-guided hike through moderate terrain along WolfCreek. Call 513-523-6347.
Fall Foliage Festival at Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking County - 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19. Choose the accessibility of the Lower Gorge trail or the more challenging Upper Rim Trail. This event features a pioneer encampment and uniformed naturalists along the trails. Call 740-420-3445.
The weekend of October 24-26:
ROAR Day at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 at the shelterhouse, nature center and HopeSchool. Celebrate "Rural Ohio Appalachia Revisited" with crafts, music and food. Call 740-596-3030.
Venison Chili Cook-Off at Findley State Park in Lorain County- Saturday, Oct. 25. Bring your favorite chili recipe and make your own unique creation over the campfire or camp stove with venison provided by the park. Pre-registration is required and prizes will be awarded.
Call 440-647-5749.
To see the best views of fall colors, visit an Ohio state forest and climb up a watchtower. The towers at Mohican-Memorial State Forest in Ashland County, Tar Hollow State Forest in Ross, Vinton and Hocking counties, and Scioto Trail in Ross and Pike counties provide unique vantage points for observing Ohio's change of seasons. These watchtowers offer great opportunities for photo lovers to take colorful panoramic pictures of the changing leaves.
COLUMBUS, OH - Each week as the leaves change colors, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will be featuring a new region to discover at its peak fall color viewing. Because ODNR is a vast agency with numerous activities, we will focus on one region with a lodge to stay in and many activities to do including: paddling, hunting, bird watching and fishing in that area.
Here's a sampling of upcoming events to get you started:
The weekend of October 3-5:
Apple Butter Festival at Mt. Gilead State Park in Morrow County - Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4. Sample apple butter and enjoy hayrides, Halloween festivities, fall hikes, entertainment, and ham and bean soup. Call 419-946-1961.
Indian Summer Campout at Caesar Creek State Park in Warren, Clinton and Greene counties - Oct. 3-4, at the family campground. Make cornhusk scarecrows and enjoy hayrides, games and fall themed activities. Call 513-897-3055.
Spin-In Gathering at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the main farm barn. Fiber guilds from all over Ohio offer free classes and demonstrations. Call 419-892-2784.
Hayrides & Harvest Moonlight Tours at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County-Noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. Also held on Oct. 11, 18, and 25. Thirty minute hayride tours are $3/person. House tours offered at regular tour fee. Call 419-892-2784.
Beaver Creek Fall Festival at Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-5 at the pioneer village. See demonstrations of pioneer skills by crafters and artists against the quaint backdrop of the historic village and Gaston's Mill. Call 330-385-3091.
Fall Color Canoe Tour at Van Buren State Park in Hancock County- 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. $10 donation requested per canoe. Pre-registration required by Oct. 3. Call 419-348-7679.
The weekend of October 10-12:
Autumn Lighthouse Festival at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park in Ottawa County- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11. The community of Marblehead celebrates its coastal history with demonstrations, entertainment, crafts and food.Lighthouse tours will be offered.
Call 419-734-4424 ext. 2 for information or visit www.lake-erie.com.
Fall Color Walk at Malabar Farm State Park in Richland County - 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 11. Enjoy a moderate yet relaxing 2-mile guided walk. For information call 419-892-2784.
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County - 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11, at the nature center. Also held on Oct. 25. Enjoy the fall colors as we "clippity-clop" through the hills. Continuous 20 minute rides. Call 740-596-3030.
Festival at the Grist Mill at Mohican State Park in Ashland County - Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Wolf Creek/Pine Run Grist Mill. Celebrate Oktoberfest in an old-world atmosphere with authentic food, refreshments and entertainment. Call 419-668-2497 or visit www.WolfCreekMill.org.
Fall Festival & Campout at Mary Jane Thurston State Park in Henry and Wood counties - Saturday, Oct. 11. Camp by the beautiful Maumee River, and enjoy pumpkin painting, family fishing, and a live birds of prey program, plus the nearby Grand Rapids Apple Butter Festival. Call 419-832-7662.
Autumn Colors Open House at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve in Greene County - Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. Preserve officers will be on hand to answer questions and share historical tales from the sea. Enjoy views of the Little Miami and the changing leaves around the gorge. Call 937-767-7947.
The weekend of October 17-19:
Grandma Gatewood's Fall Colors Hike at Hocking Hills State Park in Hocking County - 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Old Man's CaveVisitorCenter. This is a strenuous 6-mile hike from Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls and back. Call 740-385-6841.
Owl Prowl, at Van Buren State Park in Hancock County - Friday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. Meet in the nature center shelterhouse for a live owl program, followed by a hike to call some owls. Call 419-348-7679.
Fall Hike at Shawnee State Park and State Forest in Scioto County - 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18 . Enjoy a moderate 5-mile hike through the park and forest. For information call 740-858-6652.
The 29th Annual Fall Hike at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County- 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18. A moderate 3-mile hike along the shores of LakeHope starts with a cup of sassafras tea and finishes with a delicious bean and cornbread dinner at Hope Furnace. Shuttles return hikers to their vehicles. Call 740-596-3030.
Fall Hike at Sycamore State Park in Montgomery County - 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 19 at the Overlook Picnic Area off Providence Road. A self-guided hike through moderate terrain along WolfCreek. Call 513-523-6347.
Fall Foliage Festival at Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking County - 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19. Choose the accessibility of the Lower Gorge trail or the more challenging Upper Rim Trail. This event features a pioneer encampment and uniformed naturalists along the trails. Call 740-420-3445.
The weekend of October 24-26:
ROAR Day at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 at the shelterhouse, nature center and HopeSchool. Celebrate "Rural Ohio Appalachia Revisited" with crafts, music and food. Call 740-596-3030.
Venison Chili Cook-Off at Findley State Park in Lorain County- Saturday, Oct. 25. Bring your favorite chili recipe and make your own unique creation over the campfire or camp stove with venison provided by the park. Pre-registration is required and prizes will be awarded.
Call 440-647-5749.
To see the best views of fall colors, visit an Ohio state forest and climb up a watchtower. The towers at Mohican-Memorial State Forest in Ashland County, Tar Hollow State Forest in Ross, Vinton and Hocking counties, and Scioto Trail in Ross and Pike counties provide unique vantage points for observing Ohio's change of seasons. These watchtowers offer great opportunities for photo lovers to take colorful panoramic pictures of the changing leaves.