Fall Foliage Tour

Brown County is blessed with many hardwood forests and woods, also, nice specimen trees in yards and landscaping. We welcome Fall as the hills and woodlands turn from a rich green to yellow, orange, red and brown. The change is amazing and dramatic as the landscape gives off a whole spectrum of color. The maple, oak and ash turn to beautiful orange and scarlet. Water maples add a soft yellow to the pallet of colors. Even poison ivy and Virginia creeper do their part to add to the beautiful autumn landscape as they turn red and orange. Some of the oaks hold their rich brown leaves into the winter, but the height of Fall color appears around the lasts two weeks of October.

As the Earth turns and the seasons change the official starting date is September 23rd and the official name is Autumn but we still like to call the season fall. Enjoy seeing the leaves float or fall down to the ground on a windy day. As early as August and September the walnut trees and locust trees start to lose their leaves and so do most fruit trees. The leaves of other hardwood trees lose their leaves later in the season. The color that the leaves emit is from the minerals the trees have taken up and absorbed during the summer.

One tree of interest that is not a native tree is the ginkgo tree. It will not be found in our forests or woods. It is strictly a specimen tree used for landscaping and street trees. As Fall arrives its leathery fan shaped leaves turn a bright yellow. The tree holds most of its leaves until a hard frost and within 24 hours of the frost it drops almost all of its leave at one time. Very dramatic! If there is a ginkgo tree that you can observe, keep your eye on it this Fall.

Taking a Fall Foliage Tour in Brown County, Ohio is as easy as taking a drive in the country. The self-guided tour can be along St. Rte 32, St. Rte 125, U.S. Rte 50, U.S. Rte 52, U.S. Rte 62, U.S. Rte 68 or any of the County Roads where there are forests or woods close to the road. You can decide where you want to drive to see this miracle of nature. The hills of southern Brown County along the River on U.S. Rte 52 are always beautiful in October when they are in full Fall color. A Fall Foliage Tour in Brown County Ohio is waiting for you.