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You’ve probably noticed a nip in the air lately, at least at night. You’ve almost certainly seen ads for pumpkin spice — well, pretty much everything. (A recent comic strip portrayed a store display of “Pumpkin Spice” without the coffee, shake, donuts, rum or other comestibles added to it).

It is time to consider getting outdoors for that brief, annual show of Pennsylvania autumn. Plan a road trip or pick a state park and a free weekend, grab the camera (sure, you probably have a great smart phone with a foliage setting, but if you’ve got a full-fledged camera, these shots may be worth taking it along).

In short, get outside.

This space annually issues a reminder that our spectacular foliage is the exception, not the rule. As the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website notes, we are in a very narrow latitude (between 40 and 42 degrees North) with just the right altitude and varied topography to support some 134 species of trees. That, in turn, provides the spectacular autumnal palette.

It’s worth repeating each year: Only three other regions in the world support deciduous forests that display the kind of fall colors we too easily take for granted.

So start thinking in earnest about when and where to go. DCNR offers lots of help on the Fall Foliage Reports page (dcnr.pa.gov).

If you’re looking for driving-distance state parks, consider Ricketts Glen, Hickory Run, Pine Creek Gorge (the “Grand Canyon” of Pennsylvania) or the Lehigh Gorge. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area isn’t too far. There are additional trails in places like Seven Tubs, Shickshinny and Jim Thorpe (ringed by mountains that inspired some to sell it as the “Switzerland of Pennsylvania”).

The state Department of Agriculture is encouraging residents to remember that this is a great time to visit farms.

Take in a local pumpkin patch. Pennsylvania is the seventh-largest producer of the popular gourds nationally, and we have many farms here (you can locate some through the PA Preferred Pick Your Own Pumpkin Map online). Look for a corn maze (yes, you can wander “a maize maze”). Stop at the produce stands that pop up around the region and get some fresh apples, maybe some cider, maybe a few samples of the fall produce you never tried.

You can still, of course, get a hearty taste of autumn crops at Wilkes-Barre’s Farmers Market held every Thursday on Public Square.

Yes, if you do go hiking, you should take some common-sense precautions: Sturdy and comfortable shoes, sunscreen if it’s bright out (even in autumn) and you are exposing skin for very long, and clothing and repellent that will keep ticks — and the Lyme disease they can carry — away. And, just for the heck of it, consider reusable plastic bottles for drinking water, rather than buying a bunch of disposables.

But don’t let any of that deter you. Get out, breath the crisp air that is so unique to this time of year, enjoy what this state has to offer in autumn.

Color your life.

Tuesday made for a great day to get outdoors for a walk under the cover of bright fall leaves at Kirby Park. The mild temps and lack of rain should continue into tomorrow for Halloween. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_TTL103118Feature1.jpg.optimal.jpgTuesday made for a great day to get outdoors for a walk under the cover of bright fall leaves at Kirby Park. The mild temps and lack of rain should continue into tomorrow for Halloween. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader