Discovering Ohio's Best Fall Colors in Richland County

Best Fall Foliage in Ohio

Fall is just a few days away.  While the hills of Vermont and New Hampshire may get an enormous amount of press when leaf-peeping season arrives, anyone who has spent any time in Ohio knows that there are plenty of colors to go around.

Ohio's Richland County area offers some of the best leaf-peeping opportunities in the state. To experience the best fall foliage that Ohio has to offer, these are the top spots in the Mansfield area to take a hike and watch the changing leaves.

1. Malabar Farm State Park
   Just 20 minutes from Mansfield, Malabar Farm State Park is beautiful in any season, with several picturesque hiking trails that meander through the 900-acre country estate of Pulitzer Prize winning author and conservationist, Louis Bromfield. But it really comes to life in fall. Even short, easy trails like the 1-mile Doris Duke Woods Trail offer splendid scenery among the park's wooded hills and fields. You can even explore the park on horseback along the 5-mile Pleasant Valley Bridle Trail.
   
   
2. Richland B&O Bike Trail
   This 18-mile trail is built on the former bed of the Baltimore Ohio Railway, which makes it a perfect place for a flat, easy bike ride through Richland County's wooded hills. Connecting communities including Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville and Butler, the trail is accessible from numerous points, allowing you to choose any section you like for a short afternoon trek. Some sections of this trail can get a little busy on the weekends, so try for a weekday trip if you prefer to have the leaves all to yourself. 
   
   
3. Pleasant Hill Lake Park
   Spanning nearly 1,400 acres on the shore of Pleasant Hill Lake, this park is a perfect place to sit back and watch the leaves change. You can explore more than 15 miles of trails within the park, exploring terrain that ranges from easy to difficult. The park also provides access to more than 80 miles of regional hiking, biking and equestrian trails that connect with nearby Malabar Farm and Mohican state parks. Pleasant Hill Lake Park offers a campground as well, with more than 400 campsites for tents and RVs. For a really great view of the changing leaves along the lakeshore, bring a canoe or kayak to check out the fall foliage from the water.
   
   
4. Ohio Bird Sanctuary
   Just a few short miles from Mansfield, the Ohio Bird Sanctuary harbors countless native bird species, and it's a great place to wander through the changing leaves accompanied by your feathered friends. The sanctuary is nestled along the headwaters of the Clearfork River, and offers 4 miles of trails that explore a wide range of habitats, from open meadows to old growth forest. The songbird aviary and birds of prey display are also worth checking out in any season.
   
   
5. Gorman Nature Center
   You can walk 6 interconnected hiking trails throughout Gorman Nature Center, a beautifully preserved wilderness area that spans approximately 150 acres. The Gorman Nature Center protects a landscape that includes ponds, streams, forests and meadows, with a staff of naturalists who host weekly events like nature hikes, field trips and natural history programs.

Contact Haring Realty today to learn more about ways to live and explore in Richland County, Ohio. Fall is a special time here in Northeast Ohio, and our REALTORS® have all the inside tips you need to find the best experiences throughout the Mansfield area.