Leaves will start changing soon in Pennsylvania, and experts believe another colorful fall foliage season is likely for the Lehigh Valley and surrounding regions.

Ryan Reed, program specialist for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said the nice, consistent rainfall over the summer should lead to a normal-length foliage season this year.

“Things are looking really nice, overall,” he said, “and I think that bodes well for a very colorful season.”

The DCNR will start releasing weekly foliage outlooks beginning in early October to let people know what the foliage is looking like throughout the state. Peak typically starts in the north and continues south as the month goes on.

Reed expects peak foliage, when colors are most vivid, will likely be between mid- and late October in the Lehigh Valley. That depends on weather conditions, though, and he noted that the timeline could change, should there be a period of cooler weather that would bring out a lot of color.

“I don’t see anything changing in the next 10 days to two weeks,” he said.

Are you ready for leaf peeping season? Our weekly fall foliage reports begin October 1! pic.twitter.com/DiwSN0i7vT

— PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (@DCNRnews) September 17, 2026

This year should be an improvement over last, when drought led to a quicker foliage season. Those drought conditions have largely subsided in most of Pennsylvania.

Most of Lehigh County is considered under abnormally dry conditions, while Northampton County and the Poconos region have no drought conditions as of Sept. 17, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Reed encouraged residents in the Lehigh Valley to check out the Delaware Water Gap or the Poconos region for their leaf-peeping trips. Those who wish to make a longer trip could check out Mount Davis in Somerset County, he said. He recently visited it, and said it should be on every Pennsylvania resident’s bucket list.

“It was just breathtaking,” he said. “There’s such a diversity of trees there.”

Still, you cannot go wrong with any of the local or state parks that are common throughout the state, Reed said.

“There just very widespread and they’re a wonderful part of our patchwork of public land throughout Pennsylvania,” he said.

James Hamill, spokesperson for the Pocono Mountain Tourism Bureau, said the fall continues to be a big driver of tourism for the region, and he expects that to be the case this year too.

“It’s a perfect time of year to appreciate and kind of go explore what we have to share here,” he said.

A number of towns in the region have events celebrating the fall and the foliage, including Jim Thorpe, which will have two weekend festivals in October. The town is one of the bigger attractions in the region.

Hammill recommends visitors check out the nearby towns of Weissport or Lehighton, and take a rental bike on the D&L trail into Jim Thorpe. That way, he said, they can experience Jim Thorpe and the other towns, and not have to worry about parking in Jim Thorpe, which can be limited.

He encouraged anyone looking for a multi-day stay in the region to try and go during the week. They might get cheaper rates and the area will likely be less busy outside of the weekends.

“Really, it’s like immersing yourself here and becoming a Pocono resident for the week,” he said.

Reed said the fall foliage season is a reminder that these forests in the state are not a guarantee, and that there are dozens of organizations in the state making sure the forests are healthy.

“There’s a strong group, a contingent of natural resource professionals who are safeguarding these natural resources for the state and for really anyone who wants to come and visit,” he said.

Not many states have what Pennsylvania offers, he said.

“It’s really cool to have a state that feels very dedicated to natural resources in a lot of ways,” Reed said.

The DCNR’s foliage outlooks will be available beginning in October on its website, pa.gov/agencies/dcnr.

The Poconos Tourism Bureau will have their own outlook for the region later as well. It will be on the bureau’s website.