6 places to see wildflowers in Pennsylvania this autumn

This fall, seek out wildflowers in bloom at these Pennsylvania preserves and parks.

Springtime wildflowers might get most of the attention, but fall wildflowers are also a treat.

Check out these wildflower preserves and other natural areas throughout the state, where you can gaze at vivid fall foliage as well as autumn wildflowers like yellow goldenrod, white boneset, purple elephant’s feet, and the many different colors of asters. These fall flowers are not only beautiful — their seeds and nectar are also essential to keep pollinators and other animals thriving during the cold winter months.

You can see wildflowers at parks and preserves near cities as well as in more rural areas — fall flowers bloom in every corner of the state!

1. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve – New Hope

Located in Bucks County, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is not far from Philadelphia, with 4.5 miles of trails that meander within forests, past streams, and through meadows.

Keep your eyes peeled for autumnal wildflowers like green-headed coneflower, great blue lobelia, and the aggressive obedient plant with its showy pink or purple flowers. Even as the weather turns cold, you may see flowers like blue wood aster growing at the edge of woodlands or near meadows and streams.

Adults pay $12 admission to enter the preserve, which in the fall is open every day but Tuesdays. In September and October, you may also join naturalist-guided walks Friday through Sunday for an additional $5.

2. Erie National Wildlife Refuge – Guys Mills

Crawford County’s Erie National Wildlife Refuge is a hidden gem full of hidden gems of native plant species. The nearly 9,000 acres of the national wildlife refuge were established to protect migratory bird habitat, but it’s also a wonderful place to explore for wildflowers whether it is spring, summer, or autumn.

In the fall, wildflowers bloom against the splendid colors of autumn leaves. You can visit different ecosystems in the large refuge area, which include forested valleys, grasslands, and many wetland areas. The refuge’s four nature trails range in length from half a mile to three miles, and one is paved and accessible for stroller or wheelchair use. Check out the roughly two-mile Trolley Line Trail, which follows an old railroad grade as the trail provides glimpses of autumn wildflowers.

This national wildlife refuge is roughly an hour south of Erie, not far from Meadville.

3. Raccoon Creek State Park Wildflower Reserve – Clinton

Racoon Creek State Park, located less than an hour from Pittsburgh, is a state park in Beaver County where a number of fall wildflower species bloom each year. The four miles of trail within Raccoon Creek State Park Wildflower Reserve wind through 314 acres that make up the preserve.

The area is one of the most biodiverse in the state, home to more than 700 native plants. You can see peak fall blooms in early September — technically late summer, but the temperature is likely to feel autumnal then. You may see flowers such as asters, coneflowers, and field thistle growing along the trails.

4. Ricketts Glen State Park – Benton

Located in Northeastern Pa., Ricketts Glen State Park is well known for its waterfalls, but you can also enjoy the colorful fall flowers that line the trails to the park’s famous falls.

As the climate is colder than more southerly areas of Pa., you’ll want to prioritize wildflower viewing in the earlier months of autumn. You can gaze at numerous wildflower species in September, from the white flowers of American burnweed and white snakeroot to the more colorful yellow flowers of sneezeweed and Allegheny hawkweed. But even as October unfurls on Ricketts Glen’s trails, you may still see flowers like goldenrod, blue skullcap, tickseed, pearly everlasting, and false foxglove.

5. Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center – Petersburg

You can visit Central Pa.’s Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, not far from Penn State’s State College campus, to enjoy wildflowers still blooming in the fall. Some flowers you might spot on the center’s short trails include yellow black-eyed susans, tall goldenrod, and blue wood aster.

Check out the Shaver’s Creek calendar to learn about public programs you can attend. The environmental center is open daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and only closes for the season in mid-December.

6. Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve – Conestoga

While Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve is a popular spring wildflower destination, don’t overlook the preserve during the fall, when wildflowers are also taking over the trails. Indeed, in autumn, Lancaster County’s Shenks Ferry is home to some of the season’s most vivid flowers.

The most popular trail in the preserve is the Gamber Wildflower Trail, from which you can see rolling yellow meadows of goldenrod, purple clusters of tiny asters, and orange patches of tall jewelweed — all against a backdrop of changing fall foliage.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.